Stair ways are an excellent place to add a strong design element to your home.
In helping a friend and client decide on new stair runners, I found tons of decked out stair runners that really caught my eye. While we are going for a more classic look for my client (as shown above - very beautiful and sophisticated) Below are some other fun ideas:
House Beautiful
Painted stair runners...
HGTV.com
As you can see, you can really let your personality shine through.