Isn't SW American? Not much use in the UK! It depends on your light. I find farrow and ball's 'neutral' tones are often quite grey-green in my house: eg, clunch, lime white, also strong white is a grey despite the name. Oh, and laura ashley's pale french grey might be just what you want as well as cheaper than F&B!

Hi, I love the idea that Spaced Out has offered above as that would have been my suggestion upon first reading as well. I am about to 'paint a runner' on my own white painted stairs at the moment to compliment grey walls and a black front door - considering black similar to the example in blue shown above. I think it can be quite striking and very easily fits into a Scandinavian interior. Do choose paint wisely, and spend on quality in this case as stairs are hit with heavy feet and can show wear and tear quickly particularly if they are original. I have the same in my own house and have already had to do touch ups twice since we moved in two years ago. Another suggestion would be to ask your painter to put sand in your paint - not too much but just a bit - as it creates a natural tread on stairs that can be quite helpful. Painted stairs can be very slippery! Best of luck in your new home!

How come everyone elses stairs lead onto the kitchen so makes a great pantry...an obvious solution. Mine will be a hobby room and crafts storage. The question doesnt mean a lot without without plans or purpose, eg. mine was originally going to have a fish tank built into it as faces to the back of the living room.... I guess the real question is what do you want to store there?

Since you asked about runners OR wall to wall carpet, I thought I would show you something we did to accommodate my husband's desire for carpeted stairs (less slippery), neither of us really wanting a runner, and my dislike of vacuuming risers. Not the best pic since this was taken more to show a couple places they needed to touch up paint, and is a close up of our basement stairs but here you go. I am really pleased with how they turned out, and it ties the flooring on our main floor and upper floor together well. You could of course also do this with a fancier patterned/coloured carpet :)