Natural wood floor or carpet in bedrooms?

[cleo27]

We have found an older house we are buying and it has very high quality wood floors throughout the house, except for the kitchen. We are planning to have the wood floors refinished before moving in, but we cannot agree on what to do in the bedrooms.

I would appreciate any opinions on whether we should keep the bedrooms with wood floors or install a Berber type carpet in the bedrooms.

I feel like I would like to keep them wood (easier to clean, less dust and pet hair that gets trapped in carpet, like the look, last longer). DH likes the feel of carpet and feels like we will need to buy large, expensive area rugs for the bedrooms if we go that route. I don't think the area rugs are necessary - you can buy coaster-type thingies for the legs of the furniture to protect the floor.

Anyway, thanks for your help.

[pb&j]

I kick myself every day for putting carpet instead of hardwood in our bedroom. With kids and pets, the carpet that is only 2 yrs old is stained and looks awful; there's always pet hair lurking on it somewhere. Get some felt pads and a couple of little rugs for the bedside (just so your feet touch something warm first thing on a cold morning) and get hardwood.

If you do go the route of getting carpet, leave the wood floors intact, so that you have the option of ripping out the carpet later.


-Ry,
mom to Max, age 1.5
and my girl in heaven

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/37124.gif

[table4three]

Our previous house had hardwood floors in the bedrooms and I loved it. So much easier to keep clean and nice-looking. Also, DH and I have allergies/asthma, so it really was ideal to be able to keep the dust to a minimum. Our current home has carpet in the bedrooms and I dream of someday putting hardwood in them.

DS - 2
DD - coming this summer!

[sadie427]

Absolutely would keep the wood. The things for the legs of the furniture are fine, although I personally don't worry about it for heavy pieces that don't move around, like dressers. You can get a small rug for the side of the bed if you want to step on carpet when you get out of bed, but we don't have that in our bedroom.

[Momof3Labs]

Love, love, love the wood floors in our bedrooms. So easy to keep clean (pet hair, dust, everything) and I don't find them cold at all (despite living in the midwest). I won't have it any other way!

[Radosti]

When we built this house, that was the only fight DH and I had about it. I wanted wood floors throughout, he thought it was weird not to have carpet in the bedrooms. I stood my ground and won the fight. He's since told he I had made the right decision and the house looks and feels much better and healthier this way.

[kransden]

Go to Home Depot and get one of those inexpensive area rugs that are always on sale and use that. That way when he realizes you were right, you won't be out much money ;)

Karin and Katie 10/24/02

[brittone2]

Another vote for wood floors! We have carpet, but if we stay here and remodel when DH is done school, it is so. gone. We both despise carpet. With a dog, two cats, and two kids, I think wood is much cleaner and more attractive.

[Marisa6826]

We have hardwood throughout the entire house (save the bathrooms). Large area rugs in some areas, and runners in others. The only place we have permanent-type rugs is on the stairs.

It's a whole hell of a lot easier to send rugs out to be cleaned if something major happens to them (rather than simple spot cleaning). And it's also easier on those of us that have allergy/asthma issues.

I love the feel of carpet under my feet, but with three dogs, I don't miss the aggravation or mess. The hardwood is really quite easy to keep clean. Swiffers and a damp mop will be your friends. :)


-m

[cleo27]

I really appreciate your input - wow, I never thought there would be 100% agreement with me. It feels good to be "right", though I won't gloat to DH. :)

DH had agreed to let me make the final decision, but just wanted to get some others opinions. I do have some allergies and used to suffer from asthma in my teens - I am fortunate not to be suffering except for minor allergies these days, but it just seems so much cleaner. I hate thinking about what could be lurking in our carpets with having a dog and a cat, not to mention the reminder when I see what our Dyson picks up after just a few days!

I am so excited about the new house, but some of these issues are so tricky for DH and I to agree on. We are already planning to do a lot of remodeling that I feel is not a priority, but it makes DH happy. Oh well, all in the spirit of compromise, right? :)

thanks again!

[hillview]

We just redid all the bedrooms in hardwood -- pulled up the carpet -- new house (well new to us -- house built in 1893). LOVE hardwood!
/hillary

[hardysmom]

Another vote for wood.

All our floors are wood, excluding bathrooms. We have a couple of runners, but actually took up most of the area rugs. I like the cleaner look and feel.

After seeing how much little stuff comes up when I sweep, I'll never have carpet again. It freaks me out now.

You can always put a smaller rug by the bed if DH doesn't like cold wood in the morning...

Stephanie