On the pictures above...where the samples are standing at attention at the top of the stairs...the one on the far right...I like the subtle diamond pattern and it is not too light, not too dark. The others might look busy once there is a large stretch going up the stairs.

kellienoelle, I do think it's a good idea for everyone to expand their design comfort zone from time to time. Just remember the runner up the stairs is the first think you see when you enter your home and sets the tone.

You have 2 shelties.....there's going to be hair whether you have carpet on the stairs or not. I hate to vacuum too. Get one of those sticky rollers so you don't have to vacuum more than once a week. The roller will allow you to easily grab all the big hair bunnies floating around.

I don't know where you live, but I'd purchase a runner and lay it on the stairs to see the overall appearance. I've included runner designs from Overstock that looked interesting. Runners are bound on the sides, so they save you some expense over broadloom carpet. If you use a large scale runner like the kilim, it's likely the tread and the riser will be one piece, and then cut so the tread of the stair below matches the pattern on the riser from the stair above. You;re not required to do it that way. You can just run it continuously down the stairs, but then the pattern won't match unless the repeat on the runner matches the combined dimensions of the riser and tread.

I may have missed something in this thread or the previous thread, but why did my favorite herringbone woven jute runner get 86'd? They're always good on stairs, classic and chic always and not too expensive....and reversible.

This post was edited by beverly27 on Fri, Sep 27, 13 at 6:02

I like a natural weave with your slate flooring. It kind of plays to the zebra rug too.

Just adding another shedding dog owner's opinion... pick a runner that matches their shedding fur. Unless you like vacuuming every day or two. Our dark carpeted stairs always look furry while our light ones look great!

I like the third one from the left the best but I tend to tire of pattern quickly. Your doggie is trying to tell you he/she likes it too :-)

I could see a number of those, but like Mtnrdredux I think I best like the second from the left in the first photo--or whichever of the two-tone diamonds was good at hiding dog hair. It seems to blend rather elegantly with the woodwork and would add gentle texture and detail to the background, with just that little bit of movement that diagonals give. Also, the pattern would probably work nicely with almost anything you could want to do in the other rooms.

I love some of the pictures Beverly posted, and that whole general look, but wouldn't go that way in there. The reason is that people in the entry hall are looking into 3 rooms, each somewhat different from the others, in addition to the entry. I just don't see adding a 4th (5th?) competitor for attention, this one demanding the viewer ignore the living, dining and family rooms to follow it up to the private areas above instead. (It can be fabulous when pulled off well and all spaces fully involved, but that's its own kind of look and quite a trick.)

The same sort of excitement and color could instead be added in a far smaller amount, and in color that could be echoed in other rooms, by a rather exquisite piece of art that helped set the tone for the whole house. That would place attention where I would like to have it in that situation -- at eye level as the gaze sweeps around.

So far we are looking at getting a carpet custom made and bound to serve as a runner. All of the samples where with that in mind as I thought that it would be less expensive doing it that way. Maybe I need to expand my search to include actual carpet runners and a good installer.

To answer the question of age, we are late 30s, early 40s in age, and I love alot of the options that Beverly posted, in particular the greek key and that herringbone that I don't recall seeing before, and definately don't recall 86'ing!. I would love some of the bolder colors and patterns if it wasn't the first thing you saw when you enter the house! I'm not afraid to go a little bold with some furnishings, but due to the high cost of installation and the high visibility factor, I think this will be an area to be a little more meek and neutral.

With that being said, I googled the names of some of the samples, and once they are in a larger area, a smaller repeated pattern almost recedes and doesn't quite read as a pattern. So maybe I am being a bit too timid. My husband gets a vote, but her has been out of town, so it will be interesting to see what he things.

Maybe an option? Albert & Dash runner in 2 sizes. Pattern, like your DH would prefer, durable, edges bound. Handsome I think. Small enough pattern to not distort viewing. Neutral to not conflict with your existing selections in other rooms. Dark enough to not show soiling, light enough to not show every little thing. Smart style but not trendy.

I absolutely love that. Did you see the pic I posted in the other thread as my "inspiration", it was similar. Is that black? My husband kept shying away from the black samples so I'll have to see what he thinks. Beverly - where did you find it? When I look at the Dash and Albert site I see there is an indoor/outdoor rug in that pattern, but it looks different somehow from that pic. We do have a store about a half mile away that sells Dash and Albert. And these can be fitted on stairs? You just buy a couple of them?

