Guide to Choosing the Perfect Carpet
Choosing the perfect carpet can really make or break a room. With such a wide variety of styles, colours, patterns and textures available it’s important you understand which one is right for you before it’s too late. Read our guide to choosing the perfect carpet to summarise the benefits of each carpet option and answer any burning questions you may have.
Types of Carpets
The first decision when you’re looking for that perfect carpet should be the pile type. There are three principle pile types available including loop, twist and Saxony pile.
The loop pile carpet consists of short looped fibres, designed to create a long-lasting texture and are commonly available in more neutral shades. The twist pile carpets also offer a hard-wearing solution which makes them an ideal choice for areas that are prone to heavy-traffic, such as entrance ways or reception areas. A great choice if you’re looking to provide a resilient solution for everyday use. For a more bespoke finish, then the Saxony pile carpet should be your number one choice. With a deep, thick pile, the additional cushioning underfoot will feel like you’re walking on clouds – a truly luxurious carpet.
Carpets are manufactured from different types of fibre. Wool carpets are more resilient to wear and tear and have a soft and superior feel. There is also less flattening than other carpets, as the fibres bounce back.Polypropylene on the other hand is a man-made fibre that is highly stain-resistant, making it very easy to maintain. It will keep its appearance, but will flatten more quickly over time compared to a wool or blended carpet. Blended carpets are a mixture of wool and man-made fibres, offering the benefits of both. With plenty of choice available there really is the perfect carpet for everyone.
Which Colour to Choose?
The functionality, your personal style and the decor of the room could determine your carpet choice. A great option is to start with neutral shades if the appearance of the room is likely to change. Natural carpets are perfect for creating a welcoming finish to any room and designed to blend seamlessly with the existing furniture or wall colour. Also an ideal choice if you’re considering selling your property in the future, as neutral shades create a blank canvas for potential buyers.
Alternatively, use your new carpet to create a feature in a room by choosing strong, bold colours and patterns. These work best in larger rooms, as the open plan space can really enhance the bright colours creating a stunning ‘wow’ factor. For a more calming ambience why not consider pastel shades which are a great choice for a bedroom or living room. Pastel carpet colours can really complete a room with a comfortable atmosphere.
Backing and Underlay
Don’t forget about the backing and underlay! For a highly durable and luxurious effect under foot, incorporate backing and underlay into your new carpet purchase. Felt-backed products are economical, easy to lay and do not always need an underlay underneath. Secondary backed carpets are strong and stable, making them perfect for areas of high traffic, such as hallways and family rooms. These are combined with underlay beneath to create a comfortable and durable surface to walk on.
Underlay is designed to enhance the longevity of your carpet and insulate the floor, creating a comfortable surface and limiting noise. There are a variety of underlay products on offer. When you’re choosing underlay, consider the very best options for your property. Areas such as stairways, landings and hallways in particular will benefit from a hard-wearing, high quality underlay.
Looking After Your Carpet
Once you’ve had your carpet fitted, it’s important to maintain it correctly. Regular vacuuming should keep it looking its best but if an accident should occur then consider using a specialist shampoo to remove any unwanted stains. In addition, professional cleaning will help to maintain its look and durability even further.
If you require any help with the selection of carpets in Newbury or the surrounding areas, please don’t hesitate to contact the helpful team here at CMS Downs. Click here for our full list of store locations.
Where We Offer Carpet Fitting
Our team is available in many counties including Berkshire, Hampshire, Surrey, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Wiltshire and the outskirts of South West London (we do cover London and the whole of the South East of England depending on the scale of the project). Some of these areas include towns such as Banstead, Elmbridge, Epsom, Ewell, Guildford, Mole Valley, Newbury, Reigate, Runnymeade, Spelthorne, Surrey Heath, Tandridge, Waverley, Winchester and Woking. We have been established for over 50 years providing Carpet Fitting.
Main Coverage Area
Downs Carpets & Beds have a fantastic team of carpet fitters working alongside our in-store teams. Get in touch for a quote or visit one of our stores below for more information.
Explore our range of carpets, flooring & beds
Customer Stories
Once an order is complete we always encourage customer feedback. Here’s a selection of different projects and customer comments.
Flooring for complete house
We have used Downs in the past and once again the salesperson was very helpful, answering all my queries. The fitter was equally helpful and able to give knowledgeable advice for a future product. I highly recommend Downs as a local business.
Marian G
Carpet order
From the first enquiry to the fitting of the new carpet, we were warmly welcomed by friendly staff, which helped to make our choice and decisions easy. Carpet came much sooner that originally told but that was great as it meant we could get on with the other changes in the particular room. Many thanks for an excellent service.
Richard M
Kitchen/diner
Customer service is top notch. We have used CMS for all of our flooring requirements to date and will continue to do so throughout the renovation of our house.
Vicky B
Bedroom carpets
The sales team were really efficient and helpful, taking into consideration our requirements. The fitters worked well, efficiently and cleared up afterwards a real blessing. The choice of flooring was great and the prices very competitive. Recommend CMS carpets and would use them again. Thank you.
Karen P
The Downs Difference
At Downs Carpets & Beds, we stay true to our original core values. Take a look at why our customers choose us for their beds and carpets time and time again.
Free Measuring Service
We can visit you with carpet samples at a time to suit you. We will check your sub-floor, measure, plan and provide a free no-obligation quote.
Leading Brands
We aim to offer the largest choice of products at the very best prices, with all the leading brands of beds and carpets in one shop for your convenience.
Running For Over 50 Years
All Fitting Guaranteed
Every home or office carpet installation we undertake is covered by our one year Fitting Guarantee for complete peace of mind.
Specialist Expertise
We specialise in great quality carpets, flooring and beds at the very best prices, with friendly, knowledgeable staff to provide expert advice.
Speedy Fitting & Home Delivery
Most of our popular carpet, bed and flooring ranges are held in stock to ensure that we can offer competitive pricing and fast delivery times.
Our bespoke service
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Design consultation: Working collaboratively with you, your designer helps you select the right products.
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Technical consultation: We will conduct a technical survey, checking all measurements and any unusual angles.
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Supplying the product: Your chosen product will be ordered and delivered to you in the time frames discussed.
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Professional Installation: Our expert installers precision fits your product for an exceptional finish.
What Our Customers Say
James AvisonKev, Ash & Mark, our fitters, have been brilliant. Working at light-speed, they've been thorough, meticulous and professional. It's not every group of tradespeople that you'd be happy to recommend, especially in a predominantly female office environment but these three were respectful, thoughtful and good company to have around. We'd be glad to have them back and the quality of their workmanship is excellent. Thank you.
peter brunsdenExcellent job done, good price and very professional at all times. recarpet of first floor of period property, tricky job well handled. Highly recommended
Debbie AshworthI knew what I wanted when I went in and had the measurements as well. The person serving me was very helpful and we were able to get everything sorted easily.
Ian Fewtrell-SmithGood. There was a small hiccup but quickly resolved.
Carole HornerWe have found this company to be excellent with their service and with great recommendations for carpets in relevant rooms. So our latest purchase for lounge and 2 flights of stairs and landings. Process was well explained and nothing seemed too much trouble. The fitters were exceptional !
Yvonne HossackCarpets and vinyl lovely. Dave the fitter was so accomplished, he fitted the stair runner brilliantly. Both Dave and his assistant Andy were courteous and helpful
Katherine SingletonHi Simon, Thank you for getting all the carpets all sorted, you have been brilliant Simon, its been a pleasure and I appreciate you always being quick to communicate and answer any questions. I am very pleased I came back to you after 18 years! Stress free process and quality carpets and good honest prices! Barry the carpet measuring guy was prompt and has a nice friendly and polite manner. The fitters Kevin & Paul are nice chaps too. All in all a great team from start to finish. I wish all companies operated like you do. Well done and thanks again. Best Regards K
Yoshihiro SunbeamHad a superb experience when we went in recently looking for a carpet quote. Spoke to Simon and he was very helpful and accommodating, explaining how the prices worked and what the best underlay was for our particular situation. Would highly recommend if in the West Berkshire area.
Judith CursonVinyl for a small space fitted well and at much shorter notice than we expected
