The living room is often the hub of family life, where everyone can gather to chat, play or relax. The flooring selection is more important in the living room than it is in the kitchen. After all, children are not likely to slip and fall on the kitchen floor as they learn to walk. Teens are not likely to be sprawled across the dining area floor while they watch a movie.
It is important to have a living room that feels soft, cozy, and comfortable. The best carpeting for your living room can be chosen based on durability, ease-of-cleaning, construction, and even color.
These are six things to think about when selecting a carpet for your living area.
Durability
Carpet should be durable due to the high traffic of the family area. The family room floor is the most used in the house, with the exception of hallways and stairs. Look for high-quality carpet with a good warranty to ensure your carpet is durable enough to withstand everyday life.
Quickly test the quality of the carpet by bending the sample backwards when shopping for the right carpet for your living room. Low-density carpet will break faster if the backing is visible.
The carpet’s durability can be measured in tuft twist, face weight, and density rating. A carpet’s durability is measured in its face weight (34-to-40 ounces), tuft twist (more than 5), and density rating (more than 2,000). Also, be aware of the differences between Bulked Continuous Fiber (BCF), and staple fibers. The latter tends to shed more easily and requires more vacuuming.
Fiber options
You can choose the carpet fiber for your living room floor to affect its look and durability. There are many options:
- Nylon This is the most durable carpet fiber. However, it should be treated with a stain protector occasionally. 6.6 nylon is the strongest and softest type.
- Triextra This fiber is a relatively new type that is partially derived from corn sugar. It is resilient and has superior anti-staining properties. It isn’t as well-known as nylon and hasn’t existed for as long so there’s no way to compare.
- Polyester: Also called PET, this fiber is stain resistant and soft under the feet. It’s not as easy to clean and sheds easily, so it doesn’t last as well as other options. Although it will feel great on your feet, it is not recommended for areas with high traffic.
- Olefin is a cheap carpet and resistant to fading, staining and mildew. Although it isn’t as durable and long-lasting as nylon, it’s an excellent option for high-traffic areas.
- It’s easy to clean
Spills are more common in the family room than in other rooms, except for the kitchen. Easy-to-clean flooring will make your family room feel more comfortable.
A lifetime stain warranty is a good option for living room carpets. A carpet with a “no exclusions” policy will give you the best protection. This means that any substances that are not covered by most stain warranties, such as bleach or pet accidents, will be fully covered.
Carpet Construction
Carpet can have a significant impact on the appearance of your living room. Pile and style are two important factors in carpet construction.
- Pile – Plush piles can also be called cut piles, while uncut piles can be looped. Another option is a patterned loop that has multiple loop heights and cut and loop which creates patterns.
- Style There are four types of the cut pile: smooth, texture (also called frieze), shag, and twist. While smooth style is the most formal, twist and shag look more casual. The loop pile styles include Berber level loop (also known as Berber), which is ideal for high traffic areas due to its density and patterned loop.
Fiber softness
The softness of your carpet is an important consideration if you and your family spend a lot of time on it, whether that’s for board games or sleepovers. Today, most carpet manufacturers offer a range of soft carpets that feature finer fibers than traditional carpets.
The carpet cushion can be placed underneath the carpet to create softness. A carpet cushion placed underneath the carpet is believed to make it more durable. It is possible to balance softness and durability. Modern memory foam carpet padding offers both durability and softness.
Choose from a variety of colors
It is subjective to choose a color. Your personal taste and decor style will play a role in choosing the carpet color. Considerations such as the intended use of your room, natural light exposure, and the color of your pets may also be important. A carpet that does not show pet hair could be a great advantage.
Bold colors can be exciting, but they often get out of style. Beige and gray are timeless neutrals. Warm colors such as red or beige create a warm ambience that hides stains.
