4 Best Tips for Picking Carpet

Learn more about bedroom, living room, and high traffic carpet options.

It’s not easy to decide how to choose carpet for your space. The carpet you choose has to last a long time. This makes durability important, since people will walk on it every day—especially in high traffic areas. But you don’t want to let style slip, either. Trends may come and go, but you want your carpet to serve as a timeless foundation as the furniture on it shifts and changes with the times.

With all this in mind, and with all the carpet options out there, how will you know how to choose carpet for your next design project? Use these tips on the four main categories of carpet to help guide your decision. If you want face-to-face help from an interior design expert, stop in to National Design Mart. We’ll connect you with one of our in-house designers who will walk you through the entire process and help you choose carpet that will make your personal style shine.

Plush and Texture Carpet

Plush carpet and texture carpet are made up of fibers that create a soft, pleasant surface.

Plush carpet’s fibers are packed more closely together and single-colored, while texture carpet’s fibers tend to have a twisted construction made of two-toned yarn.

Function

Plush:

  • Extremely comfortable for walking
  • Dense weave makes plush carpet long-lasting
  • Can show seams and footprints, so may require frequent vacuuming

Texture:

  • Soil resistant thanks to its tightly twisted structure
  • Soft texture

Form

Plush:

  • Great carpet for formal rooms
  • Available in a wide array of colors

Texture

  • Best carpet for living rooms
  • More casual than plush carpet
  • Versatile color options with two-toned look

Berber Carpet

Berber carpet is one of the first types of carpet you’re likely to encounter on your search.

It is made of yarn fibers in alternating large and small uncut loops. Typical berber carpet colors are light with subtle flecks of color throughout. It can also be found in a wide range of solid colors.

Function

Berber carpet is dense and extremely stain resistant, making it the best carpet for high traffic areas. It’s a good idea to choose Berber carpet in rooms with stain potential, like family rooms, entryways, and hallways near the kitchen.
One instance where Berber’s durability fails is with pets. The loops in Berber carpet can easily get snagged on their nails, leaving your once-tidy carpet looking ragged. The best carpet for pets is a cut-loop carpet, like plush or frieze.
Another bonus of Berber carpet? Berber tends to be one of the least expensive carpets available.

Form

You’ll know Berber carpet by its subtle flecks of color throughout the main carpet color, which is typically something light and neutral. These flecks tend to make Berber a good carpet for casual rooms. If you want to use Berber in a more formal space, choose a solid colored Berber carpet.
Keep in mind, Berber does not tend to be incredibly soft. If you want the best carpet for the bedroom, or want to create a luxurious feeling in your space, Berber may feel too flat or hard. Exceptions to this tip do exist, though—Mohawk’s SmartStrand collection addresses Berber’s lack of softness while maintaining its durability.

Pattern Carpet

Pattern carpet features shapes, patterns, grids, and lines carved or painted into its surface. 

This type of carpet achieves this look using a combination of cut and loop piles. It can be one color throughout, but often features a handful of colors from the same family.

Function

Patterned carpet, especially when it features multiple colors, is exceptional for hiding stains that just won’t budge. Patterned carpet does, however, run the risk of fading in high traffic areas like hallways, entryways, or stairs.
Since patterned carpet is made of both looped and cut piles, it combines the advantages and disadvantages of the two types. This leaves it moderately durable and stain-proof. It’s worth noting, though, that a pattern will help hide stains if they do occur.

Form

Pattern carpet tends to look more formal and is a great carpet for dining rooms. Since formal areas are less likely to experience frequent use, the pattern will stay crisp for a long time, and the design will leave dinner guests in awe.
You’ll find plenty of patterns and color families to choose from, so patterned carpet can help you make a big design statement at home, whatever your existing design style.

Frieze Carpet

Frieze carpeting is made up of long fibers with a high, sometimes curly, twist.

Frieze is the modern version of a shag carpet, but without the bulk. It has cut fibers, like plush or textured carpet, but the fibers are wound together many more times.

Function

One of the biggest reasons people choose frieze carpet is its durability. Since its fibers are long enough to lay flat on their sides—unlike plush and texture, which tend to stand straight up—less damage occurs each someone steps on the carpet.
Frieze can be difficult to clean because of its long fibers. Stains and spills will penetrate the surface quickly without stain resistance technology, which, fortunately, is available for many frieze carpet selections.

Form

YFrieze hides seams well, which makes it the best carpet for stairs or other narrow spaces like hallways. It is a favorite carpet for busy homes because of its ability to hide footprints and dirt.
As a rule of thumb, choose a loosely woven frieze for casual spaces, and a tighter weave for more formal spaces. However, keep in mind that even the most formal-looking frieze will probably not look as formal as plush or some pattern carpets.
Frieze is a great carpet for lounging, laying, and playing—imagine it in a family room where you can spread out a board game with the kids, or in the bedroom, providing a cushy place for your feet first thing in the morning.

Choose the Best Carpet for Your Space

Plush Carpet and Texture Carpet

Plush and Texture

Plush and texture carpets fibers are shared evenly, providing a soft, luxurious surface. These dense styles create comfortable spaces. Plush and texture carpets complement everything from traditional to modern homes.

Berber Carpet

Berber

Berber carpet is made of fibers shaped into smaller and larger loops that feel comfortable, yet are durable enough for high traffic areas. It’s often subtly styled with speckles, but also available in solids. Berber creates a casual, comfortable look and feel.

Pattern Carpet and Loop Carpet

Pattern

Pattern (Loop) carpet features geometric shapes and abstract lines, to structured grids and lattices. These carpets can add style and dimension to any space.

Frieze Carpet and Twist Carpet

Frieze

Frieze (Twist) carpet is made by winding carpet fibers together several more times than would be done on a plush or textured carpet.

Be Inspired Blog

Creative ideas, trends and tips in flooring

Enjoy articles by National Design Mart’s in-store interior design consultants, who can help you turn your ideas into real home design accomplishments.

Be Inspired

2023 Carpet Trends

2023 Carpet Trends

Does the new year have you feeling inspired to be "out with the old and in with the new"? New carpet is a simple home update with a major impact – helping to breathe new life into your spaces! Explore the biggest carpet trends of 2023 to choose a stylish choice that...

read more

Other Carpet Products We Carry

Carpet Remnants

If you are looking for carpet remnants, look no further. We have over 500 remnants ranging from sizes 12×7 to 12×28 in many colors and textures. All of the in-stock carpet remnants are 50% off the suggested retail price.

Carpet Pad

The right carpet pad is as important as the carpet itself. We stock carpet pad for every need and price range. National Design Mart has many carpet pads from which to choose. The pads we stock are the 3/8 8lb, 3/8 5 lb, 3/8 4lb, 7/16 10lb, 7/16 6lb, ¼ 8lb. NDM uses the correct padding to meet all carpet manufactures standards.

“Green” carpet, stain resistant and more!

 

Next Step – Learn More and Feel the Carpet

Come see our many styles and textures of carpeting. Ask our experts any questions.

Visit us in store, contact us here or call 330-721-1914.

Carpet Brands You Trust

Pin It on Pinterest