Origins of Stair Rods

You may be wondering just what are stair rods, what is their purpose, and where did they come from? Well, here are some facts behind the history of stair rods and how they came to be used today.

Slightly more up to date stair rods

In the late 18th century stair rods emerged for practical purposes in the lower-middle to upper class Victorian homes which featured wooden stair cases covered by carpet runners. In the 1700s, before wall to wall carpeting and before non-slip padding were invented, stair rods were used as a means of installation to hold the carpet runner in place.


They were a smart invention for a practical purpose. Part of the ingenious behind the rods was that they could be used so that, periodically, the runner could either be pulled up or down so that the nose of the stair wouldn’t rub or fade the runner in one place.

In the wealthier homes, stair rods featured much more innovative and decorative designs. This included styles like metal scrollwork on the bar and different shapes such as triangular shaped rods. Stair rods were crafted in a few different materials which ranged from brass to wood. Middle-class home owners who couldn’t afford to place decoratively styled stair rods on every step often used decorative rods up to the landing to impress guests while a plain rod was used to secure the runner on the steps farther up the staircase.

Today, with much stricter safety measures than in the seventeen and eighteen hundreds, stair rods are used for decorative purposes rather than as a means of installation for a carpet runner. Stair rods were very common up through the 1940s but slowed with the advent of wall to wall carpeting in the 1950s.

The 1980s triggered a large resurgence in the demand for stair rods from customers who were no longer using wall-to-wall carpeting. Instead, the trend grew with customers wanting to recreate turn of the century, European style, hardwood and stone staircases featuring elegant runners, accented by brass stair rods and clips.

The trend continues today with more and more home owners and designers going with the timeless and decorative options of using runners and stair rods. The style has expanded to incorporate, not only, the classic styles but more modern and contemporary styles as well.

Is Your Rug worth £20 million Pounds

Last year saw the most expensive rug sold at Sotheby’s auction house. More than tripling the previous record for a rug. According to Sotheby’s, the rug is a “sickle-leaf, vine scroll and palmette ‘vase’-technique carpet,” that is probably of Kerman origin, and had belonged to the Clark Collection.

Vase carpets such as this piece are extraordinarily desirable, a fact that was only underscored by the tremendous price fetched by this impressive rug. Upon the final sale of the rug, the room at Sotheby’s erupted into applause in a cathartic release of the excitement and energy that had been steadily building in the room as the price of the rug rose and rose.

Shattering pre-auction estimates and all records for the highest prices ever fetched for rugs, the sale of this magnificent Kerman marks something of a watershed moment, as antique rugs become an ever more desirable commodity and establish a very firm footing in the highest rungs of the art world.

The good news is you don't need £20 million to buy a rug similar to this at Rugs Direct our Traditional Rugs come in at a very affordable price for any home. Take a look around our easy to use website and I am sure you will find something a little less pricey. Now we can not promise the increase in value over time but I am sure you will get many years of pleasure out of it.

...and if you are interested you can even watch the 5 minutes it took to reach £20 million at the auction in New York.

New Rugs from Plantation Rug Co now Available at Rugs Direct

Rugs Direct are pleased to announce that the new 2014 ranges from Plantation Rug Co are now available to buy.

Visit Rugs Direct to view the new ranges.

Cubes for example, is a wonderful new range that would be a great addition to any living room.

Or Undecided? So is this Rug! Take a look at this wonderful new rug.

Its Raining Stair Rods...

A BBC report for the 50 words used to describe rain has highlighted some terms that may surprise you.

"Many colloquial words for rain are regional or have their roots in the Celtic nations, such as dreich in Scots English and soft weather in the euphemism-laden Hiberno-English spoken in Ireland.

There are plenty I'd like to hear weather forecasters using on the air:

• tippling down
• pelting down
• raining cats and dogs

And there are more with the sturdy feel of regional English. Luttering down, siling down and plothering down are among my favourites. You can't honestly put them in order of severity, of course, but all conjure that sense of looking out of the window on a rainy day somewhere in provincial Britain and seeing rain hammering relentlessly from a sky the colour of cigarette ash.
One of the commonest and most vividly descriptive phrases is raining stair-rods. I like it because I shouldn't think many people in the UK have seen a stair-rod for 50 years or more so it has the comfortable feeling of a phrase your mother or father might have used to describe the rain.

The analogy, of course, is the rain falling in long, straight streaks - both German and French have words using the imagery of ropes or cords to do the same thing. " BBC.

Not sure about their comment on 50 years, sales of stair rods go from strength to strength. To read more about the article on Stairrods.

The Top Trends for Modern Rugs in 2014

The Top Trends for Modern Rugs in 2014

Like the changing of the seasons, what’s popular with modern rugs changes all the time.

You’d be forgiven for thinking that it’s only those in the fashion industry who need to keep up with trends – but us rug folk need to consider them too. With that in mind, we thought it’d be enlightening to talk through some of the top trends for modern rugs in 2014. You never know: you might just discover the perfect rug for your home. Read more...

What does colour say about you?

Colour is a personal choice, or is it? 

Can colour really say something about you today or about you as an individual? Can your preference to a colour really tell us about your personality traits?

So without thinking about it, ask yourself. What is my Faviourte colour?

Lock it in, remember don’t think about it. Needs to be instinctive.

Here is what a psychologist thinks the colours translate. Does the colour represent you?

Black. People who choose black as their favourite colour are often artistic and sensitive.  While these people aren't introverts, they are careful with the details of their lives and do not share easily with others. 

White. People who like white are often organized and logical and don't have a great deal of clutter in their lives. 

Red. Those who love red live life to the fullest and are tenacious and determined in their endeavours. 

Blue. If blue is your favourite colour you love harmony, are reliable, sensitive and always make an effort to think of 

others.  You like to keep things clean and tidy and feel that stability is the most important aspect in life.

Green. Those who love the colour green are often affectionate, loyal and frank.  Green lovers are also aware of what others think of them and consider their reputation very important. 

Yellow. You enjoy learning and sharing your knowledge with others.  Finding happiness comes easy to you and others would compare you to sunshine. 

Purple. You are artistic and unique.  You have a great respect for people but at times can be arrogant.

Brown. You are a good friend and try your hardest to be reliable and dependable.  Flashy objects are not something you desire; you just want a stable life.

Bernardo Tirado, PMP,    psychologist

See if your colour choice is replicated in your choice of rugs