30 Stair Runner Ideas to Elevate Both Comfort and Style

If your bare staircase isn't cutting it and you're looking for stair runner ideas, there are a multitude of patterns, colors, and styles that can make choosing the right one feel overwhelming.

To narrow your options, start by asking yourself whether you are looking for something understated that will blend into the background, or, if your staircase is the first thing you see when you walk in the front door, if you want to elevate it into a design feature that will make a bold first impression with color, pattern, or both.

From neutrals to jewel tones, subtle or bold patterns, and stripes of every kind, there's a stair runner to match your decor. Check out these stair runners in a range of homes for inspiration on how to make your stairs a little more beautiful—and comfortable—with a stylish stair runner.

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Patterned Stair Runner

Sissy + Marley Interior Design / Photo by Marco Ricca Studio

Black graphics add sharpness to a beige stair runner, like the elongated cross pattern on this Bridgehampton, NY, staircase from Sissy + Marley Interior Design that creates a sense of rhythm on the wide white and wood steps of the airy home.

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Two-Tone Stair Runner

Maite Granda

Pick a two-tone stair runner with bold edging to create a sharp look that contrasts with white walls and pale wood, like this Florida stair runner from interior designer Maite Granda in a vibrant mustard yellow with a thick band of navy on either end.

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Jute Stair Runner

Design by Leanne Ford Interiors / Styling by Hilary Robertson / Photo by Erin Kelly

A jute or sisal stair runner will add texture and an organic feel in an all-white space. Leanne Ford Interiors paired creamy paint on the walls and staircase with natural accents like pampas grass, dried flowers, and woven baskets.

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Pink Ombre Stair Runner

Christina Kim Interior Design / Photo by Lisa Petrole

An ombre stair runner will add both color and dimension to your staircase. Christina Kim Interior Design outfitted this curved black staircase with a pink ombre stair runner that complements the dark stained wood treads and curved wrought iron railings of this glamorous staircase. But an ombre stair runner in any shade could work just as well on a straight up-and-down staircase to add a wash of color in a modern home.

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Grain Sack Stair Runner

Liz Marie Blog

Enhance the country-style vibes of a whitewashed farmhouse interior with a heavy hemp grain sack stair runner with a central stripe, like this staircase from Liz Marie Blog.

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Shades of Blue Stair Runner

Ashley Montgomery Design

Complement an all-white staircase with a plush stair runner in shades of blue that will mask footprints and work well in a modern or coastal style home, like this twisting staircase from Ashley Montgomery Design.

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80s Stair Runner

Design by M. Lavender Interiors / Janet Mesic-Mackie Photography

If your decor is an eclectic mix of colors and patterns, make sure that your stair runner is dressed for the party. M. Lavender Interiors chose a patterned, jewel-toned stair runner for this '80s-inspired stairwell with its mix of plaid wallpaper, colorful wall art, and mix-and-match textiles.

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Leopard Print Stair Runner

Brexton Cole Interiors

Add eccentricity and retro glamour to an older home with a throwback stair runner, like this dark leopard stair runner on the blond wood staircase of a 1920s Tudor home from Brexton Cole Interiors.

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Beige Stair Runner

Kate Marker Interiors

Mimic the warmth of honey or golden-toned wood flooring and stair treads with a golden beige stair runner that will blend right in, like this airy staircase from Kate Marker Interiors.

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Bright Red Edging

Design by Chango & Co. / Photo by Sarah Elliott

Add oomph to a neutral space with a stair runner edged in a bright primary color like red or yellow. This bright modern farmhouse finished basement from Chango & Co. has a beige pin-striped stair runner that complements the dark wood stair treads and flooring, but vivid red edging adds a playful note that mixes well with bright yellow accents scattered throughout the space.

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Black-on-Black Stair Runner

Fantastic Frank

For a textural monotone feel, pair a black stair runner with a black painted staircase, like this chic Scandinavian staircase from Fantastic Frank that is finished with discreet silver-toned stair rods to keep everything in place.

