Buying carpet--any recommendations?

[jadamom]

We are going to need to change the carpeting in a few of our bedrooms soon. I've never had to do this before, and I'm wondering what I need to know. I guess there are a ton of different choices in carpeting in terms of color and texture, as well as in installation and padding. We've got 2 kids (ages 2 and 5) and no pets. I'm thinking we'll go with a medium beige color in nylon plush or textured plush. What do you think? Too safe? Would you do all the bedrooms in the same color? Too boring? Any advice is much appreciated. Thanks!

[megs4413]

do you anticipate selling your house in the next say 5 years? if so, then i'd go neutral and do everything the same color.

we just got a freize put in...it's pretty good, but if we'd had the money for it and planned to stay in this house, we would have put down hardwood.

[kcimato]

Go with the neutral color. You can always put down an area or accent color to spruce it up. We put a different color in 2 of the 4 bedrooms when we built the house and 5 years later I hated it. Also when we finished the basement I had a color put in and now I don;t like it. The color will become dated. When we recarpeted I did all neutral. The basement is still the same since it is still in top condition.

I also reccomend that you get a good pad. Get one that is dense. Like 12 pound density.

[jadamom]

Thanks for your suggestions. I think I like a neutral color in all of the rooms. Much easier to change the look later if we decide to.

[KBecks]

We did neutral in the bedrooms and hallway and are happy with it. I have color elsewhere, walls, curtains, bedding, etc.

Also, try to get a nice dense carpet, if that makes sense, and look for stain protection / resistance / warranties -- very important!

[masha12]

Carpeting is expensive, so I would definitely go neutral. You can always paint or do something else if you want to redecorate.

I'd also recommend a thick water-proof pad with kids.

I have two pieces of advice regarding installation: (1) make sure that someone there will be fluent in English; and (2) make sure that they brought the right carpet to install before you let them rip out the old stuff.

I didn't see the carpet until after they had ripped out the old carpet. It was the wrong color. It was difficult to communicate the problem to the crew because none spoke English (and they really didn't seem to understand why I didn't want the carpet I hadn't ordered), I had to go a week with tack boards exposed on the stairs, hallways and both of the kids' bedroom. It was a royal pain.

I did get a small refund from the manufacturer, but it in no way made up for the incovenience.

[Lilysmom06]

We had carpeting installed a few months ago, and used Empire. I would *definitely* not use them again, and hope that you don't either. The installers damaged the walls along our stairs, so after weeks of hassle, someone from Empire came to fix the wall. In doing so, he damaged the carpet, and had the nerve to argue with me about it, claiming he didn't do it! Argh. So the installers came back to replace that section, and...yup, damaged the wall again. We still have a hole in the wall. I don't want them back here at all.

So stay away from Empire carpet!!

Kathy

[jenjenfirenjen]

Wow, good to know.

To the OP, my mom had frieze installed a year or so ago. It's really nice. It's kind of a multi-colored neutral. I'm thinking of having the same thing installed when I we do L's new room since I think it would hide dirt/stains pretty well.

[dawell0]

Just built a house and had California berber put in--it is nice because it is more plush than regular berber but not like the regular plush carpet. You don't see the vacuum marks. We have a beige with other colors in a pattern (still very neutral) put in and it hides the dirt very well. You can't see the stain from the cat getting sick on the carpet one week after we move in, and that was a bright brown. I agree with PP about the thicker pad. We put that in our first floor but had regular cheap carpet in our upstairs.