Best Stair Runner Ideas 2027

Hi, I'm Keith Shannon with DirectCarpet.com. I've been installing carpet for 25+ years, and we make every one of our stair runners right here in our own workroom: cut, bound and shipped direct to your door. These are the best stair runner ideas we're selling right now, the ones people are actually buying from us, and what I tell every customer about each one. And when you buy a stair runner from us, you're not just beautifying your house, you're helping a dog in need.

Quick picks

If you want	Go with
The one everyone loves	Always Natural Boutique
A designer look	Laken Checkers
Affordable and easy to DIY	Amalfi Capri
Dogs in the house	Always Natural Muslin (my own pick)
A rental or shoes-on house	Boloria North American Gray
Luxury that never wears out	Icon Birch Bark

37 Stair Runner Ideas We're Selling Right Now

1. Always Natural Boutique Stair Runner

Boutique is our number one, which is a light beige, 100% Anso nylon carpet. You know, great for pets, great for kids, super tight weave, so it doesn't pull, and it should last for years to come. And it's like a knockout look that everyone loves. Designers order it all the time. Everybody seems to love that color. Easy to clean. And a perfect color for any home.

2. Laken Checkers Stair Runner

So this is a new one. The way that I found out about it was a designer had ordered a huge Victorian house consisting of, you know, four stairs up with a right turn landing, a single stair, then another right turn landing, and then all the way to the top, maybe five or six stairs up. She ordered hall runners. She ordered bedroom runners. She ordered a back kitchen runner. It's a very, very heavy duty polypropylene carpet with black checkered stripes. So white and black checkered, or white with black checkered stripes. Easy to clean because polypropylene. It's so thick and plush and heavy duty. I can't see you wearing this stuff out, even though it's a poly. It does have a big loop, so it may not be the best for dogs with nails or cats with nails.

3. Amalfi Capri Stair Runner

Capri is one of the new carpets that is really our breakout star. For some reason, people love the soft, warm tones. I guess the soft, warm brown tones in it with the linear striped lines. They like it better than the stark white, probably because it'll hide the dirt a little bit, maybe a little easier to clean. Now, it is a polypropylene, which makes it super easy to clean. It's a super low, tight pile or loop pile that should be okay for dogs, kids, cats, because the loop pile is so tight. You shouldn't get any pulls at all. And there is a little secret to when you get a pull on a loop: you just pull the loop fiber up tight and snip it off even with the rest of the carpet. You never see it ever again. So, I mean, people are loving Capri and it's moving out of here every day. Like, I think on the board today, we have two Capris going out, and there's not a day that goes by that someone's not choosing Capri. Beautiful, beautiful, low pile, affordable stair runner.

4. Always Natural Twine Stair Runner

Everyone's favorite, super popular carpet, super great seller. It's like a light taupe, medium to light taupe. Comes in widths up to 36 inches wide, and up to 28 feet long. A great wearing carpet because it's 100% Anso nylon. It's an Anderson Tuftex product, and it's one of our top 10 selling products right now.

5. Amalfi Carrara Stair Runner

Everyone's favorite, super popular, light, off-white, with vertical lines. It's a polypropylene. It's affordable. It's a tight weaved carpet. And the reason why we picked it, it looks like Peter Island, which comes from India, and it's wool and it's very expensive. And this is a very close, super cool carpet to that. And it won't break the bank. Everyone loves it. It's a big seller, but remember, it is a light carpet. It's a poly, so it cleans easy. It's good for dogs, good for kids, good for cats. But you're going to want to take your shoes off, or you're going to want to keep this stuff clean, because it will show if you don't.

6. Always Natural Cork Stair Runner

Number 3 on our list today of most popular carpets. Cork, just everybody wants it. It's a medium light kind of gold color, which is great for any house. It's a little darker than Twine, so it hides the dirt better. It's 100% Anso nylon, so it's super good for, you know, kids, pets. Wears really well, easy to clean. A super favorite of customers and designers alike.

7. Icon Birch Bark Stair Runner

A brand new polypropylene carpet, super heavy duty, with the LifeGuard soft back, which means nothing can penetrate the backing. So if one of your animals has an accident on it or you spill a drink, nothing will go through to the floor below, giving it an easier clean because you can suck that stuff up through a wet vac, no problem. And the beautiful herringbone, I mean, you can see in the pictures, this stuff is just wow.

