too funny kgwlisa, i just posted this picture on my thread re: foyer. Let me know if you find a good imitation william morris somewhere!! I want it for my stairs!

Here is a link that might be useful: Thread on Foyer

I don't care what "people" are doing personally. I do what I want to do. :)

Right on! Please don't allow yourself to be swayed by what a supposed professional tells you is in/out/done/not done. Do what makes you happy in your home! :-)

Lesley,
I, too, am planning on a runner up my stairs. It just seems so cold with all the wood.
I think I know what the antelope carpet is....& I think it is pretty cool:)

Go for it!

Nora, that runner would look so good in your very pretty foyer!
Smiles:)

I haven't heard that they are "out." To me, they're practical. In our old house, we had hardwood stairs w/ no runner. On Christmas morning one year, I was wearing my new, handknit slippers, and fell down the entire flight of stairs and got a concussion! Called the carpet installers the next week (and tossed those slippers!). I love the look of "naked" stairs but I'm too afraid of family members tumbling down the stairs in their stocking feet.

I have my split staircase bare for now, however I love the look of a runner on stairs. The black one you posted is gorgeous and would look beautiful on mine, lol.

DH is another story however as he is of the mind "we spent HOW MUCH on hardwood stairs and you want to cover them up??"
So remember, if you are looking at pics of other homes here, it may not be that people don't like runners anymore but that they don't have them in their budget as of now.

The quality of the one you posted looks great and I'd wonder too if one of lesser quality ie price, would look as good.

"In the first place, never attach the least importance to any recommendation (at any such establishment) that the shopman may make on the score of taste. If he says that one form of chair is stronger than another form, or that the covering of one sofa will wear better than that which is used for another, you may believe him, because on that point he can judge and it is to his interest that you should be correctly informed so far. But on the subject of taste his opinion is likely not to be worth more but rather less than that of his customers, for the plain reason that the nature of his occupation can have left him little time to form a taste at all."

--Hints on Household Taste by Charles Eastlake, 1868

Still, I think they look dated.

I think they're very practical and attractive, especially in an older house. The runner keeps the riser from getting scuffed and the tread from getting scratched and worn, absorbs sound (stairwells can be echoey and the thump-thud of feet is irritating) as well as adding visual interest to the stairway. I look forward to the day when we can strip the hideous commercial Berber carpet (endless curses upon PO) and peeling paint off our stairs and put on a nice runner with the edges of the stair treads exposed. I've gone arse over teakettle on carpeted stairs, bare stairs, pretty much any kind of stairs, so it's best to just be careful no matter what is on the stairs.

Damn straight, Magnaverde. So much of that book is still right on the money even after 140 years.

I run up and down stairs. I slipped off the edge of a carpeted stair and broke my ankle...the only time I've ever broken a bone! I also slipped (probably off the edge again) on a set of carpeted stairs with a newborn baby in my arms. I was able to fall backwards...he was fine, but I was a little sore :)

I don't think I would ever trust myself to not have a carpet runner. Apparently even carpeted stairs are accidents waiting to happen for me!

Lisa

Absolutely not "out." :)

norasnews: Would you mind sharing the brand/name of that runner? I love it!

I personally love the look of stair runners -- particular the ones with those pretty brass or nickel bars that hold the runners in place. Additionally, I think wood stairs are very slippery and dangerous.

When my DD was 1 and first learning how to walk, she ran ahead of DH and, not realizing that steps didn't function the same as walking on a flat surface, hurled herself down the stairs intending to continue running. She fell down 10 stairs before DH could get to her. I can still hear the sound in my head, kerthump, kerthump, kerthump. Thank G-d those stairs were carpeted and we had upgraded the pad. Poor dear was fine, but she refused to walk up or down stairs until she was nearly 3, and she still won't climb up a jungle gym or playground slide ladder without holding someone's hand.

The stairs in our new/old house are wood only. Three people tripped on those stairs during the first week we were in there. I bought some glow in the dark no-slip safety grip tape and put a strip on every darned stair. It's not pretty, but until we can afford to install runners, it does the trick. No one has hurt themselves on those stairs since.

Organic: It is way over my budget: Karastan William Morris

If anyone ever finds a reasonable fascimile, let me know!!!

Here is a link that might be useful: Karastan

When you look at it on the "room view" the pattern is much bigger.

norasnews: Thank you. We have only a short set of stairs, so we may be able to afford that. I love it!

parma42: I think the stair runner version is actually smaller print, if I'm not mistaken.

