Think bold with stair carpet runner rails designed for wider staircases

By far and away the most popular diameter for stair runner rods is 12mm, or ½” in old money. These are ideal for runners up to around 1m wide (3 feet 3”) and therefore standard for most houses. However, there is a view that your stair carpet runner rails should be chunkier than that for runners more than around 1m (3 feet 3”) wide. It’s all about achieving a pleasing, balanced feature, in proportion with the staircase.

Stair runner rail designs in 16mm diameters

The 16mm (5/8”) diameter rod option is the next size up from the standard 12mm. Whilst the additional 4mm does not sound much, it makes a significant visual difference as a tubular rod, stretching from one side of your runner across to the other and repeated all the way up the staircase.

So, consider the three designs of Dubai, Cairo and Dune from the Eastern Promise range of stairrods. These make a statement and are available in custom lengths and in the larger 16mm diameter option. The finials in particular demand attention, being equally bold in looks and significant in size.

Alternatively, the Country stair rod designs of Balladeer, Sherwood, Arran and Bordeaux can be ordered in the 12mm or 16mm diameter rod option. Likewise, the Premier range of brass stair rods.

And what about the brackets?

The larger your stair carpet runner rails, the bigger the bracket holders need to be. Most new rods are supplied with a pair of brackets in a matching metal finish to the stair rod, including fixing screws. Just remember to order the correct fixing type, as explained here.

But remember, personal taste should not be ignored! There is no right or wrong option when choosing the diameter of runner rails.