We're in need of a runner for our main staircase. My problem with Runners was that they either looked too fancy or ornate, or not special enough for our main stairs. We've been hunting for awhile, stopped, and picked up again a few months ago when we went to Alexanian Carpet.
We were really happy with the service at the store, having already bought Oscar's Nursery carpet from them, and we used the remnant of that on our runner to our basement. They let me fill my car with samples to bring home...which I did. Just like paint and fabrics, carpets will look 100% different in your house than they do the showroom. So take them home, and test them out.
While at the store, I spotted a Cortenaer Wool Carpet in a Stripe. LOVE at second sight.
You see, I had seen this carpet a few years ago at the Interior Design Show at the Exhibition Centre and fell in love with it. I think it is the perfect mix of traditional (stripes are traditional right?) but unexpected and youthful at the same time. The colour in the photo is slightly off, but it's a great mix of greys.
Looove it!