Runner for your life!

Runner installation day has come and gone and our lives will never be the same. No longer will our 2 year old slip down the stairs (falling on her own is a different story), no longer will I clench the railing for dear life while carrying Gloria to and fro, no longer will I leave my bedroom without the guided path of the uber luxurious feeling of wool beneath my feet...the runner is in and it's posh.

Jeff and I have BOTH dreamed of having a wood staircase with a runner on it as long as we have been in the business of owning a home. However, we've never really felt as though we were going to stay somewhere long enough to make the investment (since you can't take it with you and all). Now that we have a runner in, I don't think we could ever leave.

Runners aren't exactly cheap - and in this area of the home, a high traffic, narrow space that takes a beating day after day - you really can't afford to go 'cheap' in your material selection if you want it to last for any substantial amount of time. It was recommended to us that we not install a polypropylene or nylon runner as the amount of use it gets would cause it to wear almost immediately. And if you remember that in our case, the runner is really a necessity on our stairway due to the soft Fir wood that ALSO wears quickly meant we had no choice in compromising on quality of material. So we opted for a wool runner by Couristan.

We didn't purchase a traditional roll runner with the decorative pattern in the middle and borders along the edge. Instead, we chose to purchase a 'broad loom' carpet (typically used to create custom rugs for peoples' homes) and had it made into a runner. The pattern (a damask pattern) is VERY traditional, however, without the traditional borders on the edges and the unique color combination, it allows us a little flexibility in our style. If we ever were to have a change of heart and decided to take a turn for a more modern look, this runner could still work. In the meantime, the colors work so well with what we already have going on and it works with the traditional style of the home (or at least I think it does:-)

What Jeff compromised with the floral wallpaper was made up for in the runner. He LOVES it (and there aren't many things that he loves so passionately outside of his girls and his motorcycle). We both seem to be making a couple extra trips up and down the stairs just for fun these days. We are looking forward to enjoying this runner for decades to come.





Now that the runner is in, I took a shot of it with the wallpaper we are considering for the foyer. What do you think of the combination?

Here's a close up of the colors & pattern in the runner:

There will be very little of the wallpaper since the actual wall space in the foyer is so limited. I told Jeff that the house feels a bit like it's closing in on us the more we fill up the walls and other surfaces with wallpaper, flooring, etc. Once the window treatments go in, it will really feel that way. We became so accustomed to living in an empty house. I think the reason we finally feel like we are home is because we are actually spending the time making it our own. It's no secret that I've had help and guidance from the fabulous Jenn Taft (of Jenn Taft Interior Design) on making most of the selections in the house. She has been outstanding in making the process simple and convenient so I haven't had to be dragging the kids around in the snow and cold combing through stores. However, it also means that everything isn't 100% "me." I feel like she has taken my taste and made it more grown-up and sophisticated. For example, I picked out the bathroom wallpaper on my own and just ran it past her for approval. That bathroom is 100% me...but I think we can all agree that too many birds and butterflies is never a good thing. Jenn has incorporated things she knows I love (ahem...the color PURPLE), but has kept the decor "decade friendly" enough that we won't be sick of everything a year from now.

We have two meetings scheduled next week with two different contractors that we will be interviewing and gathering bids from. Both have been very easy to communicate with on the phone and eager to check out our project. Liking their enthusiasm! However, it isn't all house business these days. We have been lucky enough to spend some good quality time with friends and family enjoying the holidays and indulging in Christmas delights. Tomorrow will be our family Christmas shopping outing for the girls to pick out gifts for eachother and us...how fun! Our next post this week will be our 'Christmas Year In Review.' Looking forward to reflecting on the blessings that made this year so memorable.