I really like this one, too. Hard to tell but it has different beige tones in it, not entirely solid. So it picks up my wall color and wood color. This is my favorite neutral option.

Here's another pic of #2.

Here's a stripe that has green and beige tones. I have a lot of green throughout the house.

I love the first one! It, imo, has a lot more pizazz!

Here's my "animal print" -- the typical colors of the animal prints just weren't working for me but it didn't matter, because I realized once I got looking that I really would never be bold (or crazy?) enough to install an animal print in any "permanent" way. But this? Seems subtle enough for a little bit o' crazy but not too much.

Love #1.

Another neutral with a couple shades of beige as well as a darker brown that looks pretty close to the tile color.

Same one again.

Last pic -- this is the #1 rug in a different colorway. More neutral than the green. I don't think I like it as much... it's kinda murky/muddy.

only the second and last one came out on my computer. i LOVE that last one.

ah, first and last are the same, but different colors. Love those. I think I like the brown one better; picks up the brown in the grout and the tiles Also like the less contrasting stars in that one.

Oh, the animal print for sure!

i like the animal print too!!!

the stars samples are cute, but remind me very much of the star fabrics that were so popular 20 yrs ago... i had (very cute) navy with gold star border and valance in my 2 younger guys' bedroom that was very similar along with the glow in the dark stars on the ceiling, etc when they were tots... so even tho it was quite popular and wasn't at all a juvenile pattern back then, it reminds me of a kid's bedroom!!

Oops! Two more!

This darker stripe...

And this one that I like a lot but worry that it might be too light.

If you are looking for a little bit fun and crazy, definitely animal. It really is neutral but fun. Secondly, I like the stripe options. I like the colors in the green/beige stripe but I really like the boldness of the second stripe you posted but not the colorway.

Love the dark stripe!

I posted before I saw the rest. I still love the first one and I like it in the first colorway better than the latter one. With that being said I think I like the animal print better and that beautiful dark stripe is also gorgeous.

#1 is #1 with me!

I like the first one the best, second place is the dark stripe. The others are kind of blah in my opinion.

This post caught my eye as I just picked out carpet for stairs as well.

Love #1 and #3 and do not especially like any of the others. Like the stripe a lot!

Dark stripe! On the first choice I see little alien invaders that need shot down in some arcade game from the 80s? Which could be fun in its own right after a few glasses of wine.... But I totally digress, sorry sue

The stripe or the first is nice just don't be surprised if you hear little kids making starship sounds?

:)

I like 1 and the animal print - depending on what your house looks like.

I'm torn between the light stripe and dark stripe.

This post was edited by msrose on Wed, Feb 26, 14 at 18:55

I like the star fabrics the best. I prefer the second one...but the first one is great, too.

I don't like the stars in #1.

My favorite WAS going to be the animal print and then I saw the dark stripe. I'm glad you have to choose and not me. :)

At first I loved #1, but I think I'd grow tired of the design. Between the 2 colorways, you'd see more of the star pattern in #1 and more of the dots in the browner sample. So I'm going to pick the animal print. I like that it has some green, and looks like grey to blend with that accent tile. For what it's worth, here is the carpet we have on both our staircases and the one room we have carpet in. My husband thought I was nuts when I picked this out, but its really beautiful and the viney pattern gives it just enough texture (ours is a goldish color). We receive many compliments on it and although only about 5 years old, it looks brand new. We have a busy household so it gets lots of use.

Here is a link that might be useful: another carpet idea

I love the dark stripe which is why I finally commented! I think it plays best with your floor.

ANIMAL PRINT! Blends so well with your tile and it rocks! "surprise element."

Your tile and oak are pretty traditional and casual, so I'd go with one of the stripes. I like the dark colors, but the light one is better for white fur, so less vacuuming of the steps.

Okay, so DH has opinions. This doesn't always happen, so when it does, I have to listen. He says no to stripes. He also thinks the animal print looks like it's dirty.

He likes (and so do I) number 1, number 2, and the very last one I pictured.

The dog also votes for the last one.

One hesitation with the star runner...it's so similar in color to what I'm replacing. I may not feel like it's different enough. Hmm. This is the "old" runner.

