An essential part of any home design project is choosing the right type of flooring. Whether you are planning on using the same flooring throughout the home or varying your choices in different rooms, the most common choice will often be between carpet and hardwood. Your choice will come down to the overall aesthetic you are trying to achieve, your budget, energy efficiency considerations, and, of course, personal preferences. While it is true that hardwood has a definite appeal and plenty of benefits, here are some reasons why you may want to choose carpet over hardwood in your home design project.
More comfortable underfoot
One of the main attractions of carpet is that it feels soft and warm to walk on. This can make a room feel much more comfortable and cosier which is particularly ideal for bedrooms, playrooms, and family rooms. Hardwood can feel cold and hard, especially in rooms you are using a lot.
A more extensive range of colour and design choices
While hardwood can be installed in a range of shades and types of wood, it cannot compare to the vast array of manufacturers, styles, and colours of carpet. Carpet is not as durable as hardwood, but that can be an advantage if you like to refresh your décor. Visit aflooringboutique.co.uk for an insight into the wide range of carpeting options on the market.
Often more affordable
Carpet is more affordable than hardwood, labour is less expensive, and installation is a lot quicker. Also, carpet is a great insulator in a home meaning it prevents heat from being lost through the floor in cold weather. Reduced heat loss will enable you to use your heating system less, which should lead to cheaper heating bills.
Can mean a quieter home
Walking on hardwood floors creates a lot of noise and echoes, particularly for people standing on a lower floor. A carpet will absorb a lot of noise making the home a lot more peaceful.
Less slippery
While it is possible to fall on any type of floor, it is much harder to slip on carpeted flooring. Also, if someone does fall on a carpet, injury is less likely than if they were to fall on a hard surface. This can make carpet a much better option for homes with children or elderly relatives.
Possible health benefits
There is a school of thought that hardwood floors are better for our health than carpets as they do not trap dirt, dust, and allergens. However, what this means is that these particles settle on the top of the floor, where they are continuously disturbed and redistributed into the air. A carpet, on the other hand, traps and immobilises the particles until they can be vacuumed, preventing them from being breathed in.
Easy to maintain
To maintain hardwood floors, you need to complete several stages, which can be time-consuming, but carpet simply needs to be vacuumed and then cleaned with a machine once a year to get rid of embedded dust and dirt.
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