When it comes to choosing a carpet for your home, you want to make sure that you pick the right carpet that matches the dcor of your house and is right for your lifestyle. There are many different styles of carpet to choose from, with a wide range of prices, so it's important to know how much you are willing to spend on new carpet before you start shopping.
The most important features you should look for in carpet are durability, stain resistance and resilience to high traffic areas. If you are planning on re-carpeting your entire house, choose a style and color that will work in all rooms and hallways. The type of carpet fiber you choose should be suited to your specific needs. Polyester, nylon, olefin and wool are all common carpet fibers; however nylon is the most popular because it is more cost efficient, stronger than other fiber types and the most durable. Polyester fiber carpets are cheaper than nylon, have more color choices and are better at stain resistance, however they don't hold up as well as nylon carpets. The best carpet fiber for hiding dirt and stains is olefin, but it the weakest fiber of the three. Wool is considered a premium carpet fiber and is the most expensive, but it has high durability, excellent resistance to stains, and is very soft to the touch.
Choose a fiber that is appropriate for the room it will be installed in, and consider a fiber that is durable and stain resistant if you have children, pets or high traffic areas. Look for a carpet that has tightly constructed fiber strands, because it will last longer and withstand heavier traffic. Check the back of the carpet and look for carpet tufts that are woven tightly together. It should be difficult to bend the carpet sample and it should feel heavy. Loosely woven carpets will allow individual tufts to become threadbare quickly and appear old and worn out much faster than tighter woven carpet.
Berber and Frieze carpet styles are very popular for high traffic areas because they hold up well under high traffic areas, especially with pets and children, yet they still have a high quality appearance. They don't show footprints or vacuum marks and have high durability with lots of styles and colors to choose from. Plush and Saxony style carpets are better for rooms that have less traffic, as they show footprints and vacuum marks.
If your home has a lot of activity and potential for stains on carpets, choose a carpet with a multi-colored pattern that will hide dirt and stains. Solid colors show every little spot of dirt and require a lot more cleaning than multi-colored carpets. Make sure you choose lighter colors for smaller rooms, as that will help give the room a more open feel. Darker, richer colors are great for very large family rooms; however you will want to make sure that it doesn't clash with your furniture or wall color.
Bring home several large carpet samples to keep for a day or so, and lay them out against the walls and furniture. The shade of carpet will change under different lighting conditions, so it's important to view the samples in morning and afternoon natural light, as well as indoor lighting.
Regardless of the carpet you choose, make sure that you maintain it by vacuuming regularly and shampooing it every six months or so. Spot cleaners are great at getting out small stains and many carpets come with a stain guard to protect it for a limited time. Choose a carpet that fits your budget and lifestyle and you will be sure to enjoy it for many years to come.