Hon, you need a VERY good broadloom store. You will find broadloom in patterns in all sorts of fibers and patterns. This is a CUSTOM job. It requires a template before an order, a runner cut, bound and created off site. Get off the computer, and go to the BEST broadloom store in your area. Plaid is a NO NO - I'd skip stripes as well. That's for technical issues, and the fact it does not suit the stair in style. Find a salesperson with knowledge of the technical issues involved with even the curve at stair bottom........and be prepared to listen to their advice.

Even your first inspo will require some skill.........your answer is not online.

Thank you Jan! Been working with just a local flooring shop who said they would measure and have made to fit, but having trouble selecting the style. Also, your examples do all the way to the edge. Hoping it’s still going to look okay to leave some inches on each side? Fingers crossed that will still look okay? Thanks again for your professional opinion!

Sorry Jan... just took a closer look at your first example! Looks like they left some room on the ends ;)

Thank you!! Of course my preferences and what I’m drawn to are the geometric patterns (plaid, stripes and diamonds) with the exception of a beautiful modern Persian, but those have clear borders that probably wouldn’t work at my stair base. Ugh. Back to the rug drawing board!

DIAMONDS are easy and abound in broadloom. You need BROADLOOM.

Your runner needs to be created locally from 12 foot wide goods.

I think a small, all-over pattern in a neutral color (or colors) would work best. Stark Carpet is a great resource for these sorts of patterns. Here's one that could work:

Blue Diamond Custom Stair Runner · More Info

Note how they cut around the newel posts and each section has a really crisp edge.

This woven herringbone carpet could also work. This one has tape binding on the edges:

Crystal Lake, IL - Custom Stair Runner with Herringbone Patterned Wool Field & C · More Info

Love those!!!

Thank you to everyone for your input! I wanted to follow up just in case anybody else is struggling with the same decisions I was with a curved expanded bottom couple of steps in an old staircase. Despite some of the recommendations above, I did go with plaid and I absolutely adore it. So it can be done, but to get the lines to continue to flow in a consistent way took a ton of planning and hours of labor. But I love how it turned out. Thank you again for all the help And suggestions!

That looks fabulous.

That looks fabulous! You must be thrilled. Did the local flooring shop do this job for you?

Yes! Found the carpet I wanted online through someone I follow on Instagram and asked a local person to source it for me and install it

Erin,

I’m starting a staircase and runner project now. If you see this message, can you share what you did on the landing? We have curves, a split stair case and 2 landings. Very challenging.