Other than going to bed, sitting in your favourite armchair, or lying on a pile of cushions, nothing comes close to the comfort and luxury of a quality carpet, and in South Africa you are spoilt for choice with the wonderful ranges available from the local manufacturers and suppliers.

Today's carpet offers a wide variety of choices in style, fibre composition and colour. Gone are the days of having to select only conventional loop pile, a carpet style consisting of yarn in uncut loops, although these carpets are still very popular and good value for money.

New technology

New technology can produce multilevel-loop and cut-loop patterns allowing a wide range of interesting designs that stand out in sculptured effects, and the texture, colours and pattern of the carpet can complement or contrast with the patterns of your furniture and window treatments.

Using a solid colour, textured carpet is a great way to provide interest and appeal, without going to a multicolour, overall pattern. Textured styles also fit well with today’s active and casual lifestyles. Ask to see the various available options when you visit the showroom.

Warm and safe

Carpet actually provides great thermal benefits. In cold seasons it retains warm air longer, which saves energy. It is also ideal for cushioning the sound of footsteps, reducing slips and falls and minimising injuries when falls do occur.

It provides safety for the whole family, but especially for small children and older people. Adding a quality underlay beneath your carpet reduces noise and softens falls even further.

Carpets are forgiving

Carpets are forgiving and do not appear dirty as quickly as most alternative floor surfaces. This is a major benefit, but do not allow them to become too soiled before cleaning – if properly cared for from day one, most quality carpets will maintain their good looks for years to come, so establish a regular cleaning programme to protect your investment before problems occur. (See insert: Taking care of your carpet).

Rugs for added comfort

With the huge selection of hard floorcoverings available – wood, vinyl, ceramic and porcelain tiles, natural stone and more – discerning homeowners will always turn to including high-quality rugs in their overall décor.

Available in numerous carpet styles, and including imported exotic varieties which are still a firm favourite, rugs bring colour and style to any home, and can change the look and feel of any room.

They can also be used to cover up any imperfections in your main floorcovering, and you can save it from excessive wear by using rugs in front of regularly used cupboards or armchairs.

It has been said before – nothing compares with carpet when it comes to the ‘feel’, the comfort, the opulence it provides, the ease of installation and maintenance – and value for money.

Buying tips

• Determine the use of the room that the carpet will be installed in; the carpet must provide the comfort you are looking for, and yet still withstand wear in high-traffic areas.
• Choose the style and design that meet your décor requirements and make sure that the carpet specification will do the job you expect it to do. To this end, it pays to visit more than one supplier or showroom to see what is available.
• Don’t buy cheap – it will undoubtedly be more expensive in the long term. Better to have peace of mind by investing in a quality carpet. The carpet price often reflects the quality, but you will find that there is good value for money in the lower priced ranges. The rule of thumb is: buy the best you can afford.
• Make sure you select a reputable and experienced installer – look at some of his previous jobs, and ask his customers if they were satisfied. If they wouldn’t use him again, nor should you!
• Before you place an order with the installer, ask him if the offcuts that are left at the end of an installation are your property. This is not always the case, and this will avoid any argument or extra cost. They can be used for any future repair work that may be required and, properly edged, they make great scatter rugs.
• Make sure you buy a high-quality underlay, and that it is fitted correctly.
• Take samples of the carpet home and view them in different light situations to make sure you still like it before you buy. This way you can make sure that it blends with your furnishings.
• Check any quote carefully so that you fully understand what you are getting. Make sure there are no hidden “extras”, and certainly don’t pay in full in advance.
• Speak to the installer, and make sure you understand and are happy with the laying procedure. Points to look for: – ensure that joins do not occur in high-wear areas, and pay particular attention to joins on stairs – these should be avoided wherever possible.
• A mistake often made is to buy carpets that are too light in colour for the area of use. This is acceptable in bedrooms, but if the area is regularly trafficked, rather consider going for a shade darker.

Taking care of your carpet

• Carpet is easy to clean and maintain. Regular vacuuming (daily if possible) will help it to retain its service life and beauty for years, and annual professional steam cleaning is a recommended treatment that will also prolong its life expectancy.
• Maintenance of carpeting does not require any extraordinary equipment or expertise, and the modern advances in carpet manufacturing have given the market many “stain-resistant” options that make the cleaning of carpeting even easier.
• However, although the construction of the carpet will hide the dirt and soiling until it is properly cleaned, leaving it until it is too late will not only ruin the overall appearance of the floor but drastically shorten the lifespan of the carpet as well. It certainly helps to place dirt-trap mats at every entrance to avoid grit, grease and dirt being brought in on shoes, and inadvertently being wiped on the carpet.

If you have any queries on this section of The Great Flooring Guide, please contact the FLOORS in Africa Help Line on 012 347 7530 and we will put you in touch with the experts.