Could next year’s carpet colours be influenced by virtual reality?

According to the Global Colour Trend Forecast, trending colours for 2019 will be inspired by video games and virtual reality, with palettes dominated by blues and greens.

The Global Color Trend Forecast is compiled in partnership with Anne Marie Commandeur from Stijlinstituut, an Amsterdam based materials and textile agency. She is exploring the way colour stimulates the senses, and says that the key trends for colour in 2019 will be what she calls the ‘Reflect’ palettes, the main themes of which are play, primal and grow.

Commandeur said:

“Reflect stresses the importance of light. It explores how the innovative lighting systems being designed and developed interact with the spaces they inhabit, including the floor. Textiles are ultimately versatile: they can reflect as well as absorb. She says that, like a video game or virtual reality world, a carpet creates an interactive and sensory immersive environment.”

She adds that carpets are about texture and how they reflect light, but they also have an aural effect in the way that they absorb sound.

The Global Colour Trend Forecast is an important influence for carpet manufacturers to come up with new products that feature colours from the palettes covered. Those choosing new carpets in North Wales’ desirable homes could find their choice of colour and textures influenced by video games and virtual reality, even though they may not be aware of this. Homeowners, nonetheless, are advised to simply choose a colour because it appeals to them rather than being part of a trend.

Delhi airport to replace carpeted terminal with solid flooring

Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi, India has over 170,000 square metres of carpet at its T3 terminal, but has confirmed that it will be replacing this with hard flooring.

Most world airports have hard flooring designed to withstand the many thousands of passengers and trolleys that travel over them each day. For the Delhi airport’s T3 opening in 2010, 320 workers spent four months laying 2,000 rolls of brown and beige carpet manufactured by UK company Brintons Carpets at its India factory. The carpeted area received mixed reactions, with some passengers complaining that the carpet made it more difficult to wheel luggage trolleys, while others appreciated the way in which it dampened noise and made for a more relaxed atmosphere.

The carpets require continuous deep cleaning with special shampoos. Regular carpet cleaning operations were performed 24 hours a day to make sure that every section received regular cleaning and was free of unpleasant odours.

It is not unheard of for high footfall areas to be carpeted. Las Vegas casinos are carpeted, as are sections of some other airports, but Delhi is unusual in having such a large carpet area.

Though there is a trend for more hard flooring in workplaces and homes, many people prefer carpets in their Chester rooms. A good quality carpet will last longer than the eight years the Delhi carpets lasted, provided that thousands of people do not walk on it each day. Regular vacuuming and the occasional deep cleaning are all that is needed to keep a carpet attractive and hygienic.

Home Carpet Fitting Checklist

Fitting a new carpet is undoubtedly a pleasure but it can be painful too if you lack the skills to fit it properly. So, if you want your carpet to last its full lifetime or you are unsure about the steps you need to take read on through the following checklist…

What to do with your old carpet

When you decide to get rid of your old carpet you may be surprised by the amount of waste it produces. It might take more than one trip to the local skip to dispose of all of it and then there is the environment to consider. Old carpet is often destined to find itself in a landfill site somewhere and this isn’t good for the environment. There are in fact all sorts of uses for old carpet you may not have thought of and there are plenty of ways to recycle. Old carpet can be used for anything from flooring in animal shelters to stopping weeds growing on allotments.  

How to install carpet

Unless you have experience fitting carpet, it is always wiser to get someone to professionally fit it for you. Proper fitting will have your carpet looking its best and ensure it will have a long life. Look for fitting guarantees to give you peace of mind that your carpet fitter knows what they are doing and has the right level of experience. Carpet can be a substantial investment, so it is worth spending the money to get the job done right.

Buy what you need to take care of your new carpet

Today’s carpets are incredibly durable and many offer resistance to stains but it is still important to clean them regularly and invest in a proper vacuum cleaner. Not all vacuum cleaners are created equal and some are better than others when it comes to cleaning carpet in particular.

Be sure to provide adequate ventilation

New carpet has its own particular smell and it can take a while for the odour to disperse when the carpet is newly fitted. Allow up to 72 hours for this to happen.    

3 Reasons To Choose Carpet For Your Home

People either love carpet or they hate it but there is no doubting the fact that the huge choice of styles, textures and colours available make it the ultimate choice for anyone wanting to add their own personal touch and personality to the home. Besides this, there are also many other benefits to fitting carpet you may not be aware of…

It makes a room cosier

The main reason people opt for carpet in their homes is to make a room feel more warm and comfortable. This is not surprising when you consider carpet offers thermal resistance, keeping warmth in a room for longer. It also provides a softer place for children to play where toddlers especially are prone to falls and tumbles while they are playing.

It can actually improve indoor air quality

The main thing that puts people off carpet is the idea that it increases the potential for allergies and harbours dust and dirt. Yet there are studies that have shown people with asthma and other allergy problems have actually seen their symptoms reduced in rooms fitted with carpet. This is because carpet traps a lot of dust and pollen in its fibres rather than allowing these troublesome microscopic particles to circulate. As long as a carpet is kept clean, it should help improve rather than impact on indoor air quality.

Carpet helps to reduce noise

The same properties that help retain heat in the home are also useful for absorbing sound. Carpet is great for sound insulation and will certainly reduce noise from footsteps on stairs and in bedrooms. Carpet is one of the most effective sound barriers you can install.

The Ins And Outs Of Buying Carpet

Carpets come in many in all sorts of materials textures and colours so it’s important to consider what is right for your house before making an investment in what should be enhancing the floors of your home for years to come!

Here is some advice on the most common choices you will encounter when choosing a carpet.

The first thing to consider when choosing your carpet is the type of household. Is your house full of small children or do you have pets for example? If the answer is yes to either of these, then you will need a hard wearing carpet downstairs.

It will also need to be made from a material that is easy to clean, particularly in living rooms, hallways and the stairs. So if you’re considering velvet carpet for these areas you might want to think again. Loop pile carpets on the other hand can be hard wearing and easy to clean but not very good if you have pets that might get their claws stuck. For busier homes twist carpet is an ideal choice.

Once you have decided on the type of carpet, you might also need to choose from various fibres. Here the most common materials are wool, nylon, polyester and polypropylene. Synthetic fibres, with the exception, of polyester tend to be durable but you will notice the difference in quality with cheaper materials. Again, what you choose will depend on the room and how much traffic that carpet will be exposed to.

Finally, we come to colour. Many people opt for lighter carpets only to regret the decision when they end up having to clean them on a regular basis. Think carefully before buying light carpets in areas where people will be walking in from outside. Carpets can soon suffer from staining due to grease being brought in from outside.