8. Boloria Democracy Stair Runner

One of our longest running lines, and everyone's go-to for, you know, it won't break the bank. It's a durable Berber style waffle stair runner. It's a grayish color, so it's greeny gray, but just looks amazing. People love it. Wears good, but it does have a bigger loop, and we don't recommend it for dogs and cats just because the loops are big. But like I stated before, if you get a pull in it, you can always pull it tight, snip it off. But it's a workhorse, right? Sells all the time. People love it.

9. Always Natural Shady Stair Runner

One of our Anderson Tuftex herringbone lines, it's our deep gray. It's not a total dark gray, but it's definitely a deep gray. Not a light gray, not a dark gray, but in between those guys. And people really like it. People who want gray want that carpet because it's a little darker, hides the dirt, great for pets, kids, easy to clean, and sharp, right? If you've got white walls or gray walls, this carpet's going to look sharp.

10. Garibaldi Estate Democracy Stair Runner

It's a new Lifestyle series brand that we're carrying. It is priced accordingly so that everyone can afford it. This is a DIY product, very soft, very pliable. You can install a stair runner in an hour. Now, one thing I can say about this carpet, Garibaldi Estate, is it does need to be installed properly. And my meaning behind that is it has horizontal lines as well as vertical lines. So if the horizontal line is off, your stair runner will look a little crooked. So make sure if you love it, that when you go to install it, you pay extreme attention to how you're lining it up at the bottom. And if you have an old staircase that's crooked, this might not be the carpet for you.

11. Amalfi Santa Marina Stair Runner

Our light gray go-to, Peter Island inspired Berber carpet with a low pile. If you like light gray and you like herringbone, this is perfect for you. Easy to clean because it's a polypropylene. Easy to install, very pliable. You should be able to get this stair runner done if you're brand new. You can DIY this in an hour to 2 hours, depending on your speed, the right tools. Just follow our how-to videos. And this is a super favorite of anyone who loves a medium to light gray herringbone carpet stair runner.

12. Always Natural Fossil Stair Runner

A medium brown herringbone Anso nylon carpet. Like the rest of the Anderson Tuftex line, super durable. Low pile. People love it because it's medium brown that hides dirt, right? Easy to clean. Great for kids, pets, etc. It's a strong carpet, so you need to put a little bit of elbow grease in to install this DIY. But we have people do it all the time. You can see the success pictures on our website.

Watch how we install the Always Natural Fossil herringbone stair runner with a left turn and right turn landing. Watch on YouTube

13. Chase Oyster Shell Stair Runner

It's got that linear look, part of our Anderson Tuftex line. Super durable, tight, great for kids, great for pets. Dogs' nails are not going to pull this stuff. And like I said earlier, if you do get a loose loop, you just pull the fiber tight, cut it off with a pair of scissors, done. This stuff's going to last forever. It's got that amazing color differentiator between the gray and the off-white. Just amazing.

14. Discover First Frost Stair Runner

Part of our luxury line. A very heavy duty carpet with LifeGuard soft back, which means anything spilled on top of it will not leak through to your hardwood floor on your stairs. You'll be able to get that spill right out. And we don't recommend this as a DIY because it's so thick. We recommend that an installer put it in. But just a great looking modern stair runner that you're never going to wear out.

15. Boloria Maple Cream Stair Runner

Part of our workhorse lineup. It's a nice gold cream color in a Berber waffle style. If you're looking for a nice beige gold cream colored carpet in the Berber waffle style, you're going to love this stuff. Good wearing. It does have a bigger loop, so we don't recommend it for dogs with long nails or cats.

16. Tanager Lodge Brown Bag Stair Runner

Part of our Lifestyle series. It's a polypropylene, soft, easy to DIY, won't break the bank, is priced really well. Great for flips, great for fixing up your house to put on the market and make it pop. It's got like a modern pattern to it, and we just love it.

17. Always Natural Muslin Stair Runner

If I was installing a stair runner in my own house, I would probably choose something like Always Natural Muslin, because I have dogs. It's a medium brown taupe carpet with a grayish tinge. It's the herringbone style, so it's really elegant, really nice. The color will hide the dirt. The tight weave will stop the dog's nails from pulling. And because it's a medium brown beige taupe grayish carpet, it'll hide dirt better, right, from dogs running up and down the stairs. So that's why I love it. That's the one I would recommend the most. That's the one I would use personally, just knowing that I have two big dogs and one small dog. And it's 100% nylon, so it's gonna wear.

18. Amalfi Spartis Stair Runner

Everyone's favorite carpet. Everyone loves Spartis. It's not as white as Carrara. It's from the same family. It's a herringbone loop with the linear stripes in it. The stripes are a gold cream color, which everybody loves. And the color of the actual carpet is an off-white. Super durable, easy to clean. But please don't wear your shoes on it, as it is a light carpet.

