The living room carpet is back where it should be, at the heart of the home. Its charms are more than simply good looks, as it ticks the boxes for seductive softness, and in these days of high fuel bills, has welcome insulating qualities.
The main advantage of living room carpet is the incredible range of decorating possibilities that it offers, thanks to the wide variety of colors and textures, as well as the feeling of warmth underfoot.
The different types of carpet pile available mean you can create a dramatically different look and feel, from the smoothness of velvet pile, to the sumptuous luxury of Saxony. We explore the best options for your living room flooring ideas below.
Although the vast majority of us are still opting for neutral carpet, subtle changes are seeping in. The traditional gold and beige tones are being replaced by greys, taupes and stone shades, while strong color is being used now in the same way as wallpaper, to create an accent.
Texture in interior design is fundamental, and no more so than on a living room carpet. At the top end of the market textured carpets are clean and crisp, without heavy patterns.
Deep, long pile gives flooring the feel-good factor, while a mix of high and low pile heights can be very luxurious.
Natural floorings made from plant fibre are a versatile option, having moved on from merely rustic designs to encompass smart city looks, too. It can be fitted in the same way as carpet, used as a room square or as a rug or runner with a bound or decorative fabric or leather edge.
Plant-fibre flooring doesn’t cope well with water and high humidity so isn’t the right choice for a kitchen or bathroom. Ask for flooring to be pre-treated with a stain inhibitor. Natural flooring is not as dimensionally stable as carpet (sisal may shrink, while coir can swell and shrink), so it should be stuck down.
If you’re looking for more unusual effects and finishes, consider some of the more unexpected fibres. ‘There’s a growing trend of using a percentage of silk or artificial silk, which gives the look of silk at a moderate price,’ says Martin Long of The Carpet Library.
Wool is the preferred option for a living room rug or carpet, not only because it’s a natural fibre but also for its hardwearing qualities and natural springiness, which make it resistant to being compressed by furniture and footsteps. It’s also warm and soft with a luxurious, unmatched feel.
If quality is your watchword, consider woven carpet, made in the traditional method way by weaving the pile into the backing.
Bespoke living room carpet can bring an individual look to a room whether used on a sweeping scale for a large drawing room, or for a much smaller project.
The surface pile texture can make a huge difference to the look and wear of the carpet.
– Twist pile carpets have tightly twisted yarns to give a hardwearing carpet with a crisp feel; these are less likely to show footprints and wear and tear.
– Velvet carpets have a dense low-cut pile, where individual tufts are hardly visible. The density gives a rich, smooth effect though it tends to show footprints.
– Loop piles are also popular and many are woven to look like natural floorings such as sisal. A mixture of high and low loops or cut and loop pile tufts within the same carpet are sometimes used to create pattern. A good choice for a light-toned carpet, they won’t show indentations from footprints. Most loop piles suit heavy domestic use.
– Flatweave carpets are similar to loop piles, but have a flatter, smoother surface. These work well for runners and stair carpets.
Wool is often considered the best choice for a living room carpet. Its hardwearing qualities – and softness underfoot – make it resistant to being compressed by furniture and footsteps.
If you are after extra durability, then look no further than a blend of 80% wool with 20% nylon or other fibres such as polypropylene. Alternatively, polyamide (nylon) is extremely strong – and has high abrasion resistance. It’s often blended with wool, though it can be used on its own to produce low-cost living room carpet.
Beijing Home Interiors Co., Ltd.
