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DIY: Install a Colorful Stair Runner

by Christine Chitnis

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When we moved into our charming, century-old, Providence home, there were several changes that I wanted to make. I made my list in order of urgency, and right after "change the awful paint colors," came "get rid of the scary brown stair protectors."

When I pulled up the stair protectors, I found, to my horror, that the wood underneath had been damaged, and was no longer aesthetically pleasing. It was obvious that the best, and most cost-effective solution, was to invest in a runner to not only cover the damaged wood, but also to add some interest to the stairwell. I decided on a beautiful, colorful and most important, durable, runner from Dash and Albert (I needed three to cover the length of my stairs).

When installing a runner, it is important to first install a non-slip rug pad underneath, to keep your runner in place. Stairs endure plenty of wear and tear- a rug pad will keep the runner from shifting under the heavy foot traffic.When it comes to advanced carpentry projects (which in my mind, this is!), I often turn to the This Old House website, because I appreciate their expertise, and even the most crafty of us sometimes need a helping hand. For step-by-step instructions on installing a stair runner, visit this link.

So what more can I provide you with, if not the DIY instructions themselves? Plenty of great runner links to add a bit of color to your home:

• Dash and Albert is hands-down, my favorite rug company. Affordable, durable, colorful and well-made. The only issue is that the runners are short, so you have to buy several to cover a staircase, and seamlessly overlapping the rugs can be a bit tricky.
• Company C has gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous runners- enough said.
• With a bit of searching, you can often find beautiful runners at Home Depot...I particularly love this green and blue beauty.
• Even Ikea has a few interesting runner choices. Perhaps you would be willing to attempt this rainbow colored staircase using Ikea runners!?
• Or what about scrapping the rug altogether and trying one of these kooky creative ideas via Apartment Therapy. Would you be brave enough to give it a try?

See more of Christine's diy projects.