Kitchen Runners

Why a kitchen runner works

A long kitchen rug softens hard tiles, stone or wood where you stand to cook and wash up, and adds colour to a room that is often all hard surfaces. A runner suits the shape of most kitchens better than a square or rectangular rug: it follows the walkway in front of the units, leaves cupboard doors and the dishwasher free to open, and shows a border of floor on each side so the room still feels open.

Pattern matters more in a kitchen than anywhere else. The washed, softly worn designs in our Folklore range, with broken outlines and mixed tones, are far more forgiving of crumbs, splashes and footprints than a plain pale rug. Many of the Persian and oriental designs are Persian-style: machine-made reproductions of traditional patterns, not genuine Persian rugs, which is how a vintage-look kitchen runner starts from £29.

What size kitchen runner do you need?

Measure the length of the walkway and take off about 30 to 50 cm, so the rug stops short of the end units and doorways. For width, leave a strip of floor visible on both sides; in most kitchens a 66 cm or 80 cm wide runner looks right.

In a long galley you can also use two runners end to end with a gap between them, which is easier to lift and shake out than one very long rug. Not every design is made in every size, so check the options on each product.

Two looks for kitchen runner rugs

Choosing a colour

Cream designs such as Elder Cream or Bramble Cream keep a small kitchen light and work with pale oak and white units. Blue and navy designs, including Aspen Blue and Bramble Navy, sit well with shaker cabinets in sage, navy or putty. Terracotta, rust and red designs like Aspen Terracotta and Hawthorn Rust warm up grey or white tiles, while the multicolour kilim, ikat and striped designs bring a relaxed boho look to plain modern kitchens. Grey works with stainless steel and concrete-effect worktops.

Keeping a kitchen runner in place and looking good

On tiles, stone or wood, lay a good-quality rug underlay beneath the runner to help it stay put and add a little comfort underfoot. Vacuum regularly on a low setting without a beater bar, and give the runner a shake outdoors now and then. Blot spills straight away with a clean white cloth, then spot clean gently with cold water and a little mild detergent; avoid soaking or scrubbing, and use a professional rug cleaner for a deeper clean. If you have underfloor heating, choose an underlay made for it and check your heating manufacturer's guidance.

More runners and kitchen rugs

For a larger rug under a kitchen table, see our kitchen rugs and large kitchen rugs. For halls and landings, browse hallway runners, or see the full Highland tartan check rugs range.