subject: Carpeting Could Perfect Your New Home [print this page] When it comes to the floor coverings in your new home it is important to carry out some research as if you make a mistake there is no going back without forking out a pretty penny.
Living rooms, reception rooms and the stairs should be carpet. Your bedrooms and living rooms will really benefit from carpets as they make a room cosy and comfortable. Entrance halls, kitchens, utility rooms and bathrooms need to be hard flooring due to convenience and practicality. If you have children or pets then hard floors in these areas is a must. If you do not have children or pets you may get away with a carpet in the entrance hall although you should choose a dark or neutral colour such as beige.
Carpets come in a wide range of varieties and colours the two main types of carpet are twists, velvets or loops. Twist carpets are also known as tufts and the most popular type of carpet in the UK this type of carpet is made from yarn which is twisted tightly together then the loops are cut to form a textured pile appearance. Twist carpets are highly durable and they are perfect for areas of high traffic such as the hallway.
Velour carpets are very luxurious, silky and glamorous this type of carpet can add some opulence to the bedroom. The bedroom or an occasional reception room are the rooms best suited to the velvet carpet as they do tend to show up footprints and do require regular vacuuming. Loop carpets are otherwise known as Berbers or natural carpets they have loops sometimes of varying heights. They are best suited as hardwearing carpets although they may not be ideal for pets due to the potential for snagging.
The materials used to make carpets are wool, coir, plant fibres, nylon, acrylic, polyester, polypropylene, viscose rayon. Wool is by far the most superior type of carpet it is warm, retains its shape, and is extremely hard-wearing and washable as well as fire-resistant. Downsides are it can fade if in a colour and is not good when wet as it can become a bit smelly until dried again.
Plant fibres are the next best thing to wool only cheaper and capable of being flattened somewhat. Coir is the type of material to use for a doormat as opposed to a carpet. Nylon is a softer material it is a synthetic yarn and also hard-wearing. The downside to nylon is that because it holds its colour well it can be easy to stain. Combat this by having it scotch-guarded.
Acrylic is a perfect material if you are looking for a cheaper alternative to wool it is not fire resistant. The plus points are that it can be cleaned and it is resistant to mould and mildew should you decide to carpet your bathroom. Polyester is a cheaper alternative and also very hard-wearing to make this material very convenient it is also water resistant. The downside is that it does tend to get flattened down if the pile is any length. Polypropylene is a very cheap carpet if expense is an issue and it is very hardwearing, waterproof and durable. Viscose rayon is a material used to mix with other carpet materials it is not hardwearing.
If you have a particular design in mind for a room then you may decide to put down a carpet of a certain colour or pattern this is fine however give plenty of thought into how long you plan to keep the carpet. If you are planning to keep the carpet for years - be sure that the style will suit a change of dcor. A good idea is to obtain some swatches of material and match them up with a few different colour pallets.