It is Dash & Albert indoor/outdoor rug. They offer Black, Graphite, and Charcoal besides a number of other colors. Found the staircase photo on Pinterest. Hope the width they offer will work for you. Yes you just purchase the runners and have them installed on the stairs. The original picture shows a nicely tailored installation. Can't tell if they cut the runner at the back of each tread to get that neat appearance, but the pattern is perfectly matched so I don't think so. Just hidden staples or carpet nails to keep it in place.

Here is a link that might be useful: Dash & Albert Diamond Rug

I hope you can see the Dash & Albert in person.
That type of loop looks like claw catchers.

Wow, I love the A & D that Beverly posted!

Here's a short write-up on installing D&A stair runner, from This Old House.

Here is a link that might be useful: stair runner

Wow, nosoccermom, that video for installation is perfect for a DIY project. I do have a preference for the wrapped nosing installation technique.

I think dlm2000 has a good point about dizzying patterns and high contrast color. Stairs can be very treacherous and a fall can result in catastrophic injuries.

I agree with you guys, I don't need any help in the clutzy department. But the D&A rugs don't appear to be too psychadelic. To me it feels like a nice compromise between the diamond shape but "boring" in the samples to a little more lively without going over the top. I'll stop in this weekend and see how it looks/feels. Being indoor/outdoor it will probably wear well. My one concern is the width of the runners. Oh, and that my husband won't care for it. We'll see, I don't mind being a bit "boring" on the stairs as it isn't a huge focal point with tons of cool architectural features, but being the first thing seen on entry to the house, I want it to at least look nice.

Ok, so home and just measured and our stairs at their narrow point are 46 inches once it gets to the wall at the top. Wider at the bottom where the spindles are. The D&A runner is 30 inches, so that leaves at least 8 inches on either side. I was kind of hoping for less. Anybody know if there is a "standard"?

You could use the 3x5 rugs up the stairs. I once had $5 rag rugs from IKEA installed up the stairs of a cottage, and they were 2x3, so I know it can be done. You could also ask if D&A ever fabricate special sizes.

I haven't see these rugs in person. Are they reversible? Can they be cut? Can you purchase a rug and cut it up and install it like broadloom?

Well, a bit disappointing. Went and got the samples of the D&A rugs. First, since they are indoor/outdoor rugs it was like comparing apples to oranges in terms of quality to the other samples that I have. Granted the price will likely reflect that. Second, I don't think they are wide enough, they don't do custom sizes, since they are bound on the edges, I don't think that cutting it would be an option. Here are the pics that I took though.

Showing the color options:
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Putting two together to show how wide it would likely be. I wanted it to be probably 8" wider:

Not wide enough, IMO.

That general pattern is available in carpets where you could have it sized to your stairs. If possible, I think I would fan the runner out on the wider steps so the amount of wood on each side is the same as in the upper steps and so that a balanced amount of material covers the treads. Both versions you are showing look too narrow, imo.

Seeing it in place, what do you guys think of that general pattern with a larger diamond shape than the ones in the original samples? While the Dash and Albert rugs won't work, I am sure I could find something similar at the showroom that I was at last week. I am thinking I need to have at least 40" so only 4" will be visible on each side.

deleted as I had posted comment before reading above.

This post was edited by gail618 on Sat, Sep 28, 13 at 13:53

The "standard" size for the D&A runners are 2.5 ft (30 inches) and our stairs at their narrowist point (up by the wall) is 46 inches. When we were looking at houses, I remember being struck by the fact that the stairs were wider than most of the other older houses we looked at, so maybe they are a bit wider than the standard.

I am looking at the Masland Carpet website (which seems to be what many of my samples are) and don't see anything similar to this.

Sigh, back to the drawing board!

Well, I found a great pattern that I like. Alternative Flooring line "quirky", product is Tess. Of course it is a UK brand so likely not available here in US.

Here is a link that might be useful: Carpet

kellienoelle, Do you like the color and pattern of the D&A carpet?

Here's the link to a blog with pictures using the D&A rugs on stairs that might be helpful and encouraging. (Though I think she made a big mistake by not using felt pad on the treads)

Please note in her blog that there are 3 staircases in the house, and with 2 she had to have the runners cut down and the edges "rebound". You could purchase a larger carpet, like 8x10, and have your runner cut to the width needed and have the edges bound. Or have the rug cut, edges turned and glued in place instead of bound. Many designers prefer the appearance of the turned and glued edge instead of the bound edge because it makes the runner look thicker when installed over a pad.

