Versatility of striped carpets explained

According to House Beautiful Content Editor Rachel Edwards, striped carpets are very versatile.

Edwards said that the key to using striped carpets is to use ones with hues that fit with the room decor, complementing the colours of the wallpaper, paint and furniture. She said that striped carpets provide:

“Some clever visual effects to widen or elongate a room, and adding a touch of visual interest to a space. And whilst they require a bit more consideration than a plain carpet, they can make a bigger design statement.”

Stripes can be bold and eye-catching, or more subtle and lighter. Gentle, neutral colours are best for relaxed restful spaces, and bold rainbow stripes are good for areas where busy activities take place. Stripes can be narrow or wide, or they can vary in width. In small rooms, a simple striped carpet in three or fewer colours can change the perspective of a room, creating the illusion of extra space.

Striped carpets can be combined with geometric shapes or other patterns. Instinctively, many people think that mixing stripes with patterns does not work, but many carpet designs disprove this view.

Vertical stripes direct the eye to interesting room areas. For instance, they can highlight windows with outside garden views, or focus attention on an original fireplace.

Carpets in North Wales and Chester make homes feel warm and cosy. Many people prefer plain carpets as they are uncertain about striped designs, but as Edwards has argued, striped carpets can enhance the look of any room.

Perfect picks for playroom flooring

Playrooms at home provide little ones with their own area to use their imagination and play with toys and games in comfort. However, just like all built-for-purpose rooms, they have specific requirements to meet. In terms of flooring, the solution found must offer safety, while being durable, comfortable and simple to maintain when play time involves making a mess. Read on for some flooring options that are ideal for a kid’s playroom in your home.

Carpeting

Warm and soft to sit on, many playrooms use carpet. While tricky to clean and care for, a carpeted playroom ramps comfort levels for children. Little ones often kneel or sit on floors to play, and a carpet with thick, soft pile can have a cushioning effect. This can also be useful if they take a tumble during games, offering a softer landing than other floor choices.

As mentioned, carpet is not easy to maintain when it’s in constant use. Spilled drinks, paint spatters and other mess can take its toll. However, there are some solutions. You can buy a cheaper carpet, so it won’t be so pricey to replace when it gets too worn, but there is another option worth considering.

Carpet tiles offer a soft play area for kids, but are more affordable than wall-to-wall carpeting. They are also easy to care for, with simple vacuuming keeping them in good shape. If stains or spills happen, tiles can be swapped out for other in a less conspicuous spot or replaced entirely with a fresh one.

Vinyl floors

Vinyl flooring can be found in a wide range of colours and patterns. This can be perfect when you want it to match with your existing décor. However, with such bright colours available, why not choose a bright red, blue or yellow to really make it pop? If you’re looking to create a fun environment for playtime, vinyl can be an excellent option.

Vinyl is also one of the most affordable flooring options. In a room that is going to see a lot of use and may need replacing, this can make it a product worth considering. Vinyl is also incredibly hardwearing, which means you’ll see an excellent return on your investment. It also means that the floor you’ve chosen will be able to handle significant traffic and use when your kids have their friends over.

It’s exceptionally simple to clean too, with any mess easily washed away using water-based cleaning methods and non-specialist products.

Laminate floors

Finally, among the best suited floor options for playrooms is laminate. This kind of flooring is exceedingly durable, able to withstand plenty of everyday wear and tear. This means it can cope with scuffs and scratches, along with stains and spills. With a smooth finish, laminate provides a safe surface for kids to play on, and extra rugs or beanbags can add a little more comfort.

Easy to clean, laminate can be simply wiped down when accidents occur. It’s also incredibly versatile and can mimic real wood or natural stone, giving playrooms a stylish appearance.

With plenty of perfect flooring choices available, creating a comfortable and secure play area in your house is never a problem.

Which carpets are the best for cats?

While house cats love curling up on a warm carpet, the two are not always an ideal match. Among the most common problems are carpet pulls, which are caused by cats catching thread loops with their claws. Other problems our feline friends can cause are much more difficult to deal with, like hairballs and territorial and accidental spraying.

Cats also bring dirt in from outdoors and moult, leaving loose hair that can quickly clog up carpet fibres, making floor coverings seem dull or patchy. However, if you have cats, it doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a carpeted home. In the following sections, we’ll explore some of the options available to solve these problems.

