The New Look…

When we bought our home, there was gold shag carpeting on this staircase, photo left (actually throughout most of the house), which I’m sure was original to the 1961-built house. You can use your imagination to visualize what it looked like 30 years later, in 1999, when we took possession. The previous owners had dogs and a cat; who knows how many animals lived here before them!

The shag carpet was one of the first things to hit the bin during the renovation demolition. Once the carpet was removed, an elegance to the staircase was revealed. The wide treads, shallow risers, and the gentle curve of the bottom three stairs were begging not to be covered. The wood on the staircase wasn’t in the best condition, but with a lot of filling in and sanding, it was primed to be painted.

I painted it ” BM Ivory White” in a satin finish, which looked lovely; however, it was too slippery for the dogs, and probably for us too, so I had a runner installed. That was twenty-four years ago. The cherry red patterned rug has endured a lot of abuse…one of our little puppies (not Charlie) loved to nibble on the edges. It is well past time for a change!

Deciding on what pattern to choose for a new runner wasn’t difficult…I’ve always loved animal print, particularly leopard, and I consider it neutral, like Jenna Lyons.

I didn’t, however, want the runner to be the focal point when you enter the house. I went with a subtle and lighter pattern than a true leopard print. It blends in well with the area carpet at the front door and the carpet in the living room.

The word “catwalk” has taken on a whole new meaning. Ironically, I should love this animal print so much, considering I’m terrified of cats!

xox Judy❤️