19. Fetch Briarwood Stair Runner

100% Anso nylon, part of the Anderson Tuftex line. It's got a little waffle pattern to it. It is a linear and horizontal pattern, so it needs to be installed perfectly straight. While installing this, if DIYing, you need to pay attention to that. People love it, and that's why we carry it. Easy to clean. And if you love this pattern, you'll love this carpet.

20. Mallard Manor Mist Gray Stair Runner

A perfect gray for any stair runner. It's got a modern pattern. Easy to clean because it's a poly. Nice and soft. Easy to install. Great for anybody doing their first stair runner.

21. Always Natural Foggy Stair Runner

A light gray off-white cream nylon herringbone stair runner. People love this one. As with the other Anderson Tuftex lines, great wearing, great for kids, great for pets. We also have matching left and right turn landings, 180 degree turning landings. We can make wedge shaped stairs. Just a fabulous all around carpet.

22. Boloria North American Gray Stair Runner

A dark poly. Waffle patterned Berber. A real dark gray, and that's why people love it, because it hides everything. What we've noticed is people who have rental properties love this stair runner because it's durable. People can run up and down with their shoes on. I mean, obviously, it'll only last so long with winter boots and running up and down. But just an amazing carpet and a fabulous, fabulous, deep, dark gray color. Love it. Just love it.

23. Scout Oxford Stair Runner

A geometric, old school styled carpet. This is a gray colored carpet with an off-white inset. Great for heritage homes. People who love the geometric shape love this particular carpet. 100% Anso nylon, Anderson Tuftex. Can be DIY'd.

24. Amalfi Paradise Stair Runner

A medium brown gray herringbone carpet, easy to install, tight Berber weave, hides the dirt, easy to clean, can be DIY'd fairly simply. If you're looking for that in-between color, between light and dark, Paradise is the way to go. Also comes with left turn landing, right turn landing, and 180-degree turning landing.

25. Tanager Lodge English Beige Stair Runner

Very light, modern pattern carpet. Part of our Lifestyle series. Easy to install, easy to DIY. Very light carpet, easy to clean. Shoes are not recommended on this stuff. You want to keep it looking new and beautiful so it has a long life. Won't break the bank. If you're looking for a nice, light, modern stair runner, this is your go-to.

26. Always Natural Basket Stair Runner

A medium brown herringbone nylon carpet. A medium installation rating means a DIYer can do it. It's got the felt back. 100% Anso nylon carpet, great for hiding dirt, easy to clean, great for kids, great for pets. We also make the left and right turn landing plus the U shape or 180 degree turns.

27. Natural Artistry Raffia Basket Stair Runner

A tall, soft pile carpet, part of Mohawk's Pet Perfect series. It's a SmartStrand brand, right? Modern, gold, beige. People love this color. Easy to install. And if you're looking for a super soft on the foot kind of stair runner, this is the one.

28. Boloria Windsor Gray Stair Runner

Part of our Berber line. Windsor Gray is a waffle style carpet. The perfect gray, really. I mean, if you love gray, this is the perfect stair runner in gray. We make the left turn landings, we make the right turn landings, and the 180 degree U-shaped landings. We can do the pie shaped as well. If you love a gray Berber stair runner, this is the one for you. Easy to install. You'll get a lot of life out of this one.

29. Garibaldi Estate English Beige Stair Runner

Part of our Lifestyle series. Easy to install, nice and soft. Looks fabulous. If you like a really light carpet, this is the one to go to. The only tip I have for this carpet, if you're DIYing, you need to make sure that it's on perfectly straight because of this pattern. It will show if you're not perfect. So you can DIY it because it's nice and easy. Just make sure it goes on straight and you'll be all set. Good for kids, good for traffic, easy to clean, etc.

30. Always Natural Silver Polish Stair Runner

A blue-gray herringbone carpet from Anderson Tuftex. 100% nylon. We make the left and right turn landings to go with that. If you're looking for the light blue grays, this is the one for you. Great for kids. Great for pets. That tight loop is amazing. And I actually love this carpet. I think it's beautiful.

31. Fetch Birch Stair Runner

A light Anderson Tuftex DIY friendly carpet. As stated before with the Garibaldi Estates, Fetch Birch needs to be installed straight because of the horizontal and vertical lines. Other than that, this carpet is very popular, very beautiful. Great for kids, great for pets, easy to clean, easy to DIY as long as you're putting it on straight. We make the left and right turn landings for this as well, along with the 180 degree U shape.