To me the stripes look very colonial. Not too exciting.

I tend to feel the same way about stars. I once picked a wallpaper that had very detailed dimensional stars, it was some fancy french paper, but on the wall it just looked like a mid range Virginia tourist hotel. Colonial blah.

The first two are pretty but too muted for something on the floor and seen long distance. Might read solid?

I am in my animal print phase, but this one is too washed out. Id like to see a real black and gold leopard! So classic. My antelope is due in in a week!

The last one is a pretty floral, but it doesn't send me. Are d&a stripes to casual? Or sisal with a neat binding? (maybe leopard!)

Sue that last dark stripe would coordinate well with that gorgeous dining room rug and the rich, brown leather tones. .I opened your earlier post and displayed them side by side - gorgeous. Of course, I love all your rugs! I remember you said the stairs were close to the DR.

I like the dark patterns against the golden oak tones.

Mtn, the comment about being viewed long distance is interesting and worth clarifying. There is no "long distance" where this stairway is concerned. Front foyer is tiny. The bottom of the stairs is 4 feet from the front door. And you don't really see the stairs even from a side view except from one side, and even then, really just barely. So that is part of the equation. All of these will be viewed up close! (The last pic above is taken while my back is pressed up against the door.)

Okay so DH says no to stripes. I'm thinking animal print is too trendy and I also am thinking at least a little bit about resale since we are likely to move in about 7 years and I don't plan to replace this runner again before then. The runner will absolutely be a "first impression" when people walk thru the door.

Among my real-life friends, so far the star print is winning. I'm really torn between dark and light -- I like the "freshness" of the lighter runners but my house runs more "earthy" and not really "pretty" (my decor leans more masculine, I think) so maybe the darker star runner is a more logical choice. Also the fact that I had a very strong first reaction to it when I found it on the rack.

Ahh, one other thought. My dogs have been checking out the samples, too. Apparently they also like the star pattern, because there are quite a few white dog hairs clinging to it. They have also been checking out this one, and there are NO visible dog hairs on it. Hmmm. Am I going to go crazy if I see white dog fur on my dark green runner every day?

I think #2 looks like snow flurries. Of the three DH likes, I vote for the one the dog is standing on. But I like this last one you posted (which I think is the one the dog is standing on)- the "ahh, one other thought" post photo.

This post was edited by allison0704 on Thu, Feb 27, 14 at 9:08

I have a lovely pale straw-colored carpet with raised tiny white squares on my stairs. I cannot wait to rip it out. The white thread is a dirt magnet and we are forever having the carpet cleaned. The least amount of dirt seems to show up in a pattern on the steps in no time, and drives me mad! We don't wear our shoes upstairs (to try to minimize this problem) but guests and my housekeeper do not take off their shoes (I don't have a "rule"). You might want to think about both the dog fur and dirt. Granted, my carpet is textured, which may exacerbate the problem.

Allison -- yes, the one with the dog and this last one are the same.

You're right, the other one looks like snowflakes, which seems appropriate given the winter we have had, but...

I think between the two lighter options, this last one is the winner. That was the only other sample I pulled out (besides the star print) where I said, "Oooh!"

I would worry about how going from dark to light would effect the space. It might be a great change or it might "un" ground the stairs. I would get a roll of craft paper and run it up the stairs over the dark runner to get an idea about how the lighter colors would look.

PS I like how the dark stripe looks with your stairs and tile.

This post was edited by deee on Thu, Feb 27, 14 at 9:49

Sue, grouped your other rug/tile photos together which may help with your choice. I am always interested in what other rooms are visible from entryway.

Arapaho, thanks!

I was doing a similar, less tech savvy exercise this morning. Placing the rug sample near the other rugs and then also bending it around the steps...

Living room rug.

Dining room rug.

Hi Sueb20,

I like the same little geometric "flower" pattern runner that you dog likes. It feels 1920s and fresh at the same time. It seems like a pattern that will live well in your house for a long time.

Yes, the light "ground" of that runner is lighter than your dining room rug -- but otherwise it picks up on some of the earthy tones in the dining rug. It looks great with the living room rug.