Carpeting and Rugs

By Kathy Flaxman

Marilyn Cowling couldn't be more delighted with what new carpeting has done for her Georgian Bay residence. With rooms that are airy and white from top to bottom, Cowling's choice in broadloom has made this lakeside retreat even more perfect.

"Our place is transformed," she sighs. "We chose an off-white Berber style broadloom in a synthetic fabric because of the look, the cost, the durability, and the ease of installation. My husband and our son installed it themselves. It's hard-wearing and easy to clean."

The Cowling home demonstrates one clear benefit of carpeting. For a small outlay, the rewards can be breathtaking and instantaneous. It's easy to change with fashion and in some cases, you can take it with you.

"People see carpet in this type of application as a five-year investment," Julie Wakely of interior design firm Wakely and Company points out. "The carpet is relatively inexpensive and they plan to replace it in a short period of time if it wears or if their tastes change."

Carpeting has a luxurious, comforting feel plus it provides warmth and reduces noise. It's a kind of visible and attractive insulation. Varieties of broadloom are almost endless, ranging from plush to tufted, textured to needlepoint, woven to cushion. In recent years, fashion giants such as Ralph Lauren and Liz Claiborne have created carpet lines of their own, allowing buyers to match the labels they might have in the closet with what they have underfoot.

Looking to make a statement? Individual carpets or area rugs come in a feast of colours and textures. Every carpet material can be cut to size and given finished edges or a border treatment to form an area rug. Berbers, with their low-looped pile in wool or synthetic material, are popular. Sisals, made from a rough and tough natural plant fibre, sizzle, mostly in natural blonde shades. Subtle muted, plain, or patterned carpet fabrics work well when perked up with strong and colourful borders of different materials. Presto! You have instant area rugs and moveable décor highlights.

According to Michael Pourvakil of Weavers Art in Toronto, the correlation between carpeting and fashion is undeniable. In fact, according to Pourvakil, if even lettuce green were to become a popular colour in clothing, one can expect it to appear in carpets: "It will show up as an accent," he states.

"Right now, light blues, taupes, and rusty reds are popular. Red always brightens the mood. Pale blue and pale green create tranquility."

According to the experts, wool and natural fibres are ideal. "Natural fibres create fewer problems for people with allergies, they're better for the environment too," Janet Daniel of Elte Carpets notes. "We find wool makes the best carpets. Even if you put a heavy object on it, it will bounce back. It has a memory," Pourvakil agrees.

Ok, wool and silk we've heard of but newer natural fibres entering the carpet arena include nettle and hemp as well. Nettle might be associated with stings, but as a fibre it is extremely soft. Hemp, on the other hand, is rough. "We're currently using a combination of natural fibres to create a carpet that will resemble as closely as possible coyote skins," Carol Sievert of Creative Matters, a custom carpet maker, points out. "Carpets are strong. They sometimes outlive the house."

Oriental carpets such as Persians are always a good choice; they can stand up to a lot. Is it true that at one time camels were allowed to use them as bedding? Maybe it's just a rumour, but they do last and last. Newer yet is a line called antique wash that resembles traditional oriental carpets but is much less expensive and is given a special patina by virtue of a treatment process during manufacture.

Change is coming in a big way and it's impossible to ignore the showroom presence of fun, bold carpeting. With felt pile an inch thick and shaped like a carpet of corks, shag is showing up as a light-hearted option. Some shags have a longer slim pile in spandex just like your bathing suit. Shades of the sixties! Could shag be the next big trend? For now these carpets are adding fun to rooms and feet everywhere.

Underfoot Facts and Fixes

Area rugs are an easy way to add pizzazz to a room. New shags are fun and work well as an accent, under a table, or even on a wall.

Natural fibres have some distinct advantages, particularly when it comes to environmental concerns and allergies. Wool gets top marks for wear.

Synthetic and mass-produced carpeting is an excellent way to get lots of bang for the buck. Instant transformation!

Dented carpet? Move your furniture slightly and regularly to prevent the problem. Overnight treatments such as letting ice cubes melt on the offending area (make sure not to damage flooring underneath) may also help.

Choose your carpets first. According to Michael Pourvakil of Weavers Art, this is the better way to decorate. Remember furniture fabrics and paint colours offer flexibility, and these are easier to change or adapt than one's choice in carpets. Carpets might not be available in the same minute gradations of colour and hue.