TREAD GENTLY

WITH ITS MYRIAD HUES, PILES AND TEXTURES, CARPET IS AN APPEALING AND COST-EFFECTIVE OPTION – AND NOT JUST IN THE BEDROOM

- CHRIS PEARSON

SWATCH THIS SPACE

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Softly does it, where carpet is concerned. Despite the dominance of timber and laminate, “Carpet has a style all of its own,” declares Nicole Canty of Choices Flooring. “From luxurious and elegant to casual and comfy, it can give a space an entirely different feel just by changing the style, from stunning wool loops to luxuriously soft solution-dyed nylon.” Adds Brett Talbot of Carpet Court, “Although hard flooring works better in some spaces, lush and inviting carpet provides comfort and warmth.” Lauren Mahoney of Studio Trio pinpoints another, surprising, plus: “It is generally more cost-effective – carpet can substantially reduce renovation costs.”

PILES OF POSSIBILITIES

Carpet fronts up in bedrooms, media and rumpus rooms, and hallways. In your grandparents’ youth, it was standard in living rooms, too. “We haven’t had anyone ask for living-room carpet, but I am open to that,” says interior designer Anna-Carin McNamara. “It’s comfortable and, as long as it’s the right colour and quality, it will definitely work.” Bedrooms and carpets make a blissful marriage. “Low-traffic bedrooms give you licence to indulge in luxurious styles such as plush, velvety piles and oversized loops,” says Nicole. It also insulates against noise and cold. While pure wool is hard to beat, in high-traffic areas such as hallways, polypropylene carpet blends durability with stain resistance.