How to choose a carpet style that works for you

There are so many carpet styles, the choices for this popular floor covering can be exciting and a little overwhelming. However, our carpet store will always tell you that the most important thing is not just about style, but also to consider pile and texture, as they're all related to style and how they will perform with your particular lifestyle.

Carpeting 101

This involves an anatomy lesson. All rug fibers begin by being looped through the backing, and they either stay that way, such as the Berber-style, a straight looped construction, or cut. These cuts are called piles and can be high, low, or medium.

Other styles include:

1. Cut pile. This is when the loops are cut, providing an upright, short, and twisted pile with a more luxurious, formal look than a loop pile. Cut pile carpets can be plush, velvety, or just straight up with exposed ends.

2. Saxony: Many use the cut pile term interchangeably with this style and, while Saxony is a cut pile, the fibers are slightly longer. It is available in two textures: Saxony straight (or velvet or plush) has a more formal look, great for living rooms that are only used for entertaining guests. Saxony texture (or trackless) has a highly patterned design that, unlike Saxony Straight., does not show vacuum marks or footprints, making it ideal for living rooms that became family activity centers.

3. Shag. This iconic style is a high pile with long, loose fibers, available in a broad color palette of both solid and multi-color hues. It's sometimes referred to as "sheepdog rug," so it will need a little extra TLC when cleaning. It's best, therefore, for low foot trafficked rooms, like the bedroom.

4. Frieze. Some confuse this with shag, but the fibers are slightly shorter and so tightly twisted they curl in all directions, giving it a more casual look. This durable carpet is ideal for family rooms.

5. Cut and loop. This is just as it sounds! The fibers are made to create patterns, such as geometrics or marble-like textured appearances.

For over 32 years and with a collective industry experience of more than 100 years, Father & Son Carpet and Tile have provided the Indian River communities with quality flooring, like carpet, and superior services, including residential and commercial installations; tile repair, and free carpet flooring estimates. If you live in Sebastian, Indian River County, South Brevard County, or Northern St Lucie County, we hope to see you in our showroom in Vero Beach, FL.