Nearly every town has at least one expert carpet installer who has the proper equipment to do this either bind or turn and glue rugs. You might try taking the samples to him to get a recommendation and price before you go any further.

I'm guesstimating that 36-39" for the width might be right for your staircase, and this size should be determined ultimately by the horizontal repeat of the diamonds. You want to end both sides with either a full or half diamond showing.

Here is a link that might be useful: Installing D&A runner on Staircase

I still worry about loop pile .
I imagine if your dogs did have back dews they have been removed.
Do they still have their front ones ?

Claws just don't do well on closed loop
no mater how often you trim.

Now I'm repeating myself :)

Hello, back again after a brief hiatus while waiting for the carpet installer guy to come out and measure and to receive price quotes.

Beverly - my concern with putting all that effort into that particular D & A rug is that the quality didn't seem quite the same as the others we were looking at. If it fit "as is" I likely would have been OK with that due to the lower price point, but when I start having to rebuild it, I don't know that it would be worth it.

So I'm going back to the original thought of a bit of a more subtle pattern for a bit of punch without making it a huge design statement. I think we have it narrowed down (maybe - I am still being a bit wishy washy so if you hate it or love one of the others, speak up) to these final ones. I got a couple of extra samples, so don't think that one of the contenders has been shown yet. One thing that I am trying to take into account is the color that the binding on the outer edges will be. The diamond pattern with black, the tweed pattern with some sort of brown or beige. So without further ado a couple of different views.
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Oh and then since price and quality is of course important:

Both are Masland, the diamond pattern is a stainmaster nylon and installed cost will be $1177, the tweed is 100% wool and installed cost will be $1812

This post was edited by kellienoelle on Mon, Oct 7, 13 at 21:31

I adore the tweed, DH says I always like the expensive one *lol*

May I ask if you talked with the installer about simply turning the edges of the runner to eliminate the edge serging? The cost maybe a wash, but I thought it might be less money for you if they simply did the turned, glued hem on the edge.

I've attached the images of the carpet samples with edges installed. I vote for the wool.

I like the look of the bound edge, when I was looking through photos, I seemed to be prefer that look so am going with that. The cost IS a big difference, but not enough to sway me one way or the other.

OK, a couple other factors.....the wool FEELS better, but I have bigger concerns about trapping dog hair since it is more textured than the other.

I like the tweed.

I prefer the tweed, too, because I love spending other people's money! It's so hard to tell on a little laptop screen, but it looks to me like it might be something the dogs would snag and catch their nails in, though. Is it as deeply textured as it looks?

I'm coming in late here - but I like the tweed.

It was the one that "spoke to me" in your first post --

I LOVE the D&A runners -- too bad they are too narrow. I have the diamond pattern 8x10 in my office (the tan one) and I love it.

But since you can't go down that path, the wool/tweed gets my vote.

I like both the color and texture. As for the nylon - it's the tone of the tan that is bugging me. If it were the same tone as the wool, I think I'd like it better.

I still like the classic small diamond pattern the best. I like it that it is both graphic and traditional at the same time and seems in keeping with the style of your home. The tweed is nice, but a bit too neutral and unassuming to my taste. The small diamond pattern is a bit dressier than the tweed and seems better for a front entry.

Have you looked at Stark Carpets? They have similar geometric patterns to the D&A runner. They can customize to nearly any size. I had some carpet of theirs bound and made into a 12X12 rug in my living room - it is the same diamond pattern as the D&A rug but more plush. They offer a wide variety of color choices -- took me 3 months to choose. They have a showroom here in LA, but I know they ship as I had a friend in Atlanta who ordered some carpet from them.

Here is a link that might be useful: Stark carpet/rugs

kellienoelle, For the next staircase project.

Here is a link that might be useful: Merida

Hi
Very late to this thread but I did want to say that I have the carpet that is closest to your pooch in the last picture (subtle diamond pattern) I had this in chocolate installed in my master, loved it so much had it put in my guest room in the same color you are thinking about. We've had it down for several years now and cannot say enough about its durability. Great rug for the money. And I had a very fluffly/furry golden retriever until she passed away recently. The rug vacuumed beautifully. Very resistant to stains also.
Good luck with your decision.

