Shag, Berber & other Fashionable Footage

Wanted: avocado-green toy thief
Height: unknown
Age: ancient
Last seen: my grandmother's living room
Reward: $10-20 sq/ft.

What about flooring?

After seeing a few homes I have 5 "please don'ts" based on experience:

1. Please don't use use Astroturf or any other synthetic
form of grass on your floor. I find this most
often in senior living communities with sun rooms. I don't really see any need for it. Realistically, going outside to putt should not be too much of a chore.

As an alternative, there are a lot of industrial grade carpets that are easy to clean and highly resistent to dirt. These are perfect for families with teenagers who have a special room where all the kids tend to cluster, or for rooms with heavy traffic. These carpets are not always the most stylish...which is usually just fine considering that most people have the rest of their house carpeted or tiled with a neutral color.

On the other hand, it is possible to find more vintage styles if you look hard enough:












(Both of these carpets cost approx. $3 per square foot. If you have not seriously considered painting one of the walls in your house a primary color...at least once...then these carpets are likely to be a bit much for you. Perhaps something a little more subdued would be a better fit)


2. Please don't use plastic runners or rugs as a walkway through the house.

I was recently with a customer who was using plastic runners to protect her carpeting. The concept is smart, especially if you are planning on putting the house on the market, but it causes the living space to feel sterile. It was only after I had left the customer's house that I realized that I felt like I was in a museum. The runner beneath my feet made me feel apprehensive about stepping off of it and thus I felt somewhat like a tourist.












(Photos compliments of www.e-carpet.com)

This can also happen when using area rugs. I remember walking into a large living room once with 20-foot ceilings. The distinguising furnishings of the room were two huge area rugs completely covering the floor from wall to wall. I felt as though I was standing on one big bedspread...and I just wanted to jump around.

The customer decorated this way because he had kids that were messy. My response to this comes from the principle that it is better to train the children to use the restroom than it is to blanket the whole house with newspapers.
It works the same for cleanliness.

3. Please don't choose to install vinyl flooring.

Vinyl flooring is not comfortable beneath the feet, it becomes slippery when wet, it discolors, and it is no longer in style. If you are remodeling, the value of your home will increase if you choose to use carpeting, tile, wood, laminate flooring, or a concrete stain over the bare foundation.



Though these options can be expensive, there are ways to cut cost corners. We will be talk about contracting a project next week.

Until then, you can check out your options at a home improvement warehouse like the Home Depot. After a few questions you may find that you can do the project yourself. If not, you will perhaps gain a better understanding of what the construction process will be.

(Photo compliments of www.ifloor.com)

4. Please don't carpet kitchens, laundry rooms or bathrooms.

That's just gross.

Spoiled food crumbs smell, laundry rooms flood and kids don't have the best aim.


5. Don't forget the Shag

The entrepreneurial children of shag carpeting, shag rugs, have been quietly climbing their way to the top of the design industry. They are a great contrast when laid over hard floors and they can bring a lot of color to a room. What's even nicer is that they are a trap for dirt and dust. This allows you to spend less time cleaning. Just don't forget to take them outside once a month to empty them out.

(Photo compliments of http://www.rugsusa.com