Style vs. Comfort – benefits of carpet for the 21st century family

Carpet has been a popular flooring choice for centuries yet has found itself going in and out of style as fashions have changed. Where once upon a time families prioritised comfort and safety above all else, style is becoming increasingly influential in decision making as show homes grow in popularity and interior design publications and sites like Pinterest dominate the magazine racks.

The quality of carpets available today range from the affordable and practical to the downright luxurious, but what exactly are the benefits of a carpet for a modern-day family?

Let's start with its durability. Carpet is one of those things you don't think about replacing until you decide it really needs it, and how often does that happen? With the occasional deep clean and regular hoovering, your carpet is designed for heavy use and high footfall and will continue to look great for years to come.

Comfort is one of those words that can mean different things to everyone, but I think we can all agree that warm is a word that falls under the “comfortable” umbrella. By opting for a carpet flooring, not only will the room look cosier and more inviting, but it also physically retains more heat; resulting in a warmer space. For the environmentally conscious among us, this is not only a pleasant side effect of carpet, but a genuine energy conservation trick.

Another side to comfort is how it makes us feel. Not only is a carpeted room warm and inviting, but it makes us feel relaxed – and it makes our feet feel great too!

On to style now, and the first thing to note with carpet is the sheer amount of options available. From plain and simple neutrals right through to bold patterns and colours, carpet is an easy way to liven up or tone down any room and is often used as a focal decorative point in an otherwise rather plain room. It's important to note that while neutral pale colours provide an ideal base to build upon with decorative accessories, pale carpet is much more susceptible to marks and stains and so is not always the easiest option with pets and small children – unless you have a high-end carpet cleaning device and enjoy using it regularly! Alternatively, you could have you carpet treated with Stainguard which helps resist the absorption of stains and dirt to help to keep you floor looking good for longer.

Earlier on we talked about how families have always prioritised safety as well as comfort and style in the home – and their flooring choice is no exception. While hardwood and tiled floors can easily result in accidents, carpet is far less likely to induce slips or trips, and even if an individual does fall over, the carpet somewhat softens the blow. Minimising injuries is one of the top benefits of any home accessory or design and cannot be understated particularly around young children and older people.

NB: Beware smaller rugs as, while the carpeted material can indeed soften blows and falls, it can be very easy for people to step onto the rug only to have it slip away under their feet – in these cases, invest in a rubber rug stabiliser to sit underneath the rug and hold it in place. When designing your own bespoke designer rug with the Designer Carpet Rug Builder, you can add anti slip matting which is actually attached to the back of the rug to prevent it from moving on hard floor surfaces.

Noise can be a real problem for many families, but the beauty of carpet is that it not only retains heat, but also acts as a sound absorber to mute some degree of noise. Imagine the last time you were in a hardwood room – it is likely you will have experienced somewhat of an echo. Carpet absorbs the excess sound to stop it echoing, creating a more relaxing vibe and pleasant acoustic.

The benefits of carpet can be huge if you choose the right option for your home and your family. When styled correctly, carpet can prove a classy addition to your home; easy to clean and relatively cheap to maintain – especially when compared with hardwood floor which, while arguably can look fashionable, can become hugely costly when you factor in conditioning and regular wood treatments.

And if you're ever in doubt about the stylish nature of carpet, remember that Hollywood still use the iconic red carpet as their focal point for the world's biggest celebrities – if it's good enough for them, it's good enough for you!