Hi
Very late to this thread but I did want to say that I have the carpet that is closest to your pooch in the last picture (subtle diamond pattern) I had this in chocolate installed in my master, loved it so much had it put in my guest room in the same color you are thinking about. We've had it down for several years now and cannot say enough about its durability. Great rug for the money. And I had a very fluffly/furry golden retriever until she passed away recently. The rug vacuumed beautifully. Very resistant to stains also.
Good luck with your decision.

Thank you for the suggestions and votes. I am torn, I think my husband is leaning towards the diamond pattern for several reasons. First, if there isn't a clearcut preference, pick the one that is cheaper. Second, concerns about the texture trapping the hairs. I do have some concern about the dog nails snagging the carpet as it is pretty textured, but don't know if it will be a concern.

If the color on the diamond rug is the sticking point, they have a wide variety. I'll link below to the 22 options. I believe the one above is the ecru, so maybe the ironwork would be a better option?

Pipdog- no Stark showroom here is MO. I did look at their line and like several of them quite a bit. Not sure if my husband will kill me if I add in all new options since he is looking to get this completed before one of our dogs takes another tumble. Sometimes he thinks I overthink things (he's right). But regardless, I wonder if they will ship out samples....

This post is getting to be habit forming. I took a look at the Masland online, and can't really tell a thing from their photographs, so I went back to your original posted photos. Here's my final answer,........ but you have to do what you think looks good with all the colors and the available light because you're standing in the space, and none of us can do that...........good luck.

I have talked to a couple of friends who looked "in real life" and a few who have seen the same pics that you have seen. And the verdict from people who know me is that while the tweed is certainly quite nice, the other is more "me". I do really really Iove the tweed and it feels amazing, but I am afraid that I have to agree. So, i have taken a couple of additional pics of two different sample which also show the wall color since it wasn't very visible in the others. I swear these are now the final two! Remember that they will be bound on the edges, so the one on the left would be brown, and on the right would be black. Votes please? So I can put this project to bed and move on to all the many others I have in mind!
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Maybe I should create a new thread for those who don't want to wade through tons of discarded options.

Durango - your carpet looks fantastic. It was one that was in the running until my husband decided it must have more than one color.Thanks so much for showing! Ill show him when returns home from work travel to see if he can be swayed

Hi Kellienoelle,

I like both of your final two choices. But I like the black diamonds the best. They echo the dark slate floor and your dark woods. The black feels a bit more modern and graphic (in a subtle way) and provides a little contrast to the wood stairs. I may copy your runner!

Kellie, now that the old lady pattern is out of the running I much prefer the diamond pattern. It is a very nice looking carpet. My vote is for the black diamonds.

Any decisions yet? We just installed the same Masland Treillage in the family room, and it definitely has a lot of texture and reads as a pattern. So far so good with the dog claws (which is why we replaced the old low-end carpet, under manufacturers warranty). I too am looking to do the front stairs, and found a leopard print that will hide every stain and dog fur. It sounds crazy, but look at this blog post...she used Glen Eden Cheetah; I like Stanton's Felix.

Here is a link that might be useful: Elements Of Style- Erin Gates

misstish - I did decide on the diamond pattern in black, it is ordered and will hopefully be installed in the next couple of weeks! For all the agonizing I did over making a decision I haven't second guessed myself since the order was placed. With that being said....dare I ask to see a photo of your Treillage?

That leopard print is super fun! I was skeptical on reading, but really love the looks of it installed! Her house appears to be pretty traditional too, but it looks great. If you choose that I just can't wait to see pictures!

And now that I see that she painted the risers and and bannister I am wondering if I need to do that.

Personally, I like the more subtle patterns. I think it depends on whether you want to make a statement with the stairs or not. I like some of the wilder patterns but maybe not on the stairs.

I love your dogs! Are they shelties or collies?

misstish, I have a wool leopard print area rug right inside our front door; about 3x6, from Pottery Barn maybe 12 years ago. We're in Seattle so frequently come in with wet feet, as does our large dog. It still looks great. I can't believe how filthy it is every time we vacuum or shampoo it, but it doesn't show a thing!

The dogs are Shelties, we love them. Despite that fact that all that hair finds its way EVERYWHERE!