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DON’T GET COLD FEET – FOLLOW THESE TIPS TO FIND THE PERFECT FLOOR COVERING

Interior decorating isn’t as easy as it looks – and it can be a bit overwhelming, particularly when it comes to selecting the big ticket items like carpets, tiles and other floor coverings.  It’s a long-term investment, so it needs to be a carefully considered decision.

You may be upgrading one or two rooms in a home, building a brand new house or looking at floor coverings for a shop or office environment – whatever your need is, some careful research will uncover your best options.

Practical issues such as the durability of the carpet or floor covering, what it costs, what the cleaning requirements are, how safe it is all need to be taken into consideration along with the more exciting aspects such as colour schemes, different types of carpets, textures etc   Here are some things to consider before you embark on your magic carpet ride which are borne from years of experience in the Perth floor coverings industry :

Traffic flow

Where will the new carpet or floor covering be installed?  If it’s in a high traffic area, then durability is key and you should look for a floor covering that can withstand high impact – and still look good.  For family homes where children and pets give everything a workout, then stain resistant floor coverings are recommended.  

Care and cleaning

The requirements for cleaning and maintaining the floor covering should also be high on the list of questions to ask.  A very light pure wool carpet may make your new home look and feel like a celebrity’s palace, but without constant cleaning, it could end up looking like the dog’s basket.  A once-weekly vacuum is fairly standard for a regular carpet – so find out if the one that you like best fits into that category and if not, ask yourself if you have the energy to clean more often!  If it’s a wooden floor, how often will it need resanding and resealing?.   Is the one you’ve chosen stain resistant?

The size of the area

You can make a room look larger or smaller depending on the colour of the floor covering.  With lighter colours, rooms appear larger and with darker colours, they appear smaller.  A dark carpet works really well when creating a sense of coziness, such as in a study with a fireplace or a family room.   The patterns on a carpet can also influence the perception of space, and it’s worth talking to the experts to see how a patterned or textured carpet will look in your particular area. 

Another trick to develop a seamless flow between areas is to match up neutral colours for the walls and the floors.  This eliminates the perception of dividing lines and makes the whole space appear larger. 

Sound insulation

Installing carpets is a good way of absorbing noise – either from foot traffic or from general noise in a building that has a number of storeys.  Carpeting can have a calming, peaceful effect.   

Lower energy bills

Carpet acts as an extra layer of insulation and therefore reduces the requirement – and the cost – of expensive heating.

safety

Carpets are a good choice where toddlers, children and the elderly are concerned because they provide a gentle, non-slip and cushioning surface.

Versatile

Most people don’t realise that laying a carpet (unlike laying other types of floor coverings such as timber floors etc), doesn’t require a laying surface that is perfectly level, which can save you money.

Neutral is nice (That doesn’t mean beige is boring!)

A neutral floor covering also enables flexibility and creativity in decorating.  By adding a colourful rug or a textured rug to any neutral scheme will provide an instant boost.  Rugs can also be changed at any time at relatively low cost to effortlessly change the feel and the look of any decorating scheme.

A neutral floor covering also provides a fantastic versatile framework when it comes to furnishing a room.  From modern minimalism or Parisian chic to English cottage or edge industrialism, a neutral floor covering is the perfect foundation .

And if you’re putting down new floor coverings ahead of selling your home, neutrals are most definitely the best choice.  Something with universal appeal will improve the sale potential of your home.

The last word on choosing floor coverings comes from the Perth commercial carpet supplier which encourages people to look and listen before making a final choice.   “Once you’ve ticked all the boxes in terms of the practical and the decorating issues, ask for a take-home sample of the floor covering you intend installing so that you can look at it in situ.  Once you’ve seen it in the light of day (and night!), then you’ll know you’ve done your research properly.”

Dotty making a break lol x