Carpet Know-How
Your floor is often called "the fifth wall" of your home. Create an environment that makes you happy. It should be flexible, functional and fashionable for your lifestyle. Selecting carpeting is an important decision because it's an investment you'll live with for a long time. When purchasing, consider the following:
Color
Performs decorating magic. It can visually alter space, camouflage or highlight architectural details and create a special mood. Lots of color in your fabrics? A neutral carpet unifies all the elements in the room. Great architectural details? Choose carpet color to match molding trim.
To create a color scheme, borrow one of the colors from a favorite fabric or a painting. To make a large room cozy, choose a carpet in the warm red, orange, and yellow family. To expand a small room, choose a carpet that's light in tone. Colors such as cool green, blue and violet help cool sunny southern and western exposures.
Texture
A smooth, satiny, glossy surface will reflect light and make colors appear lighter, brighter and more intense. Uneven, nubby, matte surfaces absorb light and make color appear darker and more subdued. For a casual, country setting, a highly textured carpet is perfect. Carpet with a smooth, velvety texture is more luxurious and formal.
Defining Areas
Use broadloom area rugs. To expand space and define activity areas choose different textures of carpet in the same color.
Long Live Your Carpet
Top-quality padding extends the life of your carpet and adds to its luxurious feel. Good padding is about 3/8 inch thick. Don't skimp on this item, especially under top-quality carpet. It will look better for much longer.
Copyright Leslie Linsley, author
Reprinted with permission HouseNet, Inc.