Flooring Options: Carpet or Hardwood?

Published by: Elizabeth Gormley
Published on: 2010-01-10 15:26:13

The question has flummoxed many a homeowner, what to do with those floors. Of course, the proper way to go about it is measuring taste and style with practicality, but the answer is often far from simple. The good news is, the choices for both have expanded, so many long-held flooring tenets have fallen by the wayside. That could be bad news too, if you tend to get paralyzed in the face of interior design decision-making. The important thing is to have fun choosing your floors. It’s decorating, after all. And simply narrowing it down to carpet or hardwood will take a load off.
    Are there pets or children in your home? Carpet softens a room, both literally and figuratively. Carpet has a warming effect on surrounding decor and it creates coziness. It’s easy on the little ones’ knees and softens a tumble. Advancements in carpet fiber technology have given us the most stain-resistant fabrics ever. Carpets are remaining like new longer than ever before. A spilled cup of grape juice or pet accident is never fun, but these days it’s a lot less likely to stain. With children in the house, it’s wise to pick a patterned, multi-looped berber carpet. The three-dimensional appearance and coloring will mask an exceptionally stubborn spill, and the fabric tends to hold up in high-traffic areas. Carpet also absorbs noise very well.
    Even in a household with no youngsters, carpet can be the right way to go. Think of a living room with a plush, solid white carpet on which to contrast your furniture and trinkets.   Solid carpet can have a regal effect; a patterned carpet can have an exotic or contemporary one. Really, the choices are endless, which should be empowering when redoing the floors in carpet. Your floor is your palette. Showcase your taste with confidence.
    Hardwood floors have an exceptionally warming effect on all that sits on top of it. Handsome and charming, it’s astounding how many colors, woods, and panel widths are now available. The North American hardwoods, like oak, maple, ash, and hickory, are most common, with international varieties seen on the market more than ever. Hardwood floors have deep tradition in the American home. They’ve been around for centuries and will never go out of style. Large area rugs make it possible to have the best of both worlds, wood with an expressive fabric rolled out, all one decorating statement on your floor.
    It’s not to say hardwood has no place in a home with children. Manufacturers of pre-finished wood floors have created an improved finish, durability, and ease of maintenance. Many people believe nicks on hardwood add to its charm. Hardwood floors add to the monetary value of your home. Because there are so many different types of wood, natural and engineered, it’s imperative to do your homework in order to decide what is most suitable for each room in your house.
    Do not be floored by all the choices. Ask opinions of friends and family, and don’t forget that many stores have employed decorating sages who will happily assist you in your quest for the answer—carpet or hardwood?


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