Carpet is a textile floor covering, designed to provide warmth, comfort, and softness underfoot. It can be made from different natural or synthetic materials selected for their unique properties, like stain-resistance or durability. There are various types of carpet, which all have a particular look and feel. There are so many styles and colours of carpet, it can feel hard to choose! A good quality carpet can last for years, and the trick is picking what type of carpet is best for your needs. Thanks to our many years of flooring expertise, we can help you decide if carpet is the right choice for you, and if so, which one is best for your home.
The main types of carpet are saxony, twist, woven, loop (also called Berber), and velvet. These fall into two categories: tufted and woven, which are so called because of how they are made.
Carpet is made from different types of yarn including wool, polypropylene, nylon, and a blend of different materials.
There are so many benefits to having carpet fitted in your home – there’s a good reason it’s been the top floor covering for many years!
The main difference between a carpet and a rug is that a carpet is fitted wall-to-wall, whereas a rug is smaller and can be moved about. (Although to make matters confusing, traditional handwoven rugs are sometimes called carpets!) There is also the option of a carpet runner, a combination of a rug and a carpet. Rugs and runners are a wonderful way of bringing colour and texture into a room or softening up solid wooden floors. Carpet runners for stairs and hallways keep the visual impact of wooden flooring with all the comfort of carpet. A stair runner is a strip of carpet fitted to the middle of your staircase, not as wide as your steps, leaving the wood of your stairs exposed. We offer a carpet whipping service at Tapi, where you can get any carpet from our collection turned into a made-to-measure rug or runner. This involves a process sometimes known as carpet edging, which involves overlocking the edge of the carpet with yarn for a highly professional finish all the way round your custom rug or runner. A rug is the perfect compromise if you’re not sure whether to go for carpet or smooth flooring – why not have both?
Because of its soft, bouncy texture, carpet is best for rooms where you like to kick your shoes off and go barefoot, such as the bedroom, the living room, or the stairs. Go for a super soft, deep saxony carpet in the bedroom if you’re feeling indulgent. A short pile twist carpet is good for the living room as it has that careful balance of comfort and durability. We love a hard wearing wool carpet on the stairs – it’s a classic look that will never date. Carpet is fabulous for a child’s bedroom, nursery, or a playroom – just make sure you choose a carpet made from a stain-resistant fibre like polypropylene, so you can clean off those sticky marks easily!
Published: 02-03-2022