Totally overthinking. :)

I'd go w/ dark.

I honestly don’t think it matters they are so close in color.Find something else to stress about and move on.

Can we see a pic of where it's going to be placed?

The darker is more sure for this space , especially floor. Its important to fix the color difference and it makes the right interior style impression.

@tgb1 Here are pictures:

1) Darker:

2) Lighter:

I definitely prefer the darker! Thank you for the pics!!

@tgb1 Thank you so much! There is also this area with another flooring, should I get it the darker or the lighter please?

1) Darker:

2) Lighter:

Darker! Just do it.

Eeny, meeny, miny, moe. Pick moe.

In your pictures, there is virtually no difference between the two runners. Choose the one you like best, on the floor they look the same.

e98hussein, I hope you don't mind the teasing you are receiving. The rugs are practically identical. A little wear and tear and they will be indistinguishable.

If it helps, choose the darker one.

Have you ever watched The Good Place? It's a situation comedy about some people in the after life. One of the characters, Chidi, has a hard time making decisions. You might find him amusing.

All joking aside it's a great show- a comedy about ethical philosophy with Ted Dansen ;-)

I still like the darker!!!

darker

Honestly OP. close your eyes, pick one and take the other back. It makes no difference whatsoever which one since they're practically identical and you can only see the difference because you're looking at them side by side. I know it can be tough but just make the choice.

Neither. ;-)

Keep them both. Use the lighter one first, then the darker one when the lighter one gets messed up.

I would also say neither. It's just a small piece of gray and white carpeting with no relation to anything. Without knowing what else is going on in your space there's no way to tell what would fit, and there really should be something else there, art on the walls, nice lighting etc. This is decorating in a vacuum, which never works.

Add me to the neither camp; that pattern is almost as passé as chevron. And grey is as passé as, well, grey! ;)

Edited to add that they’re too short anyway.

You can’t go wrong with an antique or semi-antique (or even a new one if it’s well made) Oriental or Persian rug; they’re timeless, they go with anything and, frankly, they just look classier than those trendy, flimsy (they don’t even lie flat!), disposable rugs. And since you can pick one up for around $100 or so, there’s really no excuse to have the cheap alternatives. Here’s some inspiration for you—just imagine it in a smaller version in your hallway:

@Rita Hahaha I had a good laugh watching the video. Thank you so much for your kind words!

Thank you so much everyone for your help. Much appreciated!