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What To Consider When Recarpeting A Room In Los Angeles

(credit: Thinkstock)
(credit: Thinkstock)

In Los Angeles, our lucky carpets escape the mess that prolonged rain and snow bring to their counterparts in the rest of the country. Yet, after a few years, even the best taken-care-of rugs will show the effects of traffic, children and Oscar viewing parties. Eventually, everyone is forced to consider the recarpeting of a room or an entire home.

Room Use
There are a few things you must keep in mind to ensure that you get the best carpet for your money and your needs. Consider the room's use. The living room, for instance, is one of the busiest rooms of the house so the carpet you buy for it must be able to fight wear and tear. A relatively inexpensive and durable type of carpet is the Berber, which often contains small flecks of dark color in lighter shades of background colors. This helps hide dirt and stains better than other carpets. If you want one a little plusher, consider the Frieze, which is comfortable, looks fashionable, comes in a variety of colors and keeps feet quiet and warm.

Stain Resistance
Another consideration for a room of heavy traffic is the propensity for spills. The material your carpet is made of can make a big difference when cleaning it. Nylon is soil and mildew resistant and therefore durable and resilient. The cons of nylon are that it may pill (small balls of fluff may form in its surface) and it's prone to static. Another popular fiber is Olefin (Polypropylene), which originally was used as outdoor carpeting because it is strong and mildew-resistant, but for those very reasons it is now also quite popular as indoor carpeting. Many believe that Olefin resembles wool carpeting best, although it tends to fade when under direct sunlight. Wool, of course, is the ultimate fiber. Wool is tightly packed, which keeps the material strong, stain-resistant, and it looks and feels good.

Matching Decor
Color is one more thing you should consider, including which hue will better pair up with your existing furniture. One rule is agreed on by most: light colors open up a room and dark colors make a room feel more intimate. You should pick dark or light depending on the vibe you want to add to the room.

Call In The Professionals
There are several other decisions you need to make before re-carpeting, including the length of the rug's fibers and their density, the padding that you will install under your carpet, whether carpet tiles are an option, and of course, whether all that your existing carpets may need is a good cleaning. When faced with all of these questions, you may find best to talk to a professional. To that end, consider the following Los Angeles carpet companies:

Dura Flooring, Inc.
4720 East Washington Blvd.
Commerce, CA 90040
(323) 262- 4550
www.duracarpet.com

Dura Flooring has an extensive catalog with multiple brands, types, and styles of carpets. They also have plenty of information on alternative flooring solutions.

Mark the Carpetbagger, Inc.
1708 22nd St.
Santa Monica, CA 90404
(310) 399- 20166
www.markthecarpetbagger.com

Mark's business is the cleaning, protection and restoration of fine fabrics, carpets, and leathers. They have been awarded "Best" by Los Angeles Magazine and Santa Monica City.

Michael's Carpet
9005 Adams Ave.
Huntington Beach, CA 92646
(714) 962- 6569
about.me/michaelscarpethb

Michael's Carpet sells, repairs, and installs carpets and other types of flooring. They have a showroom where they display their products and their staff is willing to help you find the best for your needs.

Related: Advice For Maintaining Oriental Rugs
Related: The Best Household Cleaning Product: Salt

For more great tricks, tips and advice about your home, visit CBSLosAngeles.com/YourHome.

Dena Burroughs is a freelance writer living in Azusa, CA. She is a CSULA graduate with specialties in Creative Writing and Communications. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.


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