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Geometric Stair Runner

Kendall Wilkinson Design

Lighten up dark stair treads with a pale neutral stair runner that will complement white walls and railing. Kendall Wilkinson Design chose a neutral geometric pattern to echo the intricate windows and stair railings in this sun-dappled space.

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Bold Patterned Runner

John McClain Design / Photo by Zeke Ruelas

Make a statement in a neutral space with a boldly patterned runner. John McClain Design chose a black runner with a bold cream botanical pattern that complements the black treads and white stair risers and walls of the sweeping staircase in this neutral neo-traditional home entryway.

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Colorful Horizontal Stripes

Leanne Ford Interiors

Modernize the staircase in an older home by painting the railings white, keeping the treads natural, and adding a multicolored striped stair runner that will add color and pattern, like this horizontal rainbow-striped stair runner from Leanne Ford Interiors.

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Light and Dark

Marie Flanigan Interiors

Pair a minimalist staircase with thin steel railings with a plush runner. Marie Flanigan Interiors contrasted dark and light tones in this guest house staircase, covering the dark stained wood treads with a light cream Tibetan-Botanical Sadu rug held in place with black rods that adds texture to the neutral staircase.

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Solid Blue Stair Runner

Studio Peake

If your hallway is painted in a bright shade, pick a contrasting color for the stair runner, like the solid blue stair runner in this narrow English painted yellow entry and hallway from Studio Peake.

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Pinstriped Stair Runner

Kate Marker Interiors

When choosing a stair runner, consider both the color and design of the staircase as well as the flooring at the bottom of the stairs. Kate Marker Interiors ran a gray stair runner with thin white pin stripes and thick navy edging on this white shiplap-clad staircase that leads to a pale gray star-patterned tile floor for a mix of patterns in complementary neutral shades.

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Ruby Red Stair Runner

Design by MMB Studio / Werner Segarra Photography

A plush ruby red stair runner with gold stair tread rods is a classic look that befits an older home, like this gently curved wrought iron staircase from MMB Studio. The jewel-toned color adds contrast with white walls and a light stone floor below, allowing decorative objects and art to take center stage.

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Herringbone Stripe

Kate Marker Interiors / Emily Kennedy Photography

In a home dominated by shades of black and white, add variation by choosing subtle patterns that will add dimension to the design. Kate Marker Interiors chose an off-white runner with a delicate herringbone stripe pattern that complements the bleached wood stair treads and floors. A textural black-and-white striped area rug in the hallway introduces another pattern while keeping with the neutral decor scheme.

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Large-Scale Pattern

John McClain Design / Photo by Zeke Ruelas

A large-scale patterned stair runner can modernize an older home while enhancing its character. John McClain Design chose a bold patterned stair runner that is a feature in the black-and-white entryway of this renovated 1920s home in the Hancock Park neighborhood of Los Angeles.

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Navy Accent Stair Runner

Mary Patton Design

A dark taupe stair runner with a graphic navy motif echoes the midnight blue paint in the powder room at the bottom of the stairs in this home from Mary Patton Design.

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Beige Stripe Stair Runner

Whittney Parkinson Design

Choose a beige stair runner with a thin white stripe to complement a white and dark wood staircase. Whittney Parkinson Design decorated the hallway and staircase in beige, white, and brown wood tones, choosing patterned wallpaper with a beige background that complements the stair runner while introducing a more lively pattern.

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Coastal Stair Runner

Design by Christina Kim Interior Design / Photo by Raquel Langworthy

If your staircase is visible from multiple rooms, you can opt to keep it neutral enough to allow other elements to take the lead. In this Sea Girt, NJ, home from Christina Kim Interior Design, a cream and black-striped stair runner blends in with the neutral white and wood staircase, allowing the varying shades of blue in the dining room and home office to set the coastal style tone.

