Choosing the right carpet for your stairs, landing or hallway

Choosing the right carpet for your stairs, landing or hallway requires some thought. Stairs are a high-traffic area in most homes, so if you choose the wrong product, the signs of wear and tear will show all too soon. Stair runners are also one of the best ways to personalize your space.

There are five elements to consider when deciding on carpet for your stairs:

Durability
Material
Thickness
Pattern
Colour

Durability: One of the key benefits of carpet is it cushions every step and helps reduce noise. It’s important that you choose a carpet for your stairs that is durable and strong enough to resist pulls and tears. Selecting carpet for stairs is very different from choosing carpet for your bedroom or living room. You want to choose a carpet that is practical and is the highest durability carpet you can afford that fits with your décor.

Material: Wool carpet is by far the luxury choice. It is durable, stain resistant, environmentally friendly, insulates against noise, resists static to name a few of its benefits. One hundred per cent wool is the ultimate, but a more affordable option is carpet that blends synthetic fibres with wool. Wool won’t flatten or matte down easily and is perfect for heavy foot traffic, like your stairs.

Thickness/face weight: There is a misconception that the thicker the carpet also means the higher the face weight. The truth is, face weight is only one of the many aspects in determining the quality of a carpet. In fact, some of the thickest carpets can be full of air and make them unsuitable for a staircase. Carpet face weight is defined as the weight of the carpet pile/fibre per square yard. The term refers to the weight of the carpet’s fibres and does not include the backing material. Don’t confuse it with carpet’s total weight, which is the combined weight of the pile/fibre and the backing.

Pattern: As much as your staircase carpet has to be the right material and durable, it also has to look great. Whether you opt for a full width carpet or a runner, the days of ugly, worn beige carpeted stairs are behind us. Although most people think hard surfaces are trendy for stairs, patterned and textured carpet runners are back in the limelight. If there’s any place to let the details shine, it’s your stairs! Stairs can make a statement and draw your eye up or down and are often a focal point as you walk in your front door. Adding a high-end carpet runner to your stairs will also keep them cozy and add to your interior design.

Depending on your décor and taste, the options are endless. Here are a few of that are on-trend.

Choosing the right carpet for your stairs, landing or hallway — Stripes are often a popular choice due to their “wow” factor and visual impact. Striped carpets are also ideal as they lend themselves perfectly to the angles of a staircase, achieving stunning results.

Animal print is bold and a statement choice when choosing the right carpet for your stairs, — Animal print is bold and a statement choice. If you love animal print, a stair runner is a great place to introduce it in your décor without taking over a design of a room. Whether it be leopard print, zebra, or any other animal prints, subtle or bold colours, it is eye catching and on trend.

Herringbone pattern is a classic, yet contemporary option. Your eye is drawn to the wide part of the “V” in the pattern and with its broken zigzag design it creates an optical illusion that can make your stairs feel wider.

Geometric patterns add visual interest. They draw the eye and give the stairs purpose and strong sense of design. The pattern can be used in a small or large scale and it anchors the space.

Colour: If light tones are your palette, then we recommend you stick to lighter coloured carpets with a speckled, textured, flecked or spotted design to hide marks. Using a pattern or stripe is popular and can hide wear and tear. Deep and dark shades can narrow spaces like hallways, stairs and landings, which are usually lacking in natural light already. But bear in mind that white and exceptionally light shades of carpets will stain easily.

One last thing to pass on: Don’t scrimp on your underpadding! It’s every bit as important as your stair carpet, and if you’re changing your carpet, change them both at the same time. Having a quality underpadding will cushion your stair carpet and will stop the carpet fibres from being flattened against the hard floor and causing premature wear and tear.