That is so weird! I like the smaller pattern much better! Thanks for pointing that out!

You posted a pic of their wall to wall carpet, not the coordinating runner. Here is the runner (2'6" wide for scale)

{{!gwi}}

and the matching area rug:

{{!gwi}}

Thanks os and kg, that makes a big difference, although my pocketbook for the time being probably won't allow it. Sure is stunning though, even in the other colors.

I think I have to use wall to wall carpet that is bound as a runner, as opposed to an actual runner.

That is what a carpet guy told me once... I have these weird pie shaped steps (instead of a landing) and a 2'6'' runner is too narrow on the pie shaped steps.

But I also heard it may be more economical to do it that way since runners are generally more per foot than carpet.
Maybe you would know if that is true?

Sometimes an idea is just good. Stair runners are great looking, and very practical at the same time. Since stairs get such tough wear, carpeted stairs always seem to look shabby before the rest of your carpet. By using a runner that will take the hard wear and hide dirt well, you will avoid expensive and useless cleaning and will extend the life of the carpet you have in other areas that doesn't see quite as much traffic. It bugs me when someone just decides that an idea isn't the "in" thing anymore. I remember a few years ago when people were saying animal prints were so yesterday. Huh?? Last time I checked they are still going strong. Good design works well when the function of the house is honored, and stairs need a surface that will accept heavy traffic. If you don't like wood on the stairs, a runner will always look good. Check Nourison for runners too, they are priced a little less than Karastan if any styles work for you.

"stair runners...are they 'out?'"

I never thought they were 'in'!! LOL!!

I ripped mine off as soon as I could.

We like the look of naked wood better... and since the carpet was removed, no one has slipped down the stairs (that was a regular occurrence with the runner).

Not for me. ever. We have an old house and refinished hardwood stairs. We had a leftover run of karastan berber carpet we put in our family room cut and bound for a runner for the stairs and landing.The carpet guys installed it.
I think the carpet sets off the wood stairs beautifully.I always found that the hardwood was always so loud. This runner cushions the 8 legs bounding down the stairs to go outside.woof.
My dream is to have a Karastan runner like that or one of the their oriental collections you can get made as a stair runner.
Have fallen down carpeted, and bare stairs. I will take carpeted any day. Just call me grace! :) Sue

Here's one discussion from a while back with pictures and the follow-up.

Follow up - http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/decor/msg021852357688.html

Here is a link that might be useful: Original thread - Can you tell me about your staircase runner?

That runner that is posted is just beautiful! Now I am going to be searching for one for my hallway!

I'm another that says do what you like. I don't always think that the latest "anythings" are always tasteful, from clothes to anything else. There are some mighty ugly outfits out there that I wouldn't be caught dead in, but people wear them anyway and say they are "in style".

I can't imagine stair runners being outdated. I think they are classic. Somethings will always be in style, but I can see where it is a matter of personal taste. Personally, I like them and they do serve a purpose. Count me as another one that slipped on bare wood stairs. The bruise on my fanny was lovely with every color in the rainbow that is imaginable.

We put a Nourison wool runner on the stairs of our 1880's house. The stairs were previously painted, and we stripped, refinished and added the runner. I love how soft it is, and it makes the descent less vertigo-esque in the morning. :)

Here are some pics, before and after (because I finally uploaded pics...!):

Love the look of the runner club! It's beautiful..

and thanks DLM2000 for posting the link to the previous discussion.

The method you used was called HOLLYWOOD, which is so pretty... as opposed to the Waterfall method I used to have ... for some reason the dust and dog hair gathered in the 'fall'.. I know, I know the answer is I should dust more..

I love stair runners! have been wanting to do our stair way in our 1887 home

..your stair way looks great club, adds warmth and interest, beautiful!

That Karastan is gorgeous, love it myself..( gotta love the
Lifetime Limited Moth and Insect Resistance Warranty..lol)
Ree

Runners looks nice on a grand staircase, but in smaller homes, with smaller steps, I prefer rich hardwood.
Plus I find runners to be very dangerous. They always seem to get loose over time...I like the feeling of a flat solid surface under my feet.

I can't imagine that a correctly-installed runner would get loose over time... mine has been on my stairs for 12 years and it still looks as good as the day it was installed. No looseness at all. (Which is too bad, because I'm kind of bored with it and would love an excuse to get something new!) I think I'd go insane if I had to listen to my kids and dogs feet/paws on bare steps all the time!