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Gray Tweed Stair Runner

Kate Marker Interiors / Emily Kennedy Photography

A simple gray tweed stair runner adds comfort to this short staircase from Kate Marker Interiors, complementing the darker wood flooring and dog-themed wallpaper of the under-stairs dog room.

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Red Stripe Stair Runner

Ashley Montgomery Design

A neutral stair runner with a stripe of dark red detailing on either end adds a touch of color to this traditional staircase from Ashley Montgomery Design that complements honey-toned wood, dark creamy paint, and forest green accent doors.

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Soft Gray Stair Runner

Reed & Acanthus

A light gray stair runner will add quiet elegance to a grand entrance with a sweeping staircase that is open to a grand foyer dressed with wall paneling and antiques, like this space from Reed & Acanthus.

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Checkered Stair Runner

A Beautiful Mess

If your entryway features bold geometric floor tile, choose an understated stair runner to keep the focus on the statement tile. A Beautiful Mess picked out the beige from the black, white, and beige tile and covered the stairs in a subtle check pattern that doesn't fight for attention, and added a semi-circle woven doormat in the same beige tone by the front door.

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Thick Stripe Stair Runner

Mary Patton Design

A neutral stair runner in a thick stripe pattern will add movement to your staircase while camouflaging wear and tear, like this staircase from Mary Patton Design that leads to a classic black-and-white checkerboard tile floor.

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Textured Stair Runner

Design by M. Lavender Interiors / Christopher Bradley Photography

If your entryway is covered in bold color or scene-stealing wallpaper, keep your stair runner neutral to balance things out. M. Lavender Interiors paired colorful chinoiserie-patterned wallpaper (and a matching fabric window shade) with a neutral textured stair runner that allows the walls to hog the spotlight.

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Neutral Stair Runner

Design by ballonSTUDIO / Photo by Aubrey Pick

Pair a plain, neutral stair runner in a natural tone that complements the golden wood of a modern staircase with a vibrant multicolored striped hallway rug to create balance, like this light and airy space from ballonSTUDIO.

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Cream Stripe Stair Runner

Marie Flanigan Interiors

In a black-and-white space, choose a neutral runner that's a few shades darker than pure white so that it's more forgiving, especially if you haven't instituted a no-shoe rule in the house. This stair runner from Marie Flanigan Interiors has a cream background and thin stripes that subtly echo the staircase spindles and wall art.

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Painted Stair Runner

Leanne Ford Interiors

If you don't feel the need for a traditional stair runner but want to add some artistic flair to a plain white staircase, take inspiration from Leanne Ford Interiors and try a painted runner that will add visual interest and playfulness that will personalize your space. Make it abstract and black-and-white, paint rainbow stripes, or pick your favorite color. If it doesn't turn out the way you wanted, remember that it's just paint, and it's easy and affordable to start all over and try again.

Are stair runners still stylish?

Stair runners are still stylish. Even more importantly, they are practical and useful finishing touches for staircases that will make your entryway look more polished while making your staircase more functional. Stair runners come in every color and pattern imaginable and can complement staircases both big and small, as well as any design style. Installing a stair runner will protect your stair treads from excessive wear and tear; reduce noise from pets and kids; and provide padding for sore joints.

Can you use a regular carpet or area rug as a stair runner?

While you can technically use any type of carpet as a stair runner, that doesn’t mean that any carpet or area rug is the best choice. Stairs are high-traffic areas that get a lot of wear and tear. Be sure to choose a high-quality material such as wool with a rug pad underneath for durability. If you have leftover carpet from elsewhere in the house you can save money by using it, but be sure it’s adapted to the stairs so you won’t have to replace it in a year.

Why are stair runners kind of expensive?

Stair runners might seem expensive because they are made out of durable quality materials such as wool. In addition, stairs that have landings or curves require a more complicated fabrication than simple rolls of carpet. And of course you will spend more on labor costs to install a stair runner, which may require additional time and detailed fittings than a straightforward carpeting job in a rectangular room.

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