20 Stair Runner Styles We Love

Never underestimate the transformative design power of installing a fresh carpet runner onto your staircase. Whether you’re searching for a plush polishing touch to bring your foyer dreams to fruition or on the hunt for a practical solution to minimize scuffs, slips and noise in your home — a stair runner is the catchall solution that will not let you down. There are endless weaves, materials and patterns to consider, but we’re making the quest for your perfect runner easier. Scroll ahead for our top 20 favorite stair carpet styles to inspire your future installation.

Dial up the drama with the help of a geometric honeycomb runner carpet. Use this Art Deco staircase as your guide and pair the graphic carpet with a textural, pattern-free wall covering to guarantee the stairs shine as the focal point of your foyer. Medium-scale geometric prints are ideal for homeowners wishing to add patterns to their stairs in an understated way. This motif is easy to discern regardless of the viewer's distance from it, and the smaller pattern is easier to install than its larger-scale counterparts, allowing the repetition to remain unbroken and intact.

Not one for subtleties? Show off your design chops with a zigzag stair runner carpet to round out your contemporary or transitional foyer. This chocolate-and-ivory runner creates a zippy juxtaposition against the historical architecture in this home and gives the stairwell an intentional luxury appeal. The dual-tone carpet has the same walnut and white tones used on the staircase to ensure a cohesive result that will stand the test of time.

Checkerboard-patterned sisal is a classic stair runner option that plays well with all interior design styles. This pattern comes in tone-on-tone, dual-tone or tricolor colorways, and, depending on the scale, a checkerboard carpet can read high-energy or subtle, serving as the focal point or a supporting role in your stairway design. A tightly wound, high-contrast checkerboard runner creates a captivating texture on this transitional staircase and looks smart alongside the matching area rug of the same weave rolled out on the floor below.