Knowing someone who works in housekeeping in a large hotel, I can tell you that people put their feet up on the bed without taking off their shoes. The runner is easier to wash than the big spread. Also, people have a tendency to sit on the bed to put on shoes or for whatever reason. The bedrunner is an attractive way to keep the foot of the bed clean without having to wash the spread. If you have dogs at home who like to get on the bed you may want a bedrunner to put across the bed where the dogs like to lie. Besides, they are pretty! That is enough reason for making them.