Tips for choosing your new carpet
Choosing a new carpet can be one of the most stressful jobs to do when decorating your home, although for some it is the easiest (if you know what you want!)
There are a few things to consider however and I have listed these below...
1. Consider the space – It’s helpful to consider whether your room is a high or low traffic area. High traffic areas such as a hallway or lounge warrant a carpet which will show less wear as well as being stain resistant.
2. Colour – Do you want to make a statement with a bold colour/pattern or are you looking for something with muted tones? Either way it’s important to consider your options. If you have children or pets its safer to go with a medium shade as they don’t show dirt as much as a lighter one would. A ‘heather’ or ‘fleck’ colour is also good at diverting the eye.
3. Style & Texture – Formal or Casual space? A plush carpet tends to feel more formal while a standard twist tends to be more casual. Loop carpets are very popular at the moment adding texture to a room.
4. Cleanability – Carpets are often designed with built in stain and soil resistance. Abingdon have a range available using an Aqua Protec system whereby if you spill anything on the carpet it beads and doesn’t absorb into the carpet – making for quick and easy cleaning!
5. Pile – Depending on which carpet you chose, the height and density of the pile will vary. A little tip is to gently bend the carpet – if you can see the backing of the carpet then the carpet is not as dense therefore, not as good of a quality carpet. This is extremely important when choosing a stairs carpet as it will show the backing as it bends over the nose of the stair.
6. Fibres – The fibre your carpet is made from can impact things such as softness and durability. Nylon carpets are traditionally used as they are often more hard wearing. Wool carpets are often the premium option when choosing a carpet especially New Zealand Wool. They are beneficial for rooms with a coal or log burning fire as wool does not ignite easily.
7. Underlay – Underlay is probably the most important thing to consider when buying your carpet. If you are splashing out on an expensive, high quality carpet it makes no sense to put a cheap underlay down underneath, as the backing of the carpet will be compromised. We recommend a foam underlay as it doesn’t crumble like traditional rubber underlay. It can also be used as a sound proofing tool. For heavy wear areas we recommend you don’t go for anything less than a ‘Contract’ underlay as they take more impact.
8. Warranty – Many carpets now come with a warranty, sometimes even a lifetime guarantee in residential properties, but its always useful to ask what the warranty covers.
9. Budget – Don’t forget to budget! Things to include apart from the cost of the carpet are underlay, gripper, door metals, uplift & removal of old carpets. Your supplier will be able to give you a break down of these costs.
10. Take it home – If you haven’t decided on a style or colour yet I’d highly recommend you take home a couple/several samples home. Place them in different areas of the room at different times of the day – you’ll be amazed at how different they can look.
If you take all the above into consideration then you'll be sure to get the desired look and feel!