Advice and Ideas
How to choose the best runner rug for your hallway
Your entry hallway is the first space anyone will see in your home. You want it to set the tone right, to start building up the impression you want your home as a whole to leave: that of calm and tranquility, or of excitement, of creativity and originality, of formality or non-conventionalism. Whatever that impression is, it starts the moment one opens the door into the entryway. As for the rest of the hallways in the house, while they may seem to just be a transitional space between rooms, they are also visual links, connecting one space with another and turning separate spaces into a harmonious home. There are various ways to improve your hallway: putting away the clutter, installing a mirror to reflect the light, or buying an impressive lampshade. But to really make that statement, and to bring light, definition and consistency to your space, nothing can be better than a hallway runner rug.
Best size for your hallway runner rug
For the best use of space in your hallway, your runner rug should not have any side-tables, coatracks or cupboards placed on it. It is vital that there should be some flooring showing around the runner’s borders, otherwise the hall will look cluttered and claustrophobic. Recommendations for how the runner should fit in the space suggest that for a 1 metre wide hall (39 inches), the best runner would be around 80 cm wide (32 inches). In terms of the length of the runner, make sure it is long enough, so that it doesn’t look lost, or unfinished. A playful alternative to a runner that covers the entire length of a hallway is doubling up to smaller pieces. They look great and have the advantage of being easier to handle, move, clean and maintain.
In bigger spaces, use a larger runner to avoid empty floor and to protect against wear and tear caused by foot traffic. This is especially important in commercial spaces like hotels or offices where there are more people. Sizing up is also important for sound absorption because hard surfaces like hardwood floors can create echoes when sound waves hit them. This is especially noticeable in large rooms with high ceilings, where sound can travel for longer periods of time. If you would like to read more on this topic, we highly recommend “Sound Absorption – How Rugs can Improve Acoustics” and if you would like some inspiration, explore our Magic Stepping Stone Large Runners.
Best runner fibre for your hallway
As the hallways will have the highest footfall of any room, you will need to purchase a runner made from dependable materials. Natural fibres are always a good choice for a quality rug, providing both durability and comfort. The most hard-wearing of these is sisal, though it’s difficult to clean and seagrass, which has a waxy, stain-resistant coating. Jute is the least durable of the fibres, but also the softest. However, if you want to invest in a long-lasting, lush and washable runner rug, there’s no better material than natural fibre wool.
Most of our rugs are hand tufted or knotted from 100% New Zealand wool meaning our hallway runners are easy to clean, especially if they are maintained properly. Also, consider looking for rugs with close tufting or a higher knot count as the denser piles will mean that the runner is able to weather many years of family, friends, pets and children striding over it with muddy shoes.
Choose the best runner colour
The rules of colour can be very simple in regards to rugs. Brightly coloured rugs, or even multicoloured rugs, can infuse the entranceway with light, reflecting the natural sunlight around the space. Meanwhile, deeper tones may darken the hall but they also make it seem cosier. To make the hall seem even larger, it’s advisable to keep the walls and doors the same shade, particularly if said shade is a brighter colour.
If the runner is for a house, instead of a flat, one thing to note is the outside landscape. An entryway runner is an amazing way to create a visual connection between the surroundings of the house and the inside space: if the house sits by a lake, or is surrounded by vast green areas, incorporating these colours into your runner will help bring inside the fresh feel of the outside space.
Atmosphere should always be a consideration when selecting the exact colour of your rug. A red runner rug can incite passion whereas a blue runner will bring calmness. A deep purple runner can signify luxury whereas a green runner can inspire new beginnings. Colour is a fascinating topic that by itself can transform a room and if you want to dig a little deeper into it, we have some answers ready for you.
(Left) Rainbow Runner by Sonya Winner (Right) Dusk Runner by Sonya Winner
Consider runner patterns
When it comes to patterns, a runner rug should grab a guest’s attention without clashing against the other decor. Abstract rugs work well with minimalistic interior designs due to their contemporary feel whereas more natural-shaped, busy-patterned rugs would be more suited to the bohemian interior design. To prevent the rug feeling out of place, ensure that the lines and shapes of the rug do not contradict the lines of your hallway.
What do you want to achieve?
Make a statement
First impressions last a long time. When guests come into your home, they will immediately get a feel for your taste and personality right from the entranceway, so consider it carefully. The best runner rug for making a statement would be an abstract and/or geometric one. Though, as mentioned previously, they are best combined with minimalistic interiors, a quality geometric runner can be placed into any space to immediately draw attention, making it an art piece as much as a practical instalment to prevent the spread of mud in your house.
Connect your spaces
One of a runner’s most interesting uses is in the cohesion it brings between different areas within your home. If planned carefully, a single runner can create a visual link between many rooms through its colours, patterns and even materials. By unifying your space through a few objects that have one cohesive style, you can combine individual room designs into an overall interior vision without making your house design seem scattered and confused.
Make your hall seem wider
The runner’s key effect is making a long, narrow space seem wider through the rug’s length and design. The runner’s borders should run parallel to the walls of the hallway, drawing the eye down the rug’s length and, if you wish to make a space seem shorter, then the runner should span between half and three-quarters of the hall’s entire length. To best achieve this effect, you will need a rug that captures attention, like our runners that use their graphic, interlocking shapes to really catch the eye.
Caring for you runner rug
Vacuuming the rug once a week and applying a good stain remover can do a lot to ensure the longevity of your runner rug. In our studio, we use Dr. Beckmann Carpet Stain Remover, which we highly recommend applying anytime there is a stain on your runner to ensure that its vibrant designs remain fresh. We would also advise taking the rug outside to shake off any dirt before applying any chemical cleaning solutions.
