The end of August seems to be the time people start to think about the INSIDE of their homes again. In the past week, I've fielded a bunch of sourcing questions and noticed the growing press on going back to school. This week, the home element on the rise is the Staircase Runner. Simple or ornate, these central features can really rock your home with a little attention. Let me help you.
Stair Runner Inspiration
>> 8 Ways to Decorate a Staircase
>> Look! Stair Runner Made from Ikea Carpets
Stair Runner Alternatives
>> Ikea Signe Cotton Rugs by Helle Vilén sewn together into a runner
>> Alto Stair Treads by Liza Phillips
Stair Runner Sources
>> Dash & Albert
>> The Textile Trunk
>> Loggia Home
>> Madeline Weinrib Atelier
>> Shaker Workshops
Dirty Little Secrets of Tidy Families
Hillary & Michael's Refined Roost
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Nomade Express Slee...
How To Cook Fluffy, Tasty Quinoa
How to Make Buckwheat Soba Noodles from Scratch
Give. Me. That. Lighting. Fixture.
::please::
That beautiful blue on the white stairs is just heavenly.
Low-budget alternative: I discovered that my sled dog was slipping on the stairs once I took off the ugly carpeting, so I bought some of those supercheap rubber-backed fiber/jute doormats at a big box store. Cut exactly in half with a utility knife, they made perfect nonslip stair runners--the natural color even matches my red oak flooring, so they visually disappear! And the rubber backing keeps the cut side from unraveling. The only downside is that I have to use the brush attachment on the vacuum cleaner to sweep them... but that extra 10 minutes is a small price to pay for how cool they look, and how little I paid for them.
I still like the wallpapered one a lot.
krl2876,
I would love to see a pic of your rubber-backed fiber doormat solution...it sounds exactly like what I am looking for with my 2 dogs constantly "sliding" down the stairs!
They need to wirebrush and paint that radiator in the front hallway, before they start taking pictures!
krl2876 - I had the same idea about using rubber-backed doormats. How did you attach them?
-J
While I'm not normally an alarmist when it comes to safety in decor (most people can figure things out for themselves using common sense), I can't help but point out that painting stairs black is just a bad plan. A really beautiful bad plan.
Does anyone have any (cheap) ideas for gussying up carpeted stairs? We'd love to tear out the carpeting and refinish them to match the rest of the house, but have chosen to wait until the kids are a little older. For now we've got some beige carpeting just a wee bit past its prime begging for some design love.
There's an ad on UK tv at the moment for Dulux paint that shows white stairs with a red runner painted on them so that every step is a 'red carpet moment'. Cheesy as hell but quite good fun.
I cut FLOR tiles to size and used double-sided carpet tape to adhere them. That was the first thing I did in our new house because our pup was crashing down the last few steps.
Really nice. I had fun with my painted stair runner here.
http://sewbeeit.wordpress.com/2010/01/25/paint-it-red-soon/
I painted mine and so far, so good. I love not having to use a vacuum to clean them... Damp cloth is all you need.
Before and After here...
http://salvaged-bliss.blogspot.com/2010/09/stairway-to-dustyrose-heaven.html