Sometimes, you feel like a kid in a candy store, with so many choices you aren’t sure which to choose.
If you’re redecorating, you may feel that sensation every time you head into a new store. What do you choose? How do you create the aesthetics you’re looking for?
When you’re working with home design, one of the first places to start is with flooring. It’s the base of your design. You’ve settled on carpet, but even after you make that decision, you still have difficult components left to choose.
How do you choose the right carpet color?
What about fiber?
Is a pattern better than a solid color?
Sometimes you walk right up to a particular style or fiber – you know what you want. But then it comes down to color.
Color can often be the most difficult decision of all. That’s because color can have a big impact on your overall design. How do you select a color from a tiny swatch and have it installed into a large space and hope it’ll look okay?
What if you choose wrong?
Are you replacing or upgrading?
A brand new design is different from upgrading something already in place. If you’re starting with a clean palette, new floors, new wall colors, new furniture, new window coverings, you can select anything you desire.
If, however, you already have certain things in place, it narrows down your choices considerably. Are you building around existing wall color? Do you have a sofa you love? Will the drapes stay in place? That gives you your starting point. This gives you something to build upon.
No matter where you are in the process, we recommend starting with a color theme. What’s your preference, greys, tans, blues, or greens? Select base colors, and build from there. Once you have that in place, then choose the color of your carpet. It’s much easier to paint walls, select a new sofa, or even add design pieces than it is adding new carpet. If you start with your base, the rest will fall into place.
What about your lifestyle?
Do you lead a quiet life, just you in your home? Are you married with kids? Do you have a dog and a cat … and add to it regularly? Do you throw wild parties with friends, or do you prefer a quiet evening at home?
Use your lifestyle to lead you to make the right choice.
Often, people think carpet color is controlled by an active lifestyle, but other things come into play. Fibers can play a big role in how easy clean up will be. Do you want stain resistance? Pay attention to durability as well as how easy it cleans.
Yet no matter how much stain resistance is in place, carpet colors like white, light grey or beige, or any light neutral color will be more difficult to keep clean. Coupling that with durability, and lifestyle is more important than ever when finalizing your decisions.
In highly active areas, we often suggest darker neutrals, fibers with various flecks and shades, or patterns that well wear and hide small problems. If you move towards patterns with multiple shades of color, it will be less noticeable when accidents happen.
What about neutral colors?
We’ve mentioned selecting neutral carpet color several times for a reason. While trends come and go, neutral carpet colors tend to stick around. Walk into a home with a bright color carpet – orange, green, red. You’ll notice it. It can also date it, depending on the color. But if you walk into a home with a well placed neutral carpet, it’s the canvas for the home’s design. You notice the aesthetics of the decor, not follow your eyes to the floor.
Greys, beiges, browns, and even moving into shades of blue are considered to be neutral carpet fibers. If you can blend different decor into the room, without countering the effects of the carpet, it’ll stand the test of time.
Start with your budget in mind
Walking into a flooring dealer and seeing aisles of carpet can be a daunting experience. Before you walk down the aisles, finding samples you lean towards, talk with an associate first. Give them an idea of your project. Clue them into your budget. Then ask where your money will be well spent. They can lead you to manufacturers and products that suit your needs well.
This eliminates the potential of falling in love with a carpet way outside of your budget. It also gives you a chance to see carpet samples specifically made for your lifestyle, and will serve you well.
Then you can start sorting samples into different categories. Do you like patterns? Do you like specific textures or fibers? Do some samples draw you in, while others say: no way?
When you’re first starting out, pull what pleases you. What can you envision in your own home? Quickly you’ll start to see patterns in your approach. When several samples are laid out together, you’ll also find some stay in your maybe column, while others instantly seem out of place.
That’s the point of this exercise. When you see several potentials together, you’ll lean towards some over others. When you’ve narrowed it down to a few final selections, it’s time to get a few flooring samples and live with them for a bit. View them in a different light. See them next to the color of your walls. Compare them to the fabric of your sofa, chairs, and drapery. One will quickly pull away from the pack, and you’ll know which will serve you best.
Choosing carpet color wisely
The color of your carpet sets the stage for the aesthetics of your home. It’s not something you should select in a day.
Instead, consider your options wisely. Look at design websites. Pay attention to trends. Consider your own lifestyle. And after careful consideration, choose the one that suits you best.
You’ll love your carpet for years to come.
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