Choosing the right flooring is crucial to the design of any room. The type of floor that you choose can drastically affect the visual statement you are striving for. This is especially true with carpets and when choosing a carpet there are many factors to consider. The most important of these factors is colour. In halls, stairs and darker rooms a natural coloured carpet will make the space appear light and airy. In contrast a deep red or burgundy carpet will give a classic look and is especially effective when used in dining rooms. For kid's rooms carpets with bold colours are the perfect addition to make a fun environment for them to sleep and play in.

Carpet pattern also affects the appearance of a room. Plain carpet flooring can be easily matched to furnishings and can make a room appear larger than it is. Smaller patterned carpets also have this effect and can disguise pile flattening and everyday wear. A large patterned carpet gives a traditional look and can make large rooms appear smaller and more inviting.

The carpet construction plays a key role in deciding which carpet to buy. The type of carpet you buy will depend on the look you are going for and the amount of use the carpet will receive. In the living room a good quality carpet such as a luxurious deep pile Saxony will add a warm comforting feel to the room. For stairs be sure to buy the most durable carpet you can afford as the area will receive the most wear. In the bedroom thick carpets or shag piles are popular as they are perfect for cold mornings and add a touch of luxury to the room. In spare rooms a less durable carpet can be used as the flooring will receive less use. When choosing a carpet for the bathroom be sure to pick one which has a rot-resistant backing.

When purchasing a new carpet a professional carpet fitter will usually measure the room service free of charge. However, measuring the floor yourself can be handy when pricing up new flooring ideas or if you are fitting the carpet yourself. Only attempt to fit a carpet if you are confident in doing so and know what you are doing. Badly fitted carpets, especially on stairs, are very dangerous and can cause undue wear.

Measuring a room yourself for carpet flooring is fairly straight forward. Start by drawing a floor plan of the room (using squared paper will help) so you can accurately portray the shape of the room. For standard square or rectangle rooms simply measure the length and width of the room making sure you measure in a straight line and taking into account any alcoves and doorway recess.

For more complex floor areas such as halls and landings measure the width and length of the room and the dimensions of any alcoves. Mark on the plan where doorways and stairs are present and make sure that measurements include the first stair so a join can be made if necessary. To measure stairs simply count the number of stairs there are and record the height, length and width of one stair. A reputable carpet store will be able to inform you as to how much carpet is required. To determine the exact amount of flooring that is needed in any room you must inform your carpet supplier on the type of carpet you have chosen. This is because different brands and styles of carpet are manufactured in different widths and the carpet fitter may need to pattern match the carpet.