Smart Shopper
Sink your toes into sumptuous flooring. It’s the perfect choice for your own personal sanctuary, writes Georgia Madden.
Bedroom carpets to sink your toes into.
Greg Natale Tom wool-blend cut-pile carpet, from $150/m2
(supply only), Designer Rugs. OPPOSITE Hycraft from left
Odyssey wool-blend plush-pile carpet in Stella, from $85/m2 (installed), Godfrey Hirst Carpets. Cavalier Bremworth Overtones wool loop-pile carpet in Leadlight, $64/m2 (supply only), Choices Flooring. SWATCHES Temuka Bayton wool loop-pile carpet in Dimity, from $112/m2 (supply only), Choices Flooring (left). Provincial Lane Creekwood wool modulated-loop carpet in Flemish Mist, $71/m2 (supply only), Carpet Court. For Where to Buy, see page 188.
Cosy, inviting, deliciously plush underfoot: the carpet you lay in your bedroom should be all these things and more. “There’s nothing quite like the feel of a luxuriously thick, soft carpet beneath your toes as you swing your feet out of bed in the morning,” says John Harrison, marketing manager for Godfrey Hirst Carpets.
Your bedroom is a space where you want to feel completely comfortable, especially underfoot,” says Sarah Wilson, senior interior designer at Decus Interiors. “Wall-to-wall carpet adds to this comfort factor both physically and aesthetically by creating a beautiful, soft base.”
Practicality may drive your choices when it comes to carpet for the busy parts of your home, but the lighttraffic nature of bedrooms means your options are broader. Velvety plush-piles you can sink your toes into, lustrous silks, unusual materials such as alpaca fleece or yak fibres – they’re all a possibility. Wool carpets For many, it’s hard to go past the appeal of pure wool, says Emma Bolger, brand communications manager at Choices Flooring. “Quality, softness, a sense of luxury and graceful ageing – wool carpet seems to have it all. It provides natural insulation, plus it’s practical and easy to maintain.”
Tactile designs with a handcrafted feel are an enduring trend, says Harrison. “Chunky loop-pile carpets, with their beautiful texture and rustic charm, are still popular for bedrooms.” Synthetic carpets “Thanks to technological innovations, synthetic carpets are now softer and more luxurious than ever,” says Bolger. They’re also a great choice if you’re on a budget or decking out a child’s room and are looking for spill-resistance. “Generally speaking, they are more cost efficient, hard-wearing and stain-proof than pure-wool carpets,” she says.
Some notable new synthetics include Cavalier Bremworth’s luxurious and eco-friendly Valour and Siren designs, and Godfrey Hirst’s Eco+ Triexta range, all made from recycled materials. Wool-synthetic mix carpets are another smart choice, says Bolger, as they add the hard-wearing qualities of a synthetic to wool’s natural appeal. Colour trends Low-key neutrals such as grey, taupe and beige provide a solid foundation for most bedroom schemes, but they’re far from your only option. “Amazing things can happen when you step out of your comfort zone and look at colours as part of your overall scheme,” says Darren Palmer, interior designer, author and Carpet Court ambassador. Step up the sophistication with slate blue or rich emerald green, suggests Wilson, or go for subtle silver, pewter or brass tones, says Sandii Malka, art director at RC&D. “We’ve done some striking gradient designs, where the colour starts dark charcoal or deep teal on one side of the room and blends seamlessly to a lighter shade on the other.” Undyed carpets Natural, undyed carpets are gaining traction, says Simon Longton, general manager at Prestige Carpets. “The beautiful organic colours in our Naturals range come straight from the sheep’s back.” They also blend beautifully with the other natural surfaces in your home. Choosing patterns For designers such as Greg Natale, pattern is where it’s at. “A pattern can be pared back and subdued, or bold and contrasting. Using pattern on the floor adds another decorative layer to a bedroom,” he says. “The trick is understanding where, how much and which pattern. Mixing patterns can create a dynamic interior; just ensure the patterns share a common hue.” Natural fibres If you favour a rustic look, consider natural flooring. “I love the look and feel of sisal,” says Meryl Hare, principal of design firm Hare+Klein. “Like linen, it’s a natural, undyed material that works with anything.” John McGhee, principal of The Natural Floorcovering Centres, concurs. “With their texture and visual appeal, sisal, coir and seagrass are a great choice for bedrooms. The subtle complexity of the weave offers a visual feast not available from a tufted or cut-pile carpet.” If you’re concerned about the ‘scratch factor’, opt for a soft, chunky sisal or a sisal-wool mix. Ideal installation Looks aside, you’ll want your bedroom carpet to feel super-soft underfoot. “While longer pile certainly adds to the sense of luxury, it’s the pile weight and underlay that determine how soft a carpet feels,” says Longton.
Carpet weight is measured in ounces per square yard, and ranges from 30 ounces (from $30/m2, installed) to more than 120 ounces (from $190/m2, installed). A good-quality underlay is essential, says Mark Bramwell, sales and marketing manager at Bramwell’s Floor Coverings. “We recommend high-density foam underlay with a minimum thickness of 10mm. It might add five per cent extra to your total cost, but you’ll know it’s money well spent the moment you step on that carpet.”
IF YOU’RE AFTER SOMETHING DIFFERENT, CONSIDER INSTALLING A GOAT-HAIR CARPET. IT’ S COARSE R, MORE HARD-WEARING AND MORE STAIN-RESISTANT THAN WOOL.