If you follow our Facebook or Instagram pages, you have probably noticed we are posting a lot of installation pictures of carpet on stairs. All types of patterns, colors, and looks. Stair runners are very popular, and look great in both traditional and contemporary homes.
Maybe you are thinking about adding or changing your staircase carpet. Here’s what you need to know:
There are a number of reasons for adding a runner to a staircase. One of the most common and perhaps obvious reasons is safety. Wood stairs can be quite slippery, which can present a danger, especially when there are children, pets, or people with mobility issues in the home.
There are two options for choosing a runner on stairs: a pre-made runner, usually featuring a pattern, or a custom-made runner, made from broadloom carpet.
Runner Width
Most pre-made runners are available in 26" and 31" widths. A common question is which width should you choose. The answer to this will depend on the width of your stairs.
For stairs that are approximately 3 feet wide, we would suggest a 26-inch runner width. This width allows for good coverage so that you don't feel like you are walking on a narrow strip, and is not too wide to overpower the stairs.
For wider stairs of about 4 feet or 5 feet, a 31 inch runner is a good option, as it will leave a nice amount of floor showing on either side and will not be diminished by the size of the stairs.
If you have a custom staircase that falls outside of the sizes listed above, your best bet would be to have a runner custom made, so that you can tailor it to your specifications to allow for an appropriate scale.
Patterned runners are beautiful, and come in a limitless choice of colors and designs. Be sure that the pattern will work on stairs. Some patterns are more effective on long, flat surfaces, such as a rug in a hallway, and don't work as well when they are bent and folded over the stairs. If you have a curved or winding staircase, this is even more of a concern. Non-geometric designs, such as abstracts or the floral designs commonly found in Oriental rugs, are a good choice of pattern for stairs.
PRO TIP: Patterns in dark colors are great for hiding spills and stains.
Pattern Size
For the scale of the pattern, it is best to go small on a stair runner. Large patterns will be lost and will look too uneven as the carpet bends over each stair. Smaller patterns will nicely showcase the design of each tread and riser. On narrow staircases, a small pattern can help the stairs to seem wider, as multiple pattern repeats trick the mind into seeing a bigger expanse.
Custom Runner
What if you can't find a pre-made runner you like? Or the sizes don't work for your staircase? In these cases, having a runner made out of broadloom is your best bet. The choices are unlimited as any broadloom carpet can be used as a stair runner. The runner can be cut to your exact specifications and finished on the sides by binding or serging the edges.
Padding
Despite the fact that the carpet runner is a small piece of carpet, it still requires a cushion or pad. The best cushion for under a runner is very thin so that it doesn’t raise the height of the runner by much. It should also be dense, to adequately support the runner so that the carpet doesn’t flex too much when walked on.
The cushion should be slightly narrower than the runner, to allow the runner to sit tightly against the stair, and ensure the pad is not visible from the side of an open staircase.
We have samples of pre-made runners for you to select from in the Design Center. You can also choose any broadloom carpet in the store for your runner. Many clients also add an area rug to match. Our Design Consultants can help you find the prefect runner for your décor.
Design Tip
Welcome spring by swapping winter's heavy throws and velvet pillows for cottons and linens in light, fresh florals and stripes.
Fun Fact: We can make custom pillows with RM COCO Designer Fabrics, for your springtime look! They can even match your new draperies.
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WWOWT
Wonderful World of Window Treatments
Spring Window Fashions
Now that winter has passed, it’s a great time to decorate your windows with some trendy spring window fashions. The spring season can be reflected in your home simply by changing up colors, fabrics, and accessorizing your windows.
By switching from those dark colors and heavy fabrics from the winter season to lighter colors and lightweight fabrics, it will feel like spring in your home instantly.
If you are trying to brighten up your space, here are some tips on how to bring the latest spring window fashions into your home.
Brighten Your Curtains With Color
Say goodbye to those dark, dull colored curtains from the winter and say hello to some bright, fun colors for the springtime. Adding a touch of color to your windows will immediately catch your eye and make them look complete. Consider incorporating multiple colors when purchasing curtains such as bright colors, pastels, and patterns to give the window a more contemporary design. Keep it simple and don’t overdo it, or the curtains can draw your eyes the other way.
Pastels
When choosing to use pastel colors to decorate a home, the overall mood can tend to be more relaxed. But don’t worry, pastels can be used beautifully in any window treatment, as long as they are not over used. By adding a little pop of pastel in any window treatments, it will give the room more of a soft, warm vibe.
This, will suit your windows perfectly for the spring season as you should consider using colors such as light blues, pinks, and yellows that will give more of a spring appearance to the space.
Instead of sticking with solid, simple colors, switch it up with some fun springtime patterns to give dimension to your windows.
Consider floral prints, geometric patterns, and other trendy spring window fashions. This makes the window stand out and creates a dramatic focal point for your eyes to draw to.
Incorporating a subtle pop of pattern in your window treatments can also make your simple furniture stand out and look more put together.
Sheer Curtains
If you are looking to update your window treatments for the spring, consider sheer curtains. Sheers are easy to style on any type of window and provide a lightweight, breezy feel in the room. Decorating your windows with sheers add minimal texture and color to any room, but always look modern.
Consider looking into white or light colored sheers for the spring months, as it will give off a crisp, clean touch to the room. To give more dimension, alternate with white and another light colored sheer to provide more of a visual appeal to the windows.
Another tip is to swag the sheers to the side and tie them with a ribbon or tieback to hold them in place. Tiebacks come in many different assortments like glass, metals, ceramic, or fabric to gather them together neatly. Pick whichever suits your style best and it will look complete in no time.
Let the Light Shine Through
Now that spring is finally here, don’t you want to feel like you are outside enjoying the beautiful weather even when you are inside? Allow the shining sun to come through in your home as well.
Another spring window fashion that never goes out of style is using window treatments that allow for a lot of light to peek through to brighten up the space.
Consider using sheer, light colored fabrics such as sheer or linen curtains to still add a pop of color to the room, but keep it light so natural light can still show through.
Silhouettes and Luminette by Hunter Douglas are a subtle yet modern take on shadings, this product offers the signature S-Vane™, which is a soft fabric vane between two layers of sheer fabric that creates a light-diffusing elegance in any room. Tilt the vanes for privacy and UV protection or raise the shading into the headrail for a completely open view, allowing you to direct the sun into your room.
