Elegant runner seeks loving home!

Here’s a quandary, you’ve bought an elegant runner but your décor revolves around the old carpet. If you’re considering a redesign, you might like to read on, as this article discusses design ideas around the stairrunner you’ve bought.

If you you prefer to let a video wash over you here’s a 2022 guide to color and style by a reputable international designer( not us) but bursting with great ideas. You might like to come back to or gallery later, where you’ll notice (quite intentionally) that our stair runner designs are alive with the ideas you’ve watched.

Design authentically but…

Interior design is, above all else, subjective. You are always the best expert on what you love. But like all art, if you want your design to sing, you need guideline restraint . Too much order creates a cold stereotypical result, too little order, risks the junk shop look. Strong design thrives at the confluence of expression and order. This blog is about recognized interior design principles you can express yourself with. Follow the guidelines for a project you’ll love, and a few admiring glances, too.

Theme

Ask yourself this question, what is my design theme? May be antique, minimalist, shabby chic, ultra modern or timeless? From what world is it born? May be an Edwardian library, or a sky rise apartment; or fix the mood with a theme. An inspiration picture or painting from the internet can create a theme.

The picture shown above exemplifies “theme”. In this design, the theme is born from the painting seen in the background. Inspect the colors. A warm oak floor and the natural stair runner both share color with the painting. The painting, timeless and geometric, matches the design. The black bordered stair runner and rug are an accent picked from the painting – just enough. Finally, the painting’s white light reappears on the white stair color. The result is a comforting sense of order; the overall impression expresses itself as one complete theme. Decide your theme and stick to it, and your design will project that same unity born of a single, clear, decisive thought.

Accent Color

The accent color ties a design together. For example, black border, black vase, black picture frame. Sparing use gives a feeling of order, understanding, and peace. Overdone, it looks clumsy. It’s something people should barely notice on a conscious level.

A stair runner border is an ideal accent. The picture above illustrates this principle. Handrail and stair runner border match in black. The books seen in the mirror also include black. The mirror is essential; it reflects the black accent on the landing from the stairs, a perfect example of sparing accent use.

Without the mirror image, the accent would have been underdone. Had the chair been black, it would have been overkill. But the designer has chosen a dark wood chair to keep an independence to the design. The Perfect balance started with the stair runner border!

The rule of three

The rule of three says: items arranged in threes are more appealing, interesting and memorable. Obviously confine the rule to items usually bought in groups. Having three Tv sets, fireplaces or moose-heads, probably lacks finesse.

Where can you apply this rule? You can typically weald the rule-of-three on art and accessories. Three matching landing pictures draw the eye. Three cushions on a window seat create a finishing touch. A scented candle-threesome adds some atmosphere, if that’s your thing. Replace one big pendant light with three small ones to shine varied light on your elegant runner. Bring an empty shelf to life with three antique books. You get the idea by now, I’m sure.

What’s behind this mysterious numerical rule? Why does it work? That depends on who you ask, but their theories share commonality. If you ask a Fenshui expert for example, they will tell you odd numbers expand energy and even ones contract it. An architect explains, three is the smallest number from which we can pattern create. Interior designers believe three-clusters, make the eye move around helping engagement. They all agree, three-groups develop balance. What balance? The balance between understanding and confusion, that midpoint, where we feel most comfortable!

Mood boards.

We are currently working on mood boards for each of our ranges . its harder than we thought. Below are our first two completed ones. I hope they inspire or as least spark up a discussion !

 

 

Conclusion

I’ve tried to to confine discussion to usable ideas for your stair runner project. if you’re looking for more general ideas on design, here’s an article discussing 55 interesting interior design tips 

Hope that helped! Good luck with your design!