A family room is pretty much like a kitchen in the sense that it’s an area of the house where everyone hangs out, whether it’s to watch TV, listen to some music, play a board game, or just relax. Because of the very nature of the room, a lot of time can be spent on the floor. Perhaps babies are learning to crawl, teens are laying on the floor to watch a movie, and the pet dog is laying down by the sofa.
Carpet feels warm and cosy which is why many people opt for carpet in a family room preferring it to the feel of a hard wooden floor. So with this in mind, what is the best type of carpet to choose. Here are a few tips we’ve put together:
Durability
It practically goes without saying that because of the volume of traffic using this room, the carpet needs to be durable. To make sure that it can stand up to family wear choose a high quality carpet with a texture retention warranty of at least ten years.
Carpet that’s easy to clean
Because the family room gets used a lot then it’s only to be expected that spills will occur at some point. Naturally you want a carpet that is easy to clean since you don’t want to be feeling anxious should a drink get accidentally spilled. Most carpets these days have a protective coating such as Scotchguard which repels stains and makes it easier for you to mop them up before they do any lasting damage.
Style
A family room typically has more of a casual feel to it than say a dining room or lounge and to achieve this ambience you should look for carpets with plenty of texture. We’d suggest a berber or frieze which not only have plenty of texture but also flecks of colour which help to disguise any spillages that may occur.
Colour
The colour of your carpet is very much a personal choice and depends to a great extent on your décor, how you intend to use the room, the amount of natural light that enters the room, even the colour of your pets so as not to show up too much pet hair.
Softness
If your family spends a lot of time on the floor either having sleep overs with friends or playing board games, you might feel that a soft carpet would be beneficial. Most manufacturers have a range of ‘soft’ carpets which are made with finer fibres than traditional carpets. You can also choose a carpet padding that is thick, yet squishy, to give a softer feel when you’re sitting or laying on it.
The last thing to bear in mind is that there are no rules to adhere to when choosing a carpet for your family room. The tips we’ve given are there to serve as a guideline to help you decide, but apart from that choose something which works for your family and that you love.
Having spent money on a lovely new carpet it makes sense to care for it, after all you don’t want to be replacing it in a couple of year’s time. We recommend a daily vacuum, if possible, but if not at least twice a week to remove any dust that accumulates and to prevent gritty particles from being trod down into the fibres of the carpet flattening them. We also suggest that you have your carpet professionally cleaned once a year, or twice if the room is heavily used, to keep your carpet looking good for longer.
We have over 30 years of experience in the carpet cleaning industry and know the best way to clean all types of carpets. When your carpet is due a clean, just call Carpet Cleaning Kings on 1300 7000 75 and we’ll soon have your carpet looking as good as new.
