SOFT and warm — nothing beats carpet choice when it comes to a touch of luxury.
But like most floor coverings, there's a big investment involved, so it's important to choose the right product.
Stainmaster product innovation manager Judy-Lea Engel said the first thing to consider when choosing carpet was the style.
■ Frieze or high twist: The yarn in this type of carpet is tightly twisted and cut to give the carpet a unique, curly appearance. Resilient and ideal for high-traffic areas.
■ Cut and loop: Areas of cut yarn contrast with loops of the same height forming a sculptured pattern. A contemporary look good for living rooms.
■ Plush pile: Densely packed, level cut yarns create a smooth luxurious look, similar to a suede finish. It suits formal dining or living rooms.
■ Loop: Fibre loops that are all roughly the same height make this carpet is sturdy, comfortable and great for family rooms and spill-prone areas.
When manufactured with flecks of additional colour, it is known as Berber-style.
■ Multi-level loop: The carpet has loops that have different heights to create a pattern. When the carpet is manufactured with parallel lines of two different heights, it is known as a sisal-look carpet.
■ Printed twist: The fibre is twisted before the carