It looks very practical and there's nothing wrong with it. I like your gray paint idea with a cool tone gray to play off the slate and contrast with the warm golds and woods.

Rather than stare at a runner you hate all day? Use the time to post pictures of what is AROUND the runner you hate. What rooms? What is the rest of your decor we can't see?

Why dark stair rods? Don't.

If you are considering replacing the stair runner, look at these:

https://www.lizaphillipsdesign.com/collections/alto-steps

Pricey but beautiful and ours still look great after 15 years.

If you don't like the runner, the best thing to do is to change it.

Once you start painting, you're going to wind up painting most of the house, because now the new color in the stairs making the entryway look back, and the new paint in the entryway makes the living room look bad, and the new paint in the living room......

If you hate it that much, replace it with something you like. Decorating around it is throwing money away--it's a sunk cost and no manner of paint is going to disguise it. From your photo, it doesn't seem to work with the flooring either colorwise or stylewise.

If you decide to replace it DON'T buy something that you've only seen online. As you've discovered, colors are not rendered accurately online. Most reputable sites will caution you against relying on colors viewed on a computer. Go to a good carpet store to see the product in person or get a sample if you must order online.

Now you're planning to add dark stair rods & gray paint on the walls and expecting a better outcome. Stairrods hold the carpet in place. That is not your situation.

Adding gray walls will only make this situation worse.

We don't know what you have installed at the top of the stairs, so it's hard to make a recommendation.

Here's nor stair runner with a gray wall.......only making the situation worse.

Here's your stair with 3 different wainscot options. The dark blue/green from the slate along with the other colors from the rug.

I think the runner is quite nice. It is traditional in look but it is also classic design. The balustrade and handrail could use some updating. You could consider replacing the entire balustrade with metal or at least replace the balusters (rods) and paint the newels a different color. Would suggest painting the handrail as well but it wouldn't take long for the paint to begin to wear there.

The runner is not a problem in and of itself - the problem is that it doesn't go with the foyer floor. Painting the walls isn't going to change that, and while colors aren't always true in pictures, I don't see how gray paint would be the solution. What is the style of the rest of the house? Which element is out of place here? Right now the stair rail and runner are saying traditional, but the foyer floor is saying MCM or contemporary. If you really want traditional, get a complementary rug for the foyer to cover up the majority of the dark tile. If you want something more modern you will have to replace the runner and change the spindles on the stairs. But if there are a lot of other traditional elements in the house you will have started down a path that will take more changes and money for a consistent look. This isn't to say everything needs to be changed at one time, but you do need to decide which style you're working toward.

Colors aways vary in person. Lesson learned, never order a rug without getting a sample.

That said, while not what you expected, it is not offensive or horrible.

Why did they leave the bottom and not put carpet there?

I like it. Put a matching (or at least coordinating) area rug at the bottom and I bet you'll get used to it.

Add a little fringe please.

Sorry but adding fringe isn’t doing anything to make it better. In fact it looks worse.

Plus, if a cat lives in that household it will not be able to resist that fringe!

Well, it looks unfinished unless something comes down to that landing.

I like Beverly's 3rd wainscott solution. Also wonder if painting the risers would make it feel more coordinated?

Hate seems so strong. It’s a traditional look and the color isn’t perfect with the slate but I would skip the carpet rods and live with it for six months and see. I wouldn’t paint the walls unless that’s part of a larger plan

Paint the wood tone hand rail the color of the floor. You could paint the treads white (just use an edger to keep the paint off the rug).

I'd like to see a different arrangement of wall decor when looking up. The grouping is very busy and the gold framed mirror doesn't help with your hating the runner. Try art, no mirror, as it just reflects the ceiling light. "eye of the beholder"

My favorite stair runner.

The color is too close to the wood it's on top of. I don't think you're ever going to feel like it works in the space.

Sure, treads.

Set of 15 Skid-Resistant Carpet Stair Treads Black Ripple, 8"x27" · More Info

But probably you want a different runner. Agree with those who say we need to see more of your decor to make reasonable suggestions, but of course you could match the gray to varying extents and end up more happy!

