Most of us like having carpet flooring for our bedrooms, it’s cosy and soft to walk on. But, did you know it’s also great for insulation, reducing noise levels and sound transmission? We probably don’t think into it too much when there are so many decisions to make at the selection centre…but it’s actually so important because carpets are mostly laid out in the areas where we relax and get comfortable. So here is our two-part guide to every aspect you need to know about choosing the perfect carpet for your built home, starting with colour, style and fibre. Check back in a couple of weeks for the second part to this article on quality, ratings and upkeep.
What Colour Should I Choose?
Dark Colours: Can make a room appear smaller and cosier, creating an intimate environment. But tend to show up fluff, lint, light stains and crumbs.
Tip: Families with children and pets – choose dark, multicoloured, and patterned carpets. It is much more effective in hiding soiling, and more forgiving when it comes to stains.
Light Colours: Open up rooms by making them appear bright and larger. But stains more easily than darker colours
Neutral Colours (Beige, Creams, Charcoals): Go well with any colour scheme. Allows other features to stand out, such as an artwork or a piece of furniture
Bright, Bold Colours: Suitable for living room and rumpus
Cool Colours (Blue, Green): Encourage a calming atmosphere, good for bedrooms and home office.
Warm Colours (Red, Orange): Elicits an energised and cosy feeling, also suitable for living areas.
Tip: Go a shade or two deeper, because carpet will usually appear lighter once installed and fade over time.
Different Styles in Carpets
Loop Pile: Loops of yarns
- Doesn’t show footprint marks, suited to high traffic areas such as the hallway
- Durable, easy to care/clean, and requires minimal upkeep
- Perfect for busy homes (choose a multi-level or textured variety in a forgiving colour for best stai hiding properties)
- But avoid if you have cats as they may claw the carpet, pull the loops and cause damage
Cut Pile: Cutting the yarn loops, leaving tufts of yarn upright
- More formal and luxurious look than loop pile
- Popular for formal areas like studies and lounge room
- Plush variety (also called velvet or velour carpet) is super soft and has the squishy underfoot feel
- But tends to show shading of footprints and vacuum cleaner tracks
- Twist is more hardwearing and maintains their finish, which minimises tracking and shading
- Frieze has a shaggy appearance, which is the best if you prefer cut pile but something more durable and suitable for high traffic areas
Combination: Both cut and looped yarns, which forms distinctive patterns such as squares, swirls, etc.
- Adds interest and visual impact – suitable for entertainers when matched with medium to dark tones
- Some patterns can also create a sense of space
- Likely to show footprints
Different Fibre Types in Carpets
Wool: A sustainable natural fibre from sheep, has a unique fibre structure and natural properties that make it ideal for carpeting
- Soft, luxurious feel
- Strong and hardwearing, contains lanolin: soil repelling qualities and fire resistant
- Absorbing noise, keeps your home cool in summer and warm in winter
- Renewable and biodegradable
- The natural fibre is also ideal for those with respiratory problems, such as asthma
- But more expensive than other fibres (do not choose cheap wool carpets as they pill very quickly)
- Limited to neutral colours
Wool Blend: Wool mixed with a synthetic fibre
- Offer the resilience and durability found in synthetic fibres, with natural appearance and luxurious feel of wool
- Mixing synthetics helps to mantain the definition of some carpet styles, providing improved wearing ability and reduces fuzzing and sheeding
- Lower cost than pure wool carpet
- Tip: Go for an 80/20 Wool Nylon blend. 50/50 Wool Nylon can be difficult to clean as stain-resistance quality cannot be added to the nylon when it’s blended. These blends also tend to use poorer quality wool warn that will pill.
Nylon: synthetic fibres, are a popular choice for carpets since it is cheaper than wool and comes with added stain resistant
- Long term resilience and durability
- Stain resistance and easy to clean
- Long lasting colour resistant against cleaning and sunlight
- Versatile and can be made in many carpet styles
- Readily accepts dye, so they are available in an array of vibrant colours
- Good for kids bedroom
- Tip: Look for solution dyed nylons. Colour is added to the fibre during production rather than applied to the surface afterwards, providing superior fade resistant qualities and vibrancy
Polypropylene: also a man-made fibre, a cost-effective option often used for rental properties and playrooms
- Colourfast, water and stain resistance
- Usually made into loop pile carpets
- However, it can look and feel cheap
Related Articles:
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Zoe Langenberg
Zoe is passionate about coffee and interior design. You can find her most weekends exploring an art gallery or devouring a good book.
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