Carpeting

From luxurious pastel plush cut piles to durable berber tweeds, carpeting is a universally fashionable floor covering. Broadloom carpeting has long been synonymous with comfort and luxury, but in today's eclectic interiors, carpeting is just one of numerous soft options for a high-fashion floor. Broadloom carpeting's range of color and underfoot comfort gives any room, even sparely furnished one, a more finished feeling. Wall to wall carpeting colors can work magic, too. For example, a light hue visually expands a small space, and a dark one cozies up a large room. Carpeting in a sunny color can visually warm a room short on natural light. Before you buy carpeting, study samples at home, and remember that the color of room-size carpeting will be more intense than the samples.

Wall-to-wall carpeting is a permanent interior finish. Unlike area rugs, you can not pick it up and move it to another room, shift it around to spread wear, or take it with you when you move. But, permanently installed wall to wall carpeting over a cushion does offer many practical advantages.

Advantages of Carpeting

• Broadloom carpeting absorbs sound, an appealing feature for condominiums, town houses, and homes with high ceilings.
• A carpeting yarn construction and surface texture add soft contrast to a room's angular architecture.
• As versatile camouflage, broadloom carpeting goes over any existing floor, with no need for a new subfloor, and it hides uneven surfaces and existing floor damage.
• Today, carpet is available with soil, stain, odor, and static-resistant features, and manufacturing techniques have increased its durability and cleanability. Most carpet comes from the manufacturer with at least a minimal protective coating to resist soil and stains. Even if it's not stated on the label, there is a "finish" put on the fiber at the factory.

When selecting carpeting ask yourself what activities will take place in the room to be carpeted. Will it be a high traffic area? Will there be food spills? Children playing? Pet accidents? Do you have a foyer or do people immediately step on the carpet when they enter your home from outdoors? Is your first priority appearance, durability, or a fiber that's easy to care for?

The ideal carpet would wear well, have a resilient pile that doesn't mat down, resist soil and stains, and be easy to clean. As you may have guessed, not every carpet will meet all these criteria.

The four basic fibers used in carpeting:

• Nylon carpeting is the most widely used carpet fiber. It is resistant to matting and wear and is soft yet resilient. It shows color brilliantly and cleans well.
• Polypropylene carpeting (also called Olefin) is extremely resistant to stains, fading and moisture. The color is added during production and not dyed later, extending the life of the color.
• Polyester carpeting is extremely versatile as a carpet fiber, and is permanently stain resistant and fade resistant. Carpets made from polyester are easily cleaned.
• Wool carpeting is the pre-eminent natural fiber, but it is expensive. Wool yields a soft, warm, comfortable feel. It will show some abrasion after time, but it ages well and is easy to clean.