What a beautiful staircase! It is stunning! Project Home UK suggested a stair runner going down the middle of the steps would perhaps be more effective than a fully fitted carpet. We supply carpets and floorcoverings throughout the UK and Ireland and can also offer a bespoke stair runner service where you choose any one of our floorings or carpets (as long as suitable for stairs of course) and pick a border to go around the edge. We have some beautiful examples of customers 'in-situ' runners in our 'in-situ' ideabook which may give you some inspiration? We recently did a photoshoot in a location with a similar staircase to yours, photo below, where we used a bold striped runner in 100% wool, with a simple whipped edge. The second photo is of a grand central staircases in one of our retailer showrooms which has the new Quirky B Fair Isle Reiko by Margo Selby running down the centre - beautiful! Take a look at our website, www.alternativeflooring.com, to see our full collection of floorcoverings and have a play with flooring and border combinations using our 'Make me a rug' designer. Have fun!

hi all, update is I have finally found a photo of someones stairs done in Brintons timorous beastie yellow Ruskin butterfly and its made me decide we are definitely 100% going for this as I love it (see attached pics) on stairs and landing... Floor in hall will be oak herringbone parquet, just wall colour to decide and we have bought new tall skirting so colour to paint this also? i have attcahed apic of the hall currently so you can see our front door with stain glass.. As Ive mentioned before the banister and spindles will be replaces with square spindles with an oak top banister and oak end cap - similar to this houzz pic ... So just to deicide on wall colour and new skirting colour... I really like f&b light blue in a hall with oak parquet but I don't feel this will go with the carpet... Kitchen and dining room will be one of the sage shades and lounge Wimborne white and downpipe...

I have to agree with Crafty Countess about having a vinyl flooring. I would recommend Loose Lay by Karndean. The range comes in wood plank and stone tile effects, does not have to be glued down except around the edges of the room and damaged "tiles" can be easily replaced. They are made for commercial use, so are very durable and will retain their looks for years to come. From our own tenants, I've found that white or off- white works best. You'll never get a colour right for a tenant. In the past, we've hung curtains, which our tenants always ask to take down and put up their own. We've painted lightly fresh or richly cozy feature walls, which our tenants have asked to paint over. So we always use a neutral paint now. We allow our tenants to hang pictures, providing they repair and paint the holes when they move out and use wall stickups that they can take with them. The less colour you put in, the more you allow your tenants to make the space their own.

dark carpet or carpet that flows. what are peoples thoughts?