Carpet Buyer Guide

Warm (from yellow undertones) vs. cool colours (blues undertones) vs Neutral carpet colours

• Warm colours will make the space feel warmer and encourage conversation.
• Cool colours will make the space feel cold and promote relaxation.
• Bold colours & patterns are good if you are trying to take the focus away from the furnishings.
• Neutral colours are useful if you want to keep the focus away from the flooring and instead on the furnishings.

Light, dark or medium carpet colours

• Light colours create a spacious airy effect
• Darker colours create a homely cozy feeling
• Bright colours will have a energizing affect on your mood
• Muted tones will be calming
• Light colours soil easily, dark colours will lint and medium colours are easier to clean.
• Large areas of carpet will intensify the colour you choose and it may look darker than your sample. Therefore if you are carpeting a large space, consider toning the colour back a little.
• Choosing a slightly darker shade than the colour on your walls, it will give the room a sense of solidness and a foundation.

Tips & other things to consider when choosing your carpet colour

• If you have a pet, consider choosing either dark or light colour to match your pet so you don't have to vacuum as regularly.
• Always consider re-sale value of your home. Generally more muted neutral tones will be more likely to match a wider range of tastes and décor.
• Be careful to think about how your paint colour will affect the look of your carpet colour. For example a warm paint colour will make a neutral carpet colour take on a warm hue.
• You don't want the carpet to be the first thing you notice when you enter a room, so if you are choosing a colour or pattern that is overwhelming everything else in the room you will have trouble living with it in the long term.
• Don't match your colour exactly to the paint or furnishings, as it will make the space look rigid.
• The type of light source and amount of daylight you have will affect the perceived colour of the carpet, so take this into consideration. Florescent based lights tend to strip out some of the colour.
• Texture & carpet type will also affect how the carpet feels in the space. Sisal carpet will feel less luxurious, while plush will feel cozy.
• If you are unsure, a rule-of-thumb is that you don't want more than 3 colours in each space. This includes the paint colour, carpet and any soft furnishings such as curtains.
• If you are replacing both the carpet and the wall paint, chose your carpet first and wall paint colour second. There is an unlimited array of paint colours available, whereas you may be more restricted by your carpet colour choice.

Finally, don't try to match it all perfectly, as it will look forced and uncomfortable. Just use these as ideas to start you thinking about the options you have.

Start searching for the carpet that suits your home or office.