Choosing the Right Carpet for Each Room

Living Rooms

With all those family occasions, relaxing afternoons with the Sunday papers and dinners in front of the TV, living rooms are prone to accidental spillages and stains and high levels of footfall. No other area of the home will be subject to continual risk from animals, dropped food, excited kids, and that evening glass of wine than the living room, and as such it demands a carpet that performs. Not only this, it is also the favourite room for making an impression, so it will need to look great too.

It is therefore essential to ensure a hardwearing carpet for this area. Look for those that offer a high pile density (use 40 oz as a minimum guide). You may also want to consider a carpet with a stain-resistant treatment, particularly if you have pets or kids. However, wool and man made carpets have a natural resistance to staining, so as long clean up spillages as soon as possible, vacuum regularly and get them professionally cleaned on a regular basis, they should keep their good looks for a long time.

Dining Rooms

Although they may not be subjected to as many feet as living rooms, dining room carpets are even more likely to experience spillages that can do maximum damage. Red wine, sauces and soups can all wreck a carpet if it isn't carefully chosen. Again, choose a carpet with a high pile density, but take care to clear spills quickly. Alternatively, you may want to consider placing your table on top of a rug. Should this be ruined by spillages, it will be significantly cheaper and easier to replace than the entire carpet.

Kitchens

Carpets are not a particularly fashionable choice for this area of the home as they will be exposed to all sorts of potential staining. If you still want a carpet for your kitchen then consider carpet tiles. These have a low pile height and are easy to clean and should one prove just too stubborn then you can just easily lift and replace with a new one.

Hallways

With people going in and out, bags and shoes dumped by doors and debris from outside blowing in, the hallway is the place for dirt to gather and so hard wearing carpet qualities are paramount. Also remember that the narrow width of hallways make them prone to continual and heavy foot traffic so it's vital to use a dense carpet. You may also want to consider the use of a runner in the busiest area. Hallways should be fitted with a mat that will remove mud, moisture and those annoying bits of gravel that gets stuck in the sole of your shoe. It's also probably a good idea to chose a darker, or patterned carpet to hide any dirt that does make its way in.

Stairs

The same rules apply to stairs as they do to hallways. Carpeted stairs are great for keeping noise level downs, but are also subject to a considerable amount of footfall, especially on the edges. Choose a hardwearing, dense carpet and if you are considering a loop pile texture than remember that they do have a habit of fraying on the stair edge over time.

Bathrooms

Not as fashionable as they used to be, but all the same many people still desire carpet in bathrooms, ensuring warmth and comfort underfoot. However, the fibre content and the carpet backing should be carefully considered. Only choose a carpet that is rubber backed and go for a 100% nylon or polypropylene fibre blend. Be warned traditional fibres and jute backings will retain moisture and that can make your spa-like haven of tranquillity smell damp and musty. There are specialist bathroom carpets available.

Bedrooms

The bedroom is about unadulterated luxury and a nice deep pile will bring the ultimate softness to your toes. Bedrooms are not as prone to thousands of foot steps as the main areas of the home, so you can afford to use a slightly less dense carpet and so save a bit of money over dining and living rooms. Wear and tear will be minimal, and apart from the odd cup of coffee or tea, stains from food and drink won't be such a problem. Don't forget that spare bedrooms get even less use and so can make do with a more cost effective, lower density pile than main bedrooms.