I remember the time when I was moving into my new apartment. There was so much to be done; everything from scratch. Most of my days went in researching about different products and asking for recommendations. One of the most difficult decision was choosing a carpet. The installation and maintenance cost would be highly influenced by the decision I made then. So, I took my time to decide. I did my research. And I am pretty much happy with what I’ve got now.
How to choose a new carpet?
Today, I am going to share some of the most important things I learned while selecting a carpet for my new apartment.
1. What’s the type of space?
Where are you planning to place the carpet? And why is it even important? Every place might have a different kind of need. For example, the carpet for the dining room must have better stain resistance while the living room carpet must be fit for being in a high-traffic area.
I agree it doesn’t make a huge difference while you choose. In fact, you’re most probably going to ignore this point, but I will leave it up to you to recognize when you need to make an exception for your usual behavior and actually bother yourself about buying a carpet that’s fit for the space you’re going to put it in.
2. What’s the color of the carpet?
Now, I am personally that kind of person who would go for dark and completely different shades. But if you think long-term or if you have kids or pets around your house, you must know the following things about picking up the right color.
Neutral shades are the most popular and recommended carpet colors. They blend in well with the surroundings. Light neutrals tend to get dirtier quickly. It’s because the dirt on a light neutral shade would pop out more than usual and hence your carpet will look dirty. On the other hand, very dark shades almost do the same. For example, I have had a small rug in one of my rooms which is always super dirty. I feel it’s because of the color as the room is being used just like the other rooms are.
The best option, in this case, is to go for a medium shade. Such shades do a superb work to hide away the dirt and stains. Don’t go for a one-shade carpet. If your carpet has multiple (complimenting) colors, it will be the best choice for your home. And it will make you spend less time on regular vacuuming and carpet cleaning.
3. What style of carpet do you want?
Are you working on building an individual theme around your house? If you’re a creative type, you certainly are. I have a very funky and casual theme around my house and therefore I went for a frieze carpet. If you want a more formal look, go for a plush one.
The point is to make sure the carpet you’re choosing goes with the rest of the theme of your house. Have you ever come across people who say the carpet looked so good when they saw it at the retail store but somehow doesn’t look good after installation? It’s because they forget to keep the bigger picture in mind. Think of how that piece will look with the kind of furniture and interior paint you’ve!
4. How easy is it to keep the carpet clean?
While carpet installation is a one-time cost, carpet cleaning is a recurring cost; and that’s why your decision must be highly influenced by how easy it’s to maintain and clean the carpet. Nowadays, carpets come with built-in stain and soil protection capabilities and what not! The first thing I looked for in this context was what the carpet manufacturers recommended for the need of professional cleaning. Most of the times, it’s 12-18 months.
Read More: 3 carpet cleaning tips clean and dust free carpets
But I also took a lot of time to study what kind of technologies the carpet manufacturers claimed to incorporate and how would they work with the kind of place I live in. I also relied on the recommendations of the carpet retailer as well as my regular carpet cleaner I found through Same Day Pros (obviously).
All of this lead me to choose a carpet which I am pretty much happy with. It’s a good carpet which doesn’t need to be cleaned that often. It does a good job fighting off dust and stains.
5. Is it safe for a home with kids and pets?
Do you know carpets emit gasses? That smell of a new home or even a new car is major because of the gasses/fumes emitted by new furniture or new carpet. If it suits your budget and taste, go for a green carpet. A carpet that wouldn’t emit harmful fumes or release less toxic compounds in less quantity which can affect the health of your pets and kids. They can even affect adults with weak immune system. So, be careful.
6. A small trick to check the quality of the carpet
Bend the carpet a little and see if the back of the carpet shows. The more it shows means, the less dense the carpet fibers are. In a carpet that has dense fibers, the back isn’t visible. This is especially important when you’re installing a carpet on the stairs. Naturally, the carpet would be bent on each step, and a high-quality carpet would look much better than the others on the stairs.
Luckily, the carpet I chose passed this test fairly, and it suited my budget. Else, I would’ve chosen the costlier/denser carpet for stairs and have a little inferior quality in the rest of the house (as I was on a very tight budget).
7. Check the carpet warranty
A lot of carpet manufacturers are offering the lifetime warranty on carpets these days. That includes a warranty on pet stains and some general stains. The warranty on texture retention, manufacturer’s defects and like is a bit lesser than the lifetime warranty. My carpet manufacturer was offering 25 years warranty on this, and that was HUGE! I was sold the moment I heard about the warranty.
These are the seven tips I have for you to help you choose a new carpet. Wait! I have some more tips for you which you should read before you leave.
What other things do you need to know about choosing a right carpet?
Understand that picking up a good carpet retailer who helps you go through the choices available in a calm and helpful manner is necessary. I asked my regular carpet cleaning professional for recommendations and then picked up the retailer I wanted to go for. I would recommend you ask for recommendations from your friends & family, read some online reviews and then visit the store.
You will have to visit multiple times as I believe this is an important decision and rushing it would be catastrophic for your home decor. Take your time, do your research and then go for it.
I hope these tips will help you in buying a carpet for your house that you’ll feel satisfied with. Tell me what do you think.
