I’d like to devote today’s post to something that some will probably view as being a bit mundane – stair runners. You probably haven’t spent a lot of time thinking about stair runners. They certainly are not the most sexy element of design. And, with today’s pervasive style of minimalist decor and clean lines, stair runners feel a bit like a relic from the past.
As a person who slips and falls on my stairs on a weekly basis, I can tell you stair runners are quite necessary. Each time I am reaching for the handrail (as I begin to slip) I curse the fact that I have not yet ordered our runners. Why, you ask might ask, am I risking life and limb? What is taking so long? The short answer is that I was hoping we could avoid it. I like the look of clean, bare stairs. But, since I am on the verge of breaking my neck, I have come to terms with the fact that avoiding runners is not a realistic possibility.
This has lead me to start to hunt for the perfect stair runner. As expected, many of the choices out there are quite boring and old-fashioned. But, among the plush, high-pile, cream-colored choices, I have found a few shining stars. I don’t know that I have settled on any of them, but it has taken me a while to round up the contenders, so I thought I would share my (short) list.
Some of my favorite finds have come from a UK company called Roger Oates. Here are two examples.
Unfortunately, it appears to be difficult to source Roger Oates rugs from the West Coast. As far as I can tell, they are only available through Stark’s NYC showroom, but I am still hopeful that I will find a West Coast source.
I was equally inspired by the image above from Elizabeth Eakins. The linen and wool rugs are both gorgeous and durable. Here are a few of my favorite patterns. (And, the good news is that they are available for viewing in San Francisco).
Lastly, I really love the look of jute and sisal stair runners. The downside is that they really cannot be cleaned. So, unless you always remember to take your shoes off (and have no children) these can be a difficult choice. A little internet surfing, however, lead me to the all-weather section of Sisal Rugs Direct’s website.
Image courtesy of ourstoriedhome.com
To be honest, I am not entirely sure that a faux product is the way to go when there are so many other beautiful choices that can be cleaned. But, it is an interesting idea. They offer many, many color choices so I think I’ll at least order a few samples to check out the product.
This list may be short, but I feel like I have made real progress by eliminating many, many choices. I’m hoping to have these installed soon, if nothing else, for my own safety. Stay tuned for the finished product.