32. Stroll Pepperdock Stair Runner

Dark brown with a light beige, gray, geometric pattern inside. Great if you are trying to hide dirt. Great for if you have a lot of pets running up and down the stairs, kids running up and down the stairs in their shoes. This is a nylon. It's a tight weave. It's gonna wear really, really well. And because it's such a dark, deep brown color, it's gonna hide the dirt. You can DIY this carpet. Just amazing.

33. Mallard Manor English Beige Stair Runner

Another one of our Lifestyle series carpets. It's brand new. It is very DIY friendly. English Beige is a light color with a modern farmhouse look. Highly recommended, because it's got that certain look you're looking for. We make it in left turn landings, right turn landings, and 180 degree U-shaped landings.

34. Tranquil Spirit Snowfall Stair Runner

Super heavy duty, LifeGuard soft back. Can be DIY installed, but we recommend a professional just because it's so heavy duty and you have to really work this carpet in to get that nice tight professional install. It's a white with a blue-gray inset. People love this carpet. It's super easy to clean. Highly recommended if you want that white, sharp, modern look. We make the left turn landings and the right turn landings and the complementary U-shaped landings as well.

35. Tanager Lodge Mist Gray Stair Runner

A beautiful light medium gray carpet with that fantastic pattern that everyone loves. Easy to install for a DIYer. Won't break the bank. We make the left and right turn landings with that, along with the 180 degree U shapes. We can make pie stairs. We can make area rugs with this stuff like we can with any of our stuff. Add a great underpad to this carpet and you've got something pretty special.

36. Cosmo Modern Beige Stair Runner

As it states, a beige carpet with a linear pattern. Great for flips. Great for DIYers. It's soft. It's pliable. It's a poly, so it's easy to clean. Comes in only a few sizes, 26 to 30 inches wide. A great all around flippers carpet.

37. Mallard Manor Democracy Stair Runner

We just love this carpet. We love this color. It's got a beige tinge to it, so it'll hide the dirt. It's soft. It's easy to DIY. You put a great pad with that, this stuff's going to look amazing on any staircase. We make the left turn, right turn, and 180 U-shaped landings with this. It won't break the bank. You'll get it installed in a few hours or an afternoon. It ships right away, fast, free shipping. Don't miss out on this one.

Landings, Left Turns, Right Turns and U-Shapes

We make the left turn landings, we make the right turn landings, and the 180 degree U-shaped landings. We can do the pie shaped stairs as well. We can make area rugs with this stuff like we can with any of our stuff. Most of the stair runners above have a matching landing, so the whole staircase looks like one piece.

Stair Runner FAQ

How long should my stair runner be?

If you have 12.5 stairs, it needs to be 20 feet long. 13.5 stairs, 22 feet. 14.5 stairs, 24 feet. 15.5 stairs, 26 feet. Or use our stair runner calculator.

How wide should my stair runner be?

We usually want to show a reveal about 3 to 4 inches on each side, so some of the wood shows. It looks nice.

Can I install a stair runner myself?

Most of our carpets are DIY friendly. You can watch our how-to tutorial videos. Our luxury line, Discover, Icon and Checkers, is very heavy duty and thick, so you should probably hire someone unless you're a really good heavy duty DIYer.

Should I get a light or dark stair runner?

A darker carpet is going to hide the dirt and not show the wear and tear, but it'll show the flecks from your clothes and the hair from a white dog. If you're going to get a light carpet, you want to be a clean housekeeping person, and keep your shoes off.

What's the best stair runner for dogs?

A tight loop, so the nails don't pull. My own pick is Always Natural Muslin. The bigger Berber loops, like Boloria and Checkers, may not be the best for dogs or cats with nails.

What do I do if I get a pull in a loop?

Just pull the loop fiber up tight and snip it off even with the rest of the carpet. You never see it ever again.

What's the biggest mistake people make?

Picking a carpet with a horizontal and a vertical line, like Fetch Briarwood, Fetch Birch and the Garibaldi Estate colors, and not installing it perfectly straight from the bottom up. If the line starts to twist, cut it off, start again and re-level it. If your staircase is old and crooked, pick a carpet with only vertical lines.

Do stair runners help dogs on the stairs?

Yes. A lot of people buy stair runners for their dogs, because their dogs can't run up and down the stairs on hardwood. They slip and they fall, they break their legs, they break their backs. Same thing with people.

Do you make landings and turns?

Yes. Most of our runners come with matching left turn, right turn and 180 degree U-shaped landings, and we can make pie shaped stairs.

Questions about your staircase? Email us at support@directcarpet.com, or shop all our stair runners.