A runner is the hardest rug to buy well. A sitting room rug can be a bit big or a bit small and nobody notices; a hallway is a narrow frame that shows up anything that is the wrong width. These are the questions we ask customers in the showroom before we sell them one.
Measure the hall, not the runner
Measure the width of the hallway at its narrowest point, then subtract enough to leave an even border of floor on each side — 10 to 15 cm each side looks right in most halls. So a 90 cm wide hallway wants a 60 or 66 cm runner, not an 80 cm one. A runner that nearly fills the width looks like a mistake; one with a clear border looks deliberate.
For length, decide where it should stop. A runner that ends just short of a doorway or the foot of the stairs looks tidy; one that runs into the door frame looks jammed in. Most runners come in lengths from 150 cm to 300 cm, and the long ones can usually be cut and bound to length — ask us.
Which fibre survives a hallway
A hall takes more footfall per square metre than any other part of the house, and it is where mud and wet shoes come in. That rules out viscose and anything with a deep pile.
- Polypropylene is the sensible default — stain resistant, colourfast and wipe-clean. The traditional runners from Da Vinci and Galleria are polypropylene.
- Flatweave and loop pile wear well because there is no pile to crush. York and Hague are good plain, textured options.
- Washable is the answer if the back door opens onto a garden or there is a dog. The Liberty Washable runners go in the machine and have a non-slip backing.
- Wool works if the hall is a dry, indoor one — it is resilient and hides wear — but it is the dearest option and it does not like wet boots.
Pattern hides more than plain
A plain runner in a pale colour will show every footprint. If the hall is busy, choose a pattern — traditional, Berber or a tonal abstract — or a darker plain with some texture. Patterned runners are also forgiving when the hall is not perfectly straight.
Stopping it slipping
On a hard floor, a runner without a backing will walk. Two options: an anti-slip underlay cut to size, which also adds a little cushioning, or a runner with a built-in non-slip backing like the washable ranges. On carpet, a thin underlay stops it creeping. Either way, do not rely on the runner's own weight.
Stairs
A stair runner is a different product — it is fitted, with rods or grippers, rather than loose — and it is something we do as part of the carpet business next door rather than as a rug. If you want the hall runner and the stairs to co-ordinate, come and talk to us and we will find a pairing that works.
Matching the rest of the house
Most of our runners match a room-sized rug in the same range, so you can carry one design from the hall through to the sitting room without the two fighting. Browse all runner rugs, or start from the design you like and check the sizes listed on its page.
Get the complete guide
This is one chapter. The full Preston Rugs Buying Guide covers sizes for every room, choosing between wool, polypropylene, polyester and viscose, colour and pattern, care, washable rugs and hallway runners — all in one place, written by the showroom team. It's free: join our email list using the sign-up box at the bottom of this page and we'll send it straight to you.
Prefer to talk it through? Call us on 0345 163 2015 or visit the showroom at 144–146 Brownedge Road, Lostock Hall, Monday to Saturday 10am–5pm. Every rug on prestonrugs.com comes with free UK mainland delivery.