"Can I make a rule that the kids aren't allowed to wear shoes upstairs?"

Sure.

Maybe invest in one of those tiny carpet shampoo machines for stairs? Right now in the Kitchen Forum there is current discussion on the Bissell Little Green Cleaning Machine and other like it.

Here is a link that might be useful: Bissell Little Green Clean Machine

Why don't you try to find a white on black harlequin so the white won't show dirt.

Honestly, I agree with the salesman. Keep looking.

I hate to burst your bubble but, I would NOT even dare with kids!!! I have 2 small throw rugs in my main bathroom in a black and white zebra print. I have 2 little girls ages 2 and 4. They have to be washed at least every month if not more often and my children do not wear shoes in the bathroom. These things just get so dirty!! I'm so glad I bought them at Marshalls and they were really inexpensive, and I CAN just throw them in my washing machine. I think it would be really tough keeping a runner clean regardless of a no shoe rule.

Sounds awesome but I probably wouldn't try it. You may end up hating it! Area rugs somewhere else in the house would probably be better.

I have a beautiful black patterned carpet in my family room, study, and going up the staircase. I figured black would be a great choice to hide dirt. Boy was I wrong. Everything shows up on that carpet. It looks good for about a day and then crumbs, grass, everything light shows up on it!!! I would never put black carpet in my house again.

Kids aside, you should't put a diamond pattern on stairs. There's no way the pattern will come out evenly. It will be a visual nightmare.

Thanks, everyone. You're all right, of course ...

hoffman-

Personally, I've never let ease of cleaning deter me from getting what speaks to me, whether it's a sweater, a paint color or a carpet, but I am not a clean freak and don't worry if something looks dirty. Ask yourself if you would have rather a runner that makes you smile, crumbs, pet hair and all, or a runner you don't love that is in a nice, practical color that may or may not show as much dirt.

I would choose the runner I loved, but only you know the answer to that question for you.

Good luck-

sandyponder, who has a sign in her LR that says "What's a little pet hair among friends?"

Personally, I would be more worried about things showing up on the black part of the carpet. When my kids were very small we put in a pretty light colored carpet and didn't have any problems with it. It replaced a dark colored carpet that showed every bit of lint that landed on it.

The REAL question here is, not whether you will still love the practical carpet as much as the black & white carpet, but How much will you love the BW carpet after it's dirty? The prettiest dress in your wardrobe looks like crap with spaghetti sauce stains on it.

And every item I ever bought and had to keep fussing at my children over, was just a noose around my neck. Better to train the kids to be reasonably careful but buy something that doesn't make that too hard to do.

Red