Designing with Carpet

Hardwood floors have made a big comeback over the past decade. Most consumers prefer to have at least part of their home carpeted. Carpeting fells warm, and soft under foot and is much quiter that other types of flooring.  The variety of styles, colors, and textures available today makes it easier than ever to choose the perfect carpet for any room in your home.  Carpet manufactures have also improved carpeting construction, which makes the carpeting you buy today more stain resistant and long lasting.  Carpets are constructed of fiber blends or manufactured entirely from nylon, polypropylene, polyester, or wool. Nylon is one of the most popular carpet fibers due to its durability and versatility.  Most nylon styles have stain resistant properties.  Polypropylene is increasing in popularity because it is very resistant to stains, fading and moisture.  Polyester is also stain and fade resistant and offers excellent color and softness.  Wool has a luxurious feel and is usually more expensive than synthetic fibers.  It requires careful maintenance but appeals to many people since it is a natural fiber.  Carpeting is a major purchase so it is important to understand the basic elements of construction and style to determine the best choice for your home.  Higher twist level prevents crushing and matting.  Face weight refers to the number of ounce of fibers per square yard.  A height face weight is a indicator of better quality.  Plush carpeting is cut pile constructed from untwisted yarn.  The ends form a smooth surface making it more suited for formal rooms that heavy traffic areas.  Cut pile features loops that are cut, leaving individual yarn tufts. It is one of the most popular choices for its versatility and durability.  The type of fiber, density of tufts and the twist of the yarn can vary according to style and manufacturer.  Frieze is a type of cut pile carpet recommended for heavy traffic areas such as bedroom or family room. the height twist construction of the yard tufts cut on the surface to hide footprints.

Saxony features a dense, cut pile. The yarn tufts are close together forming a smoother surface that other carpet styles.  It is frequently used in less formal rooms but will show footprints.  Textured carpets are constructed with twisted yarn tufts.  They don't show footprints , are highly stain resistant, and easily adapt to formal or casual room settings.  A textured carpet with a neutral color can add more interest to a room without need for a multicolored pattern or bright color.  loop pile feature loops that are uniform in height for a more informal look.  It is often used in high traffic areas.  several of todays popular Berber styles are constructed of loop pile with chips of darker color interspersed on a light background.  Cut and loop pile combines both cut and looped yarns and is available in a variety of textures ranging from sculptured squares to swirls. 

When shopping for carpeting, consider your family's lifestyle, pets, and what you will be using your carpeted rooms for and how that carpeting will complement other furniture, window coverings, and decor.  Carpeting that is impractical for the family room might look great in a seldom used formal dining room or guest bed room.

Light colors can make small rooms appear larger while dark colors work well in living rooms with vaulted ceilings or large master bedrooms.  most people know that light colors soil more easily, but many people forget that dark colors show lint and dust.  Neutral tones and textures styles with colors from nature are usually the best choices for minimizing the appearance of dirt and lint.. They also leaned themselves to most decorating schemes and complement all styles of decorating.

Don't be shy about asking for carpet swatches to take home.  Keep in mind that any color you choose with be covering a large area.  A small swatch might look great as a pillow accent but it should be too intense for an entire room.  Be careful in trying to match carpet colors to existing upholstery.  Lighting also has a major impact on carpet color.  Take the time to view your sample in natural light, under an overhead light and with the indirect light of a lamp to determine if the color you have chosen looks good.

Remember that the padding you place underneath the carpet will affect comfort and performance.  You may pay more initially for thicker mildew and water resistant padding but it can add year to the life of your carpet. Make sure you receive care instructions for your new carpet because proper maintenance will significantly affect its long term performance. 

Quick Tips:

• Make sure you follow care instructions to maximize your new carpets life
• Manufacturers to todays carpeting have improved construction to make it more stain and mildew resistant and longer lasting.
• Carpets are constructed of fiber blends or manufactured entirely from nylon, polypropylene, polyester, or wool.
• You can determine carpeting quality by face wight, which refers to the number of ounces of fiber per square yard.   The higher face weight indicates higher quality
• Different types of carpeting are appropriate for different area of your home.
• Remember the basic rule that light colors make rooms appear larger, and dark colors have the opposite effect.
• Ask for carpet sample to take home.
• The padding will affect the comfort and performance of your carpet.