As with anything in the design world, there are good trends and bad trends. Avocado green or bright orange shag carpet = bad trend! Pattern and texture in carpet = good trend! Thankfully, we’re not seeing the return of brightly colored shags but we are seeing a return to softer carpets. This can be a good trend as long as you know what to expect!
With carpet, something soft is wonderful to step onto on a cold Chicago morning. And it’s fabulous to have a soft carpet installed in your family room where you may spend a lot of time on the floor. But there are some things to take into consideration if you are looking at a softer carpet.
- You will see footprints and traffic marks. Since the carpet fibers are softer they lose some of the structural integrity that helps them stand up straight. This can also cause them to wear a bit faster than their stiffer counterparts. Because of this you may find that you are getting a softer carpet cleaned more often.
- If the carpet has a pattern, it will be less noticeable when the carpet fiber sweeps different directions (this happens with vacuuming and in high traffic areas). We take this into consideration during the installation process. Some soft carpets will show their pattern when installed one direction but as you look at the carpet from the opposite side of the room the pattern may disappear all together.
- Some mills are making carpets that have a mix of softer and stiffer fibers. With these carpets, you will still see your pattern, but it becomes distorted as you walk over it and can sometimes change the appearance of the pattern.
Don’t get us wrong, we love soft carpet as much as the next person! Just make sure you keep in mind how much you want (or don’t want!) to see in your carpet, and how you use the rooms. Soft, luxurious feeling carpet is a great trend as long as you have the right expectations!