Select cut carpets over looped carpets

Sometimes by accident but often on purpose, cats like to get their paws into everything. Unfortunately for carpets, these paws have claws attached. When cats scratch, stretch or play, their claws can extend and get caught in carpet loops, unravelling the fabric. Once a thread is loose, it becomes a game for cats, making the situation worse. While looped wool carpets are luxurious, a cut pile carpet will be much more suitable for homes with cats.

Choose a neutral-toned carpet

Outdoor cats may bring muddy paws indoors, leaving prints on your floor, and all cats will moult, dropping hair on carpeting. While cats are always dropping loose fur, they also moult heavily twice a year. In summer, they shed their thick winter coat for a lighter summer one, and vice versa when the seasons change again.

While regular vacuuming is a must when you own a cat, dirt, debris and hair can take its toll on carpets, making them lose their appearance. You can combat this by selecting a neutral-toned carpet that doesn’t show up the hair the way a very dark or light product will. Some cat owners even pick carpets the colour of their cats to mask the presence of loose fur.

Carpet cleaning

As mentioned, daily vacuuming will keep on top of cat hair issues, but other messes can be trickier to deal with. Always deal with accidents as quickly as possible – the longer that hairballs, vomit or urine are left to soak in, the harder it will be to remove stains and smells. A natural remedy that is exceptionally effective is sprinkling impacted areas with baking soda. Its absorbent quality can trap excess fluid and unwanted odours, and the soda can then be easily vacuumed up.

Go tiled

Finally, to solve all the issues of cats and carpets with a simple stroke, consider buying carpet tiles. These modular options are ideal for homes with cats, as if an accident occurs, they can quickly be swapped out for a fresh new carpet tile if you buy some extras.

Carpet tiles don’t feature looped fibres either, making them difficult for cats to damage with their claws. They’re also very easy to remove and clean under the tap when you need to resolve a hairball issue.

Ultimately, choosing a cat-friendly carpet for your home will boil down to personal choice, but the above points should assist you in making a decision.

Expert says clean carpets last twice as long

According to a carpet cleaning expert, a properly cleaned carpet should last twice as long as a dirty one.

This claim was made by the Kärcher cleaning machine Product Manager, Katrin Nock. Speaking to the European Cleaning Journal, she said a quality carpet will last a long time, but if it’s left uncleaned, soil particles will cause fibre distortion, which can make the carpet wear out quicker.

Dirty carpets are a risk for allergy sufferers. Microorganisms in dust rise in the air when the carpet is walked on, and this can affect allergy sufferers. Though bacteria and viruses can be trapped in carpets, the danger to health from them is low.

Nock said that well-maintained carpets create a good impression for visitors to commercial buildings. A clean deep-pile carpet absorbs sound and creates an atmosphere of comfort and luxury. She added:

“This is why carpets are generally found in VIP areas and in the management departments of high-end banks and specialist shops.”

In restaurants and cafes in particular, a clean carpet indicates that the business has a high standard of hygiene.

During the virus lockdown, many offices were empty. This did not mean that carpets in Chester, Wrexham and North Wales commercial buildings were kept clean. The air in unoccupied buildings tends to become stale, musty and damp, making carpets dirty and become infected with mildew and mould, which are health risks. Fortunately, carpets can be restored by a professional carpet cleaner, and this also makes a carpet last longer.

Carpets to make comeback

Many households are turning away from minimalist design trends and opting for a cosier, more lived-in feel that includes wall-to-wall carpets.

Abigail Ahern, an interior designer, says that carpets are making a comeback. Speaking to Livingetc, she said:

“We are looking at ways to bring comfort into our homes and there's nothing like carpet to make rooms feel cosier and more sumptuous than ever.”

There are several carpet trends that are expected to be popular in 2022. One key trend is carpets made from natural fibres, including jute, seagrass and wool. A natural fibre carpet in neutral colours has simplicity and underfoot softness. A deep-pile wool carpet looks attractive and makes a space feel luxurious, warm and comforting. To add vibrance to a room that has a plain-coloured, natural fibre carpet, lay brightly coloured rugs on top of it.

Another trend predicted to be big in 2022 is carpets with bold colours and prints. Some homes are opting for bold carpet patterns with three or four colours. The furniture and the rest of the room decor is matched to the shades featured in the carpet.

Tartan carpets are another trend expected to feature in 2022. A simple tartan pattern in traditional greens and browns can make a room feel fresh and contemporary.

People spent more time at home during lockdown and looked for ways to improve their homes. Carpets in North Wales and Chester homes are a simple way to elevate a room and make it feel more cosy and warm.