Decorating
Protect and Preserve Your Floors With a Runner
Runners for hallways, entryways and stairs reduce wear and tear, while adding plenty of flair. Have you done a runner?
Entryways, hallways and stairs endure a lot of foot traffic. Fortunately, there are rugs for that. Carpet runners are rectangular rugs designed to fit a narrow space, to protect the flooring underneath and in some cases to reduce noise. But beyond their functional purpose, carpet runners can have an aesthetic impact that can anchor, brighten or pull together an often otherwise-neglected space. Here’s what you need to know about carpet runners.
Entryway
Carpet runners at the entry of a home not only protect the floors, but can also set the tone for the rest of the house. A carpet runner at the entry also doesn’t need to extend to all the way through the hallway, but can finish at an appropriate place for the forms, features and furnishings in the house.
Carpet runners at the entry of a home not only protect the floors, but can also set the tone for the rest of the house. A carpet runner at the entry also doesn’t need to extend to all the way through the hallway, but can finish at an appropriate place for the forms, features and furnishings in the house.
Stairs
Carpet runners on the stairs protect the treads from wear and tear and can make the stairs less slippery and easier on the feet. Extra detail can be added with a wooden or metal stair rod or carpet rod, positioned where the tread meets the riser. Originally designed to help hold carpets in place, stair rods serve a decorative purpose today.
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Carpet runners on the stairs protect the treads from wear and tear and can make the stairs less slippery and easier on the feet. Extra detail can be added with a wooden or metal stair rod or carpet rod, positioned where the tread meets the riser. Originally designed to help hold carpets in place, stair rods serve a decorative purpose today.
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What to Consider When Choosing a Runner
Materials
Natural fibres, such as sisal, cotton and wool, are some of the most long-lasting materials for carpet runners, and each will provide different thickness, durability and softness. Synthetic materials are also durable and easy to look after, and can be a good option for those with allergies.
Materials
Natural fibres, such as sisal, cotton and wool, are some of the most long-lasting materials for carpet runners, and each will provide different thickness, durability and softness. Synthetic materials are also durable and easy to look after, and can be a good option for those with allergies.
Rug pads
A non-slip rug pad under the runner will help extend its life and protect both the rug and flooring underneath. It will also help reduce carpet slipping, and therefore people slipping.
A non-slip rug pad under the runner will help extend its life and protect both the rug and flooring underneath. It will also help reduce carpet slipping, and therefore people slipping.
Pile and weave
Because carpet runners are typically placed in high-traffic zones, they should have enough density to last. A shag rug will feel great underfoot, while a shorter pile will be easier to maintain. When it comes to the stairs, a flat-weave runner curves better over the risers and wears better on the edges.
Know your flooring: carpet
Because carpet runners are typically placed in high-traffic zones, they should have enough density to last. A shag rug will feel great underfoot, while a shorter pile will be easier to maintain. When it comes to the stairs, a flat-weave runner curves better over the risers and wears better on the edges.
Know your flooring: carpet
Maintenance
Carpet runners require regular cleaning since they are placed in zones of transition and feet and shoes regularly traipse across them. Vacuum and professionally clean carpet runners and rotate them, where possible, to even out wear and sun exposure.
Carpet runners require regular cleaning since they are placed in zones of transition and feet and shoes regularly traipse across them. Vacuum and professionally clean carpet runners and rotate them, where possible, to even out wear and sun exposure.
Styles
Like area rugs, carpet runners come in a multitude of styles, colours and patterns to suit most every space and type of design. Here are a few highlights.
Black-and-white stripes
Stripes are a bold choice, especially in vivid black and white. In this house, they accentuate the length of the hallway, giving it a certain sense of rhythm, as well as contrasting with the swirling and organic Art Nouveau lines of the interior trim above.
Like area rugs, carpet runners come in a multitude of styles, colours and patterns to suit most every space and type of design. Here are a few highlights.
Black-and-white stripes
Stripes are a bold choice, especially in vivid black and white. In this house, they accentuate the length of the hallway, giving it a certain sense of rhythm, as well as contrasting with the swirling and organic Art Nouveau lines of the interior trim above.
Multi-coloured
This woven cotton runner is a bohemian mix of golds, reds, blues and jewel tones and beautifully matches the artwork at the end of the space, while providing warmth and colour to the white floors and walls.
This woven cotton runner is a bohemian mix of golds, reds, blues and jewel tones and beautifully matches the artwork at the end of the space, while providing warmth and colour to the white floors and walls.
Geometric pattern
The geometric pattern on this carpet runner adds circular form to a rectilinear space and lightens up the floors in what could be an otherwise dark hallway and entry.
The geometric pattern on this carpet runner adds circular form to a rectilinear space and lightens up the floors in what could be an otherwise dark hallway and entry.
Traditional
A carpet runner with a traditional weave and pattern is a perfect choice for this traditional home with decorative mouldings and wood floors and furnishings. The rich red runner blends beautifully with the features of the home and draws the eye to the grandfather clock at the end.
A carpet runner with a traditional weave and pattern is a perfect choice for this traditional home with decorative mouldings and wood floors and furnishings. The rich red runner blends beautifully with the features of the home and draws the eye to the grandfather clock at the end.
Optical illusion
It’s a mix of traditional and modern in this home, but most cleverly, the pattern on the carpet runner plays tricks with the eyes. The diamond pattern makes the stairs look like they bulge in parts, while the colour provides high contrast to the white entry space.
How to add pizzazz to your boring staircase
It’s a mix of traditional and modern in this home, but most cleverly, the pattern on the carpet runner plays tricks with the eyes. The diamond pattern makes the stairs look like they bulge in parts, while the colour provides high contrast to the white entry space.
How to add pizzazz to your boring staircase
Colour blocking
Blocks of bold colour add punch to this entryway and hallway. While the blue-grey is in harmony with the flooring underneath, the violet and white are standouts.
Blocks of bold colour add punch to this entryway and hallway. While the blue-grey is in harmony with the flooring underneath, the violet and white are standouts.
Plain
A neutral carpet runner is the order of the day on the stairs of this house. It fits the white, brown and beige colour palette, creating a calm and earthy space.
Tell us
Do you have a carpet runner in your home? Upload a picture to the Comments section below.
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A neutral carpet runner is the order of the day on the stairs of this house. It fits the white, brown and beige colour palette, creating a calm and earthy space.
Tell us
Do you have a carpet runner in your home? Upload a picture to the Comments section below.
More
Browse more hallway photos
Hallways, entryways and stairs are transition zones in a house: a way to get from A to B. Thus they get a lot of foot traffic, but not always very much aesthetic attention. Carpet runners are designed specially for spaces such as these.
Hallway
Carpet runners are available in varying lengths and widths and can be custom-made to suit a specific space. The width of carpet runners often ranges between 60 and 90 centimetres, so that they don’t extend the full width of the hallway, but rather leave the floor visible to either side.