A pretty new runner for a newly refinished staircase. · More Info

Ah Jan! 😂 she is a professional in her field, so don’t count her out yet! She just may come back and give you a solution, without you spending anymore money on this project. It’s easy for some to say start over, but most of the world does not have the funds to do that.

I am not a Pro.

Without seeing the whole area……I would consider getting a matching area rug for the slate floor.

Then some great art for the walls to bring all the colors together.

I like it.

Sure, maybe it could use some tweaks. But I like it and frankly wish it were on my stairs right now. :) It will protect the nice white risers and won't show dirt. It's practical with kids and pets, and at the end of the day is 100% perfectly fine.

I must say, I haven’t had a runner on my wood steps for 29 years and I love it!!!! My stairs still look great and oh so much easier to clean.

stairs/runner are fine. I agree about that dark green (black) tile? can that be changed?

we do need to see the surrounding area. this stairway doesn't live in a vacuum.

maybe update the banister/newel post/ spindles? too late to stain the treads.

Runner is nice. Very classic. I would just paint out the bottom.

in a brown - and brown is the new black, btw.

Or I might do red. At least, ‘I‘ might do that.

But really, the runner looks good. And the style and colors really work well with your gold framed mirror and gallery wall at the top of the stairs. What else would you replace the runner with? I’d just paint out that bottom step and call it a day.

Several thoughts:

- I think it's okay.

- I'd live with it for a couple months and see if you still feel the same way.

I agree that painting grey and adding stair rods will make ot worse. your runner is beautiful but if you hate it it is best to replace it.

I don't see anything wrong with it. I think its a matter of taste. If you don't like it then replace it instead of changing all kinds of other things to make it look better to you. That often doesn't work out.

I think the color goes nicely with your wood tones and the pattern is fine. Adding gray is going to make it look worse, as others have said. Is it possible (if you decide to keep it) to get a smaller matching rug to use to bring it down over the last step to the slate? If not, I might see about getting a piece of veneer to match the treads and install it on the face of the bottom step. I would not use dark rods...maybe a brushed or aged brass to minimize the contrast.

I always think of slate as a neutral on a floor, esp when used with wood floors, so I don't think the color disparity is a problem. If you hate it and think you will always hate it, then just replace it. There are some very affordable options...if you want help shopping for them, I know people will help with that.

Ignore the rude bullies.

As you can see from the chaos that is my living room in the background my girls have been off of school for a few days.
I couldn’t help myself and painted a test area the light gray I have in my kitchen (FB school house white). It changed which color tones in the runner were emphasized enough that I’m much less antagonistic about it. The hallway has needed painting since we had a pipe burst last year, so I think I’m going to go for it. I actually think I might love the color with the slate (a transitional neutral flooring material in my book). A lighter brighter gray would be pretty - but I already have this paint so here we are. I had ordered the dark stair rods, but have appreciated all of the advice regarding them so TBD. I would love to post more pictures of the stair/hallway areas (really most of my house because your replies are so stellar with insight and ideas) but need a full day of school to get the place looking respectable again😆 Thank you everyone for your time and help!! The encouragement and debate are invaluable.

If the kids are in another room?

Take a pic of the LEFT side of this picture...

Why? Because not even that stair lives in isolation from that room

We can not see it , bless out hearts : ) Just a sliver here below...show the whole room. If one to the right of the foyer? Like a dining room ? Show that as well.

Jan, your sarcasm isn’t appreciated. Did you read my entire comment specifying that I would be happy to share more of my home when I’ve had time to clean it? I’m not sure why you feel the need to have a tone or make an unkind comment but it’s not welcome here.

We can see past it. : ) I guarantee we've seen worse.

Everyone ( yes, include me) is trying to help you.

Yes, everyone has been incredibly generous in their help! I very much appreciate and am looking forward to further insights, opinions, and ideas.

I'm a little confused. In your first few photos, the bottom riser is not covered by the carpet. But in the last photo the runner continues down to the tile floor. How can that be?

Thank you, I meant to mention the bottom riser! The foyer floor is not level so the bottom of the runner had to be cut and reattached for the border to fit correctly. I think a runner ending before the last riser can look great in the right application but not for this bordered safiveh rug.

Ok, now I get it.