I get it 100%. The binder is wrong. He or She should balance it and give you the width you want. 24 inches is very narrow,

hi folks, I'll be installing a stair runner this weekend and have a few quick questions. I've got a power stapler, awl, chisels, tackless strips, padding/underlayment, and will rent a kneekick from the local carpet store. I do a lot of upholstery work (some by contract) so this is not particularly daunting as a DIY project; I'd just like to do it well, of course, with your input. The staircase in question has a 4-step gentle curve along a Newell post, then a straight flight of about 10 steps. Thankfully, I have plenty of runner to cover. Laying method: as I understand it, I tuck under on the curves, a la: 1. Is the picture correct? Doesn't this perhaps lead to excess (visible) bulk along the stairwell post? Should one trim the excess? And how does this affect the continuity of the pattern? If it does affect the pattern, is this a necessary evil or are there insider tricks for placing it? 2. Start at top or start at bottom? The books each give different advice. 3. Most instructions say to simply glue and staple the cut ends down, but I plan on binding them by hand. Is this overkill? Seems too chintzy-looking to do it the other way, and wouldn't the woven rug unravel? 4. Does one indeed use tackless strips with a patterned Persian? Do they disfigure the pattern? I worry that staples/rods alone would not hold the thing tightly enough by themselves. I'm not planning on using rods. I'm willing to do what it takes to do it right, but would prefer to cut the rug as little as possible (it's a nice, thick wool Anglo-Persian Wilton from 1910). My gratitude in advance for any insights or tips. My runner:

I love that rug too. I'd go for it. If the patterns don't match up, you can always return them to the store (even if it's an online purchase). I'm wondering about the canvas backing though. That might make it slippery? Maybe you want to have it professionally installed with a pad? I wonder if a pro would remove the canvas first. My stair runner was installed with staples and a pad. No stair rods. The savings on on not having to buy rods might cover a good portion of the cost to install professionally. There's another link to that rug pattern where you can see more of the design. Here is a link that might be useful: Linden Street Wool Rug

@Chestnut "A" is broadloom by Shaw Tigress, marketed under a bunch of names like Sudbury . "D" is Stanton Atelier Barrett. Both are nylon. I went shopping again yesterday and I'm thinking "D" will be it, but I still need to find area rugs. I am drawn to the one Arktillery posted as well, it may go with the runner and add enough interest (the online reviews are so-so). My concern with the Dec 12 15:20 rug is that it may be too plain (Surya, Candice Olsen collection, wool). I feel like if I did that I may need to add some wallpaper to the staircase to liven things up a bit. Here's another (on the busy side, suzani) :