Emma Wood Interiors

Making an Entrance: Impactful Carpet Ideas for Stairs

"While challenging for many clients, redesigning stairways is an opportunity for me to employ some of my favourite design styles to enhance the functionality of connecting spaces and elevate the unique composition of my clients' interiors."

carpet ideas for stairs

Stairs and landings are essential hubs in any home; however, as they are considered "in-between" spaces, they are often overlooked and can leave you uncertain about how to style them. Just as your home's exterior entrance is a key focal point, your staircase is the centrepiece, making an entrance to your interior spaces. This area is a pivotal design opportunity to accentuate your overall decor scheme. So, choosing the right carpet to set the tone for your home's first impression is essential. Explore our inspiring carpet ideas for stairs to reimagine your staircase and adjoining areas. We've included a selection of carpets for stairs and landing pictures for visual inspiration.


From Functional to Feature

Rather than seeing your stairway as a design dilemma, embrace it as a chance to add flair to your space with inspirational carpet ideas for stairs. Although they bear heavy foot traffic, stairs frequently need more recognition as an interior design feature. A well-appointed staircase can rival the allure of kitchens or living rooms. Firstly, consider the material in your home to ensure a consistent flow. After selecting a base material for your stairs, such as wood or tile, enhance their appearance with a striking carpet. Consider a stylish stair runner for classic hardwood stairs that complements the space. A colourful runner can add life to a dull wooden staircase.


Entrance Hall

Choosing the Best Colour Carpet for Stairs and Landing

Depending on your home's style, you can go bold or neutral to get the desired effect. A subtle option can seamlessly integrate with the surroundings. If you aim to turn your staircase into a standout design feature that grabs attention, choose a carpet with complementary colours and patterns. Either way, to enhance the beauty of a staircase, we prefer a carpet colour that contrasts with the surrounding stairway.

Stripes Make the Perfect Patterned Carpet for Stairs

We love to experiment boldly with colour, pattern, and texture, and an absolute favourite is stripes to elevate your staircase design's overall aesthetic. In addition to attracting attention, striped carpets visually expand the space, making them ideal for smaller homes. Extend the stripes into your hallway and landing to enhance the perception of spaciousness in narrow areas. Additionally, the pattern's ability to divert attention from wear, tear and dirt makes it an ideal choice for high-traffic zones like stairs. Read our journal post for more ideas on incorporating stripes in interior design.

The Transformative Effect of Stair Runners

An impactful and vibrant stair runner can make a significant design statement. We love using stair runners as a means of revitalising a staircase. Despite misconceptions associating them with antiquity or grandeur, they can infuse your entrance hall with a chic vintage charm while aligning it with contemporary interior trends. Beyond aesthetics, these runners offer practical benefits like safeguarding stair treads from wear, dampening noise, and providing comfort.

Hall with dramatic painting

Create Harmony in Your Staircase Features.

For a striking focal point, we adore painting the treads in a contrasting hue to the runner, paired with exquisite Roger Oates or Crucial Trading runners. Painting the balustrades and handrails in a complementary colour or accentuating a shade from the carpet ties the space together impeccably. Balustrades can significantly enhance the staircase's identity as a design feature, offering a versatile way to add a personal touch to your hallway. In traditional homes, integrating a stair guard runner accentuates the historic elements of the house while harmonising with modern features.

Art and Lighting Add the Finishing Touches

Enhance your space with captivating wall art, ranging from textiles to framed photographs to prints. Remember to measure the space and use a palette contrasting your staircase's features to complement your design. The proper lighting will complete the space by transforming the look and feel of the contrasting textures in the stairway, adding depth and dimension.

Stairs are essential in bringing together the spaces in your home's interior design. So, always appreciate the impact of creative carpet ideas for stairs when creating an entrance for your dream interior. Contact Emma Wood Interiors today and maximise the potential of your stairs beyond mere functionality—they're canvases for innovative design!

Pagination