Choosing Carpet Colors or Neutrals?

Question

Have upstairs area that overlooks main floor living area. Upper area will be a "game room" stairs and upper area will be carpeted . Same carpet. I am wanting neutral tones in carpet w/small flecs of color (have 1 marine blue wall) but husband thinks blue carpet would look good. Blue carpet in living area... Im thinking Brady Bunch, 1970's . HELP! I have been looking online for pictures of rooms.. main living areas w/color carpet.. and all I find is neutrals.. need opinions. PLEASE.

Answer 1

Navy blue might be a good compromise. It's considered a neutral, but has the blue in it that your husband is considering. I disagree with using beige and taupe on your floors. If everyone can't enjoy it, it's as wasteful as orange and avocado shag carpeting. Personally, I cringe everytime I go into my mother-in-law's lair and have to see all things oatmeal. It might fit her personality, but it's something that can grate on the nerves if you're not a pablum and oatmeal kind of person.

Answer 2

There's a good reason why people go with neutrals on the floors-it's too expensive to replace flooring when you get sick of the color. If you want to add color to a room, it's better to go with the things that can easily be changed: wall colors, accent pillows, lamps and so on. Also, just as a warning, blue carpet can take a real beating from the sun (fading) and could look pretty rough in a short amount of time Maybe that will convince Hubby if the whole neutral conversation doesn't work out.

Answer 3

Here's a link from the Carpet and Rug Institute where you can pick the room and then click to change the carpet color. It's amazing how different some of the rooms look with another carpet color even though everything else stays the same.

http://www.carpet-rug.org/design_it.cfm?rm_set=5&style=3

I'm with you on the neutral. Color can also be added, however, with a nice area rug. I found a beautiful larger one at http://www.homedecorators.com/ and put it in our upstairs computer/family room. The neutral carpet in there was very light and I wanted to preserve and protect it while still letting the kids have fun.

Hope this helps!

Answer 4

Go with the first answer. As a professional decorator, I can tell you that my clients who chose blue, teal, mauve, etc for their carpeting color, called me back a year later and said how sorry they were they didn't listen to me to begin with and go with a neutral. Now THEY cringe whenever they walk into the room. And replacing it is out of their budget. If you want something to liven up the room, paint the walls a new color, get new throw pillows, invest in vivid artwork. Just stay away from the carpeting blues. You will be sorry in the long run. And if you ever have to sell the house, that stuff will definitely need to be replaced.

Answer 5

How about wooden floors?
Game room:
food plus drinks equals messes. Also, try not to put yourselves in a box by keeping that blue wall. Paint it another color. Painting is a cheap and nice way to change you interior. If you guys truly want carpet with your marine blue wall, how about choosing grey carpet. Also, check out www.apartmenttherapy.com and www.flickr.com (corners of my home) for some more interior design ideas. The best to you.

Answer 6

I love your idea. In fact I have a carpet in my bedroom that is considered a berber, and is called "frieze" I think. Made by Mohawk, and it is a neutral tan with small bits of color (navy, dark green, burgundy. The colors don't really show unless your laying down looking at it. hard to describe. Anyway, it wears great. Doesn't show traffic or dirt. Since I bought it, my brother liked it and bought it, my nephew saw it and had it installed in his home. Check this out.. They have it at Lowes and I am sure at any carpet store that sells Mohawk.

Answer 7

There are carpets that have a neutral background with flecks of color including blue flecks. There are blue carpets with flecks of neutrals. Both can be soil hidding. Both can be found in VERY stain protected carpets.

Answer 8

I say go with the neutral colors also. Add color in other ways. IF you do decide to go with a color, don't go with a dark shade such as maroon, blue,green brown etc because it will show every spec of dirt,paper,dust etc.and if it is a high traffic area you will be vacuuming it constantly.

Answer 9

i say bypass with a impartial shade for the carpet..too plenty pink and blue will previous due it IMO...my room has a white carpet and blue partitions with pink sox photographs and autographs on the partitions and it seems superb