Our Guest House: Entryway
As I really start to hone in on the vibe of our guest house, I have started to ask myself how to service a few practical components that need to be addressed. And what better place to start than with the entry?? Our back house is a 100 year old, two story ‘carriage house’. Its bottom floor is our gym and top is a loft-like studio apartment. Upon entering the house you can either go right into the gym or go up a set of stairs to what will hopefully be a cozy retreat. Suffice it to say, the stairs are the first thing you see. And I cannot shake the inclination to bring some life to it! So, that got me brainstorming if a stair runner would be a fun idea.
Our home has a very transitional and classic vibe. But lately I have been crushing on all the incredible trends that are making my Instagram dreams come true. In a stair runner spiral, I keep coming back to the ones that are pieced together from vintage runners like the one below.
My heart skipped a beat when I saw my friend Hilary Duff’s vintage stair runner. In fact her entire house is epic and designed by the incomparable Studio LIFE/STYLE.
Hilary’s runner is filled with color and texture but also feels like it has been there for a lifetime. It’s as equally classic as it is fresh and on trend!
This leads me to a confession. I have a problem. When it comes to furniture and decor, I do not seem to need a reason to collect it. In fact, this little quirk of mine has lended itself to more than one argument with Nick. I mean, does a girl need to always KNOW exactly where the vintage dresser I have just hauled home from the flea market will ‘live’ the second I ask Nick to help me get it in the house?! :) BUT, now I do know what will become of the two vintage runners I picked up last summer!
I knew these beauties would find their place and I’m so excited it will be in our home!
If you’re interested in creating this look, here are some quick tips to keep in mind when piecing your runner together:
To ensure you have the necessary length of material for your staircase, measure the depth of the stair and the height of the riser. Then multiply that by the total number of stairs; this is your total runner length.
Make sure all of your runners are similar in style. Are you drawn to a more traditional Persian vibe? Or the eclectic feel of vintage wool rugs? Whatever your choice, make sure they all are cohesive!
If you are particularly savvy in the DIY space, installing a runner like this is completely doable! A couple great step-by-step guides are here and here!
I can’t wait to share my finished product!
What are your thoughts on stair runners?
And for all you runner lovers, share your take on this design element!
Xx,
Jo