The staircase is usually a focal point in the home, right at eye level when you enter the house, so you want it to look impressive. With so many choices available, here are some tips to make sure you get the right carpet, design and material.
What carpet is best for stairs?
The staircase is a high foot fall area of the house, so the carpet needs to be able to withstand some wear and tear. Not only are they in frequent use but due to gravity, we tread more heavily on them than we do on flat surfaces.
Choose the most durable one that fits within your budget and you’ll get more years of use from it. Carpet that is ‘heavy domestic use’ or ‘extra heavy domestic use’ has been designed to be hard wearing and not to flatten under a lot of foot fall.
Safety is also a factor as you don’t want to lose your footing on carpet that is too thick (also bear in mind that thickness does not always mean the carpet is more durable). The right carpet will not only be softer underfoot but give much more traction than harder surfaces. Choose a low pile (3/4″ or less) as it will give you greater stability underfoot on the stairs and stand up to wear and tear better. If you choose a looped style, such as Berber, make sure it is a good quality one and properly installed.
A wool carpet will resist stains and dirt well and retains its shape. Man-made fibres like polypropylene provide a more affordable option that has similar features, but go for a shorter pile so it does not flatten as easily. There are also combinations that give the best of both worlds. Wool and polypropylene mixes are easy to maintain and keep their appearance well, while wool and nylon mixes are very durable and keep their shape well.
See the Hammer Carpets Scandic Weave (in the colourway 674-28) pictured here…
What is the best colour carpet for stairs?
If you do not want the staircase to be the focus of your interior decor, a neutral or mid-toned carpet is great in contrast with wood flooring or patterned tiles, as it does not draw the eye away from key features. Neutrals can create a warm, welcoming look and open up smaller spaces well. A subtle design like a chevron is a great way to add texture and style.
For busy homes with kids and pets, you may want to choose a colour that hides dirt and stains well like a mid-toned grey or brown.
Small and or/narrow staircases are best carpeted in slightly lighter colours such as taupe or a light grey hue. Darker colours will make the area appear even smaller, especially where there is little natural light.
When you want your staircase to stand out as an architectural feature in its own right, go bold with a pattern. Monochrome staircases are very chic and a great way to make an impact.
See the Cormar Carpets Avebury carpet (in the colourway Bradenstock Beck) pictured here…
Staircase carpet trends
You may have noticed a lot of striped staircases and stair runners in interior designs posts. They are increasingly popular and are a great way to create a stunning feature in the home.
Striped carpet
When the staircase is the focal point, stripes are a bold and striking choice. Stripes completely transform the look of your home and you can create stunning colour combinations to fit with your existing decor. They really do give the wow factor in any home with a modern, contemporary look. As an added bonus, they help to hide wear and tear on the stairs.
Vertical stripes are a more popular choice as they open up the space by creating the illusion of height; making you staircase look longer, especially paired with light, neutral walls. They also draw your eye naturally up the staircase. Horizontal stripes, though less in demand, are great to widen out narrow staircases.
Depending on your space and the look you want to achieve, there is a huge range available from pinstripes to wide stripes in a variety of colourways. Thin stripes will create the illusion of space and thicker stripes will work better on larger staircases.
If you have curved stairs, stripes are still an option as the carpet can be ‘bent’ to keep the stripes lined up.
It is worth noting that looped pile carpet can give a better finish with stripes as it is firm and tightly woven, whereas a twisted pile carpet is softer so the lines may not appear as straight.
Achieving the right fit is essential for striped carpet as stripes that are not 100% matched will be very noticeable, ruining the desired effect.
See the Victoria Carpets Tudor Twist Stripe (in the colourway Heart Throb) pictured here…
Stair runners
As hardwood flooring becomes ever more popular, stair runners are also becoming more common as they allow you to add colour 
and texture in harmony with the flooring and create great contrast. They are also safer as they give you more traction underfoot and are much softer to land on should any falls occur.
If a pattern or stripes would be overbearing in your space, this is a great way of bringing them in without them being too much. See above for the wow factor of choosing stripes, and patterns can be just as striking.
Herringbone patterns are a great way to bring in a classic feel with a contemporary twist. It also makes the stairs appear wider. Geometric patterns are also really eye catching and can be as bold or subtle as you like.
Stair rods can also be used for decorative purposes; they used to be needed to keep the stair runner in place but this is no longer the case. They are available in a wide range of colours and styles to suit contemporary and traditional styles.
See original image here…
Whatever look you want to achieve in your home, we can help with all your flooring and carpet needs. Contact us here to book a free estimate with our friendly and professional Herts Carpets team today!
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