While there are a myriad of flooring choices available to homeowners today, nothing beats the feeling of kicking off your shoes and sinking your toes into some nice, plush carpet. However, how do you choose the right colour to complement your home and your decor?  Here are some great tips. For more information, see our carpets feature.

What to Think About When Choosing Carpet Colours

When you are choosing the colour of your carpet, there are some things that you need to think about. High traffic areas in the home need to be forgiving, darker colours that don’t tend to show up stains or marks.  Lower traffic areas such as the bedrooms have much more freedom colour wise.

Also think about how colour will work in the room.  Cooler colours will create a feeling of space, while warmer colours will make a room feel cosier and more closed in.  Use lighter colours in dark rooms.  For a relaxed, quiet feel, look for earthy or subdued colours such as greys, browns and beiges.  If you opt for a patterned carpet, be aware of how the pattern will affect the feeling of space in the room.

It’s good to remember that there are no hard and fast rules for choosing carpet colours and a lot of it comes down to your personal tastes. However, you may wish to choose carpet that will complement your furnishings, or that works well with your paint or wallpaper colours.  In some cases, you may want the carpet to become the main feature of the room.

Trends in Carpet Colours

There are some great trends emerging in terms of the carpet colours that are available today.  Neutral colours will always be the safe choice while still looking great but you can also use colour to create a splash of impact in the room.  Rustic decorating has had a large influence on carpet colours – cool and warm greys as well as creams are the new neutrals, while for stronger colours, reds, blues, plums and lilacs are popular.

Colours are also being used in different ways within carpet. For example, stippling is one new trend and this is where different colours and textures are woven together in a single yarn. There are also cut pile carpets that have a contrasting tone in the centre, striped designs, and painterly designs.