Most people assume that choosing a carpet is easy; all you have to do is pick out the color. Unfortunately this is completely untrue; there are a lot of things that you need to think about when you are choosing a carpet. Our years of experience and carpet expertise will allow us to help you make a good choice for your needs.
The first thing that you are going to have to think about when you are choosing a carpet is the texture you want. This is called the pile and it has to do with how the carpet fibers are cut. There are basically two options here loop or cut pile, all carpets start out with the fabric in loops. If it is left this way it is loop carpet, if the loops are cut it is called cut pile. There are then a whole bunch of categories within these two groups based on how the loops are made and how they are cut. Choosing the right one will depend in the texture that you want for your carpet.
In general the softer and the plusher your carpet is the more difficult it will be to maintain. A lot of people like to have soft, plush carpet in their bedroom because it feels so nice to walk on with your bare feet. You will notice however that this kind of carpet tends to retain footprints when you walk on it. An even bigger concern is that it holds onto dirt and can be a hassle to keep clean. While this may be appropriate for your bedroom it is usually impractical for the living room. In this case you are going to want to go with something that is firmer and easier to look after.
It is also a good idea to look at the fabric that your carpet is made out of. Wool carpet looks and feels great but it comes with some serious downsides, the main one being that it is not stain resistant, it is also very expensive. This is why most people choose to go with nylon; it isn't as nice as wool but it is a lot more practical since it is stain resistant and lower in cost. In some cases it might be a good idea to consider a carpet made out olefin. This is usually used on carpets in commercial buildings because it is so durable but it may also be a good idea in high traffic areas.
Once you have chosen the right carpet you are going to need to have it installed. You can do this yourself but it can be a hassle. Carpet is heavy and it is not easy to cut. Also don't forget that you are going to want to install an under pad which is even heavier and more difficult to cut. Most people decide that it is just easier to have us install it for them.