You must have dark-haired dogs! This one at Walmart may hold you over for a reasonable price - https://www.walmart.com/ip/Custom-Size-Runner-Black-Solid-Single-Color-Plain-Non-Slip-Non-Skid-Rubber-Back-Stair-Hallway-Rug-by-Feet-26-Inch-Wide-Select-Your-Length/278776186

@My3dogs, haha, they're coon hound mixes...they don't shed all that much, I must still be remembering the days of our two black labs. One hound is red, one is black and brown so I'm trying to find something that would hide it all :) Really, I'm more worried about the foot prints from in and out of the yard during the fall/winter, and let's be honest, spring in the PNW!

@eld6161, thanks for the input! So you like the more blueish, creamy tweed looking one (if I'm counting third down pic, I know I doubled up on a few of the same ones from different angles).

We're not a shoes off household, so I'm trying to picture what will hold up best to my husband up and down the stairs in his sneakers. Not that we're slobs, I vacuum everyday....but I can just picture getting the striped runner and the first day of rain and mud-the cream sections get stained.

Thanks!

I would wait for the exact one I wanted....unless I found another that I loved just as much. Hmmm,sorta like husbands.

Third.

Ok, going with the blueish one....now, any advice on how to find a skilled runner installer? Do I need a pad underneath on each tread? The runner material itself is hearty so I don’t see why we’d need one, thoughts?

I believe if you call some carpet companies or just installers you could find one or get a lead on one.

I just googled stair runner installers and came up with various cities that specialize. Good luck

I don’t see any bluish?

@oaktonmom, the second one is called marled indigo, the pattern is a gray/navy blueish color.

I love the striped one personally. I like the third one over the first one. I would get the third one bound in navy tape on the edges.

@Pink, I like the stripes too but I'm worried about the lighter parts in the pattern showing dirt and mud..."bound in navy tape" on the edges....how do I do that!?

Are you getting this from a carpet place where it is being made for you? Instead of them doing the edges in the tan color as shown ask for them to be done in a deep navy. They will have edging tape to choose from. So you will have something that has contrast like these.

Just added these stripes because they were on white stairs and the Snauzer is cute.
If you are ordering this already completed you would have to incur the additional expense of having the edges rebound. In that case I would suggest you go to a store and compare costs on having a custom one done. It might be cheaper than you think! Also you would have more choices!

adding I think the dark contrasting edge against your white stairs would be striking.

@Pink, thanks! It has been a total nightmare trying to find a local carpet place that carries anything that I like...I did a lot of research, and no one seems to do by the foot custom sizes, in a material I like...lots of the pics on line are runners pieced together. I've ordered the D&A one, three 8 footers and am looking for an expert installer...our previous runner had a bound edge, but it didn't seem added, I think it came that way. I like the bound edge, but I'm also kind of liking the less formal look of the open edge....I'm so done making decisions, I'm just over it at this point and want it done :) Another one of those items that the hubby says, just try something, if you hate it, we rip it out and do it again....right...because money grows on trees, ha!

I totally understand the point you're at. That stinks that you can't find a place. That would have made your life easier. The place I'm going to has a tremendous amount of choices plus an awesome back room/ remnant room where they cut great deals on whats back there and what is back there is incredible!!!

Well you don’t have to brag @Pink ...what is your place called?

Ok. This is the one I like without the binding.

@pink, the wonky face emoji didn’t show up with my message, joking of course!

@oaktonmom thanks! I think that’s my choice too!

http://eatmansinc.com

@Pink, I ordered both the striped and marled blue runners, will return whichever I don't use....hubby is going to kill me, haha!

Just keeping your options open! Rugs especially I feel like you need to try out in a space.........I keep hauling light fixtures out to my house with hubby in tow to' hold them up to see how they look" He made the announcement Saturday he wasn't going back to that house until we were moving in it.

Don't do horizontal stripes on a stair. Looking from the top of the stairs it's very dangerous unless it's a very small almost tone on tone stripe. Google for pics looking down the stairs not up.

thanks @DLM2000, good point!

There's a great picture that shows how disorienting it can be looking down and how the edges of the stairs become hard to discern. Saw it online a while back but can't find it now. Also the stripes won't necessarily be the same placement on each tread or riser which would drive me nuts but maybe you're not as OCD!

@DLM, oh I’m crazy OCD about that stuff, I had the swatch placed wrong on the stairs, duh! It does go vertical!

Have you checked Hook and Loom? I've purchased from them although not for use on stairs.

https://hookandloom.com/browse/eco-cotton-rugs/loom-hooked/

Does $400 for install and $149 for pad seem reasonable for install?

Is this the photo you were referring to, DLM2000? This photo shows horizontal stripes on a fully carpeted staircase. It's not even clear that there are steps!

https://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/29eczh/poor_choice_in_carpet_for_steps/

WOW! That is horrible!

The comments from others at the site are funny and quickly go awry; but this first one was cute - "Dazzle camouflage in its civilian setting."

"Edit for more info:

Dazzle camo aimed to confuse the observer as to ship type, heading,
and speed - all crucial when you're a submarine trying to figure out
where to shoot your unguided torpedo so it'll hit the target minutes
later.
However, dazzle schemes, due to their need for highly contrasting
colours, are almost always contradictory to the desire for concealment -
i.e. blending with the background.

This particular scheme was an ad-hoc application that actually had
some use in resolving this dilemma, though discovered only after it was
applied. Basically, alternating black and white stripes would blend
together into a low-visibility grey colour at long ranges, making them
difficult to spot at long range. As the ship gets closer, however, the
stripes resolve themselves, providing that confusion factor. Thus, it
was a scheme that had the best of both worlds. In theory, you could even
mathematically determine the ratio of black and white so that you know
the distance at which they blend into grey, making them useful for
different conditions. However, they never realized this until the
submarine threat was basically over and dazzle schemes were no longer
needed.

Edit 2: this is from the Second World War."

Diana Bier that's not the specific one but it does show exactly what I was talking about!

emlouhall without knowing what runner you're working with, type of padding, and type of install (waterfall or tight around the nosing) is hard to say anything about price. But as a general rule stair runners are more costly to install than wall to wall carpeting because it's so labor-intensive.

Got it thanks, I'm not doing horizontal stripes btw. Tight install around nosing, basic but nice padding.

Sorry to hijack your discussion, emlouhall!

To answer your question about the cost, I think it sounds about right.