Carpet selection: 5 things you must know

Carpet dealers often have samples of carpets from several factories and manufacturers in their showrooms. When you start looking for carpet, you'll see a range of qualities. Your best bet is to get to know yourself and research your options before you go to the shop. Then you're sure to get a quality carpet that will provide comfort, durability and beauty in the future.

Here's a useful guide to what to look for when visiting a carpet dealer.

Room usage

Be prepared for your dealer to ask some of the following questions.

How will this room be used?

Will the room be light or heavy traffic?

Is the room a hub for family or recreational activities?

Is there direct access from the outside?

What you should know.

By asking these questions, the dealer is trying to gauge which grade and style of carpet is best for your home.

Be as detailed as possible about what you expect from your carpet. Does the carpet have to stand up to pets, running children and lively activities? Or are you primarily concerned with how it will look and feel in a formal living room where it is not used regularly?

Colour and style

Often, the dealer may ask.

How much use will this room get? (This is a consideration as a room that is used regularly may not be the best place to install a white or very light coloured carpet.)

Will children be playing on the floor? Or is it a formal room that doesn't get much use? (Again, a lighter colour carpet will bring more maintenance, but another factor for the dealer to consider is whether you should choose a carpet made of something like BCF fibre so that children playing on the floor don't find themselves covered in loose fibres that have come off the staple product).

Is it a small room or a large room? (Small rooms can be made to feel larger by choosing lighter coloured carpets, while larger rooms can be made to feel more comfortable by using medium to dark coloured carpets).

What are the lighting conditions of the room? (Rooms with plenty of natural light will show the true colour of the carpet, while rooms located on the north side of the house may need a lighter colour carpet to prevent them feeling darker than they really are.)

What you should know.

When choosing a carpet you should always remember to bring along pieces of fabric from curtains and furniture, wallpaper swatches and paint chips. This will allow you to consider a range of colours to match your existing décor. Remember that colour can also affect your mood. Warm colours tend to make you feel energised, while cooler tones will give a sense of calm.

When considering colours, remember that the lighting in a carpet shop is not the same as the lighting conditions in your home. Ask the dealer if they have a lighted box to view the carpet, or ask if you can take a sample of the carpet home with you.