Thanks so much for your responses...any additional information would be great.

Posted by: Ama at March 19, 2008 12:16 PM in response to Colorful Stair Runners

Any recommendations for carpet runners similar in color to LizaPhillips (Lava etc)..but not as pricey.

http://www.lizaphillipsdesign.com/alto.stairs.html

Posted by: Ama at March 19, 2008 1:48 PM in response to Colorful Stair Runners

Where can you find the most cost effective runners?

Posted by: guest at March 19, 2008 12:52 PM in response to Colorful Stair Runners

I think most cost effective is when you order yourself from internet and self- install.
This company I have ordered from before and the quality is good plus they have choices of widths. These are definitely more traditional.
http://www.peerlessrugs.com/shapedetail.asp?shapeid=STA

Posted by: guest at March 19, 2008 1:08 PM in response to Colorful Stair Runners

Guest 11:43 - if you like Hicks stuff check Lee Jofa for his fabrics and wallpapers. Also in D&D Bldg on 2nd fl.
http://www.leejofa.com/search/fabresults.asp?Code=LJF&roy=DHC-David+Hicks&Price=All&x=14&y=25&Page=1

Posted by: guest at March 19, 2008 1:31 PM in response to Colorful Stair Runners

Any recommendations for carpet runners similar in color to LizaPhillips (Lava etc)..but not as pricey.

http://www.lizaphillipsdesign.com/alto.stairs.html

Posted by: Ama at March 19, 2008 1:48 PM in response to Colorful Stair Runners

Re: self-install

I think this is outside the domain of most do-it-yourself'ers. If you're just doing a straight run directly off the roll, then maybe you can pull it off, but I watched the guys do my install which involved a number of turns (miter cuts), widening out the pattern, narrowing it down, etc, and it requires skill to do cleanly (not to mention a LOT of extra material to splice the pattern from). A single stairway with landing and short hallway at the top took 30 man-hours to install. And that doesn't even include the stair rods which I did myself.

Posted by: guest at March 19, 2008 3:47 PM in response to Colorful Stair Runners

3:47 is right. As long as it's a straight run, you can install it yourself. It's not a particularly easy job. the runner needs to be installed from the foot of the stiairs going upward. You need a rug stretcher which you can buy at HD (or online) and I found that the electric staple guns did not work well enough but I have a compressor and an air staple gun and that does the trick

A place that sells them very economically and were very easy to work with over the phone was www.rugdepot.com They start at about $17-18 per lineal foot and come as narrow as 26" which a lot of brownstones require.

I found the quality to be better than I expected at that price

Don't try to skimp and not order the step pads

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at March 19, 2008 3:58 PM in response to Colorful Stair Runners

The nicest I have seen (and have installed in my house in london) is http://www.rogeroates.com/ if you have a curved stair this is not a self install job although they do not cut the runner (or didn't with mine)

They are also crazy expensive, but I didn't find anything else nearly as good. I looked, a lot.

Posted by: spamboy at March 19, 2008 4:46 PM in response to Colorful Stair Runners

we heard that carpet remnants from huge remnant companies can give a great price if your doing a stairway, carpet or runners. does anyone know where to but these remnants?

most remnants place around here don't seem to have enough to carpet a 5 story stairway.

Posted by: brownstone89 at March 22, 2008 11:22 PM in response to Colorful Stair Runners