Certain areas in the house are no-brainers when it comes to flooring. Kitchens? About 90% of homeowners agree on something that’s not carpet. Bathrooms? Hard, of course. But what about bedrooms? Would you believe that only 44% of American homeowners prefer carpet in the bedroom? Do they prefer hardwood or do they just need a carpeting redesign?
Remarkably, the National Association of Realtors found that just over 50% of homebuyers were willing to pay more for a home that had hardwood flooring. It’s easier to clean, it’s timeless, and it’s durable. A professional hardwood cleaning will likely be less expensive than a professional carpet cleaning, but in either case, a once-over by the homeowner gets a lot better results on hardwood. Additionally, “hardwood” flooring isn’t always wood — while oak, maple, and even bamboo are common, vinyl flooring that looks like wood is also very common.
So what about carpet?
The knock on carpet is that it shows age. Walk into a home built 30 years ago with hardwood floors and the floors will look the same. Walk into a home built 30 years ago with carpeted floors and you may see a pattern that hasn’t been cool in decades. As such, carpeting redesign can be your friend. Despite the statistic above about over 50% being willing to pay more for hardwood, carpet actually makes up 51% of the flooring market in the United States.
Another advantage of carpet is that it has been shown to reduce allergens. In Sweden, a country-wide decrease in carpet use by 70% sparked an increase in allergic reactions in the general public by about 30%. Simply put, carpet traps things. Unfortunately, it traps dirt, but that can actually be good for your health if it’s trapping bad things.
How do you decide on a carpeting redesign?
If you’re going to change or install carpet, you have countless options. First off, visit some local flooring showrooms. Much like buying anything else, you want to know what your options look like in person, rather than just online. Most flooring showrooms will show all types of carpet flooring styles as well as hardwood, vinyl, and others. Secondly, figure out your budget. These different flooring types have very different price-points. Third, if possible, walk on them. If you have bad knees, you might be better suited with carpet than a hard wood with no give.
Flooring can be a hassle, but just remember that you don’t have to go from carpet to hardwood. A carpeting redesign — something that speaks to the current era or is timeless in color — can enhance the value of your home the same way a paint-job can enhance the outside.