Choosing Carpet or Rug

You might be contemplating getting carpet fitted in your home or opting for a large rug instead. It comes down to personal preference – maybe you want the warmth of your whole home being covered by carpet or the ease to move a rug around from room to room when switching a space up. Before you make the decision, take a look at these aspects of carpets and rugs you may have overlooked.

Carpets:

Carpet refers to wall-to-wall covering made from thick fabric that is fitted with glue or tacking strips and covers the whole floor. Carpet has become less prevalent in recent years as wood flooring and tiling have become more popular. However, it is still a common choice for homeowners.

Carpet is an important insulator in the home and is a tactical way of keeping your home warm, rather than letting heat out through cold flooring. It covers the entire floor in warm fabric, meaning you don’t have to set foot on any cold, hard floors and is underlaid with padding which increases softness. Carpet is secured to the floor, making it a safer choice as it is slip and trip resistant. The colours available are often quite neutral which allows for creativity to flow throughout the rest of the room, and you will not have to replace it if you decide to redecorate. The same carpet can be brought into several rooms, creating unity in your home. This is useful if you have several smaller rooms. Carpet can work well in bedrooms, hallways and living rooms, for example. 

On the other hand, carpet may not always be the right choice for your home. Carpets sometimes release chemical by-products into the air after installation. It can take several months to get rid of this gas. Carpets are also difficult to clean and can be expensive if you get it professionally done. Ff someone in your family has allergies, you will have to clean your carpet often as dust mites can accumulate in the fibres. Moisture also gets trapped in these fibres, creating mould. This is avoidable by keeping carpet out of high humidity areas. Laying down carpet could potentially damage the floor underneath when securing it and it wears in the parts that are used more. When carpet is worn down, you will either have to install a new section of carpet in the affected area or replace all the carpeting on that floor level. You run the risk of your floor looking patchy and undone. 

Remember, carpeting is an investment – one that you will not be able to take it with you if you and your family decide to move home.

Rugs:

Rugs can double as a piece of art and a cosy floor cover. They can be introduced to any room in the home, making them a popular choice for a long time.

A rug will help you to define a space. It can provide structure to an open floor plan and link the furniture in a room. Rugs allow air flow underneath fibred, which means they deter mould, and they are also a better choice for families with dust allergies as they can be washed and dried easily. An area rug can be the centrepiece of the room and you can swap out your rug for a new one any time you want to switch up your style. Rugs are warm and comfortable like carpets without the responsibility and investment. If you still want tile or wood flooring, without a completely cold floor, a rug is the way to go.

However, rugs can have their disadvantages too. They are not as safe as carpets as people are more likely to slip or trip over a rug, resulting in injury, even if they are slip resistant. Rugs cannot create the same unified look as carpets do, and it can be hard and expensive to find the perfect sized rug for your floor. Bright, patterned colours work better for rugs than neutral ones, which may not always be your style, or it may even clash with other parts of your home. You must have a good interior eye when styling rugs in your home. Since rugs do not cover your whole floor, the flooring may still be hard and cold. This could defeat the purpose of a warm floor cover in some peoples’ eyes.

A rug can work well in your home if you embrace change and want the option of redesigning your home often. It can be more appealing to many people but could be less practical for others.

At the end of the day, the choice is yours to make. We hope that we have helped inform you on the pros and cons of both carpets and rugs and that any future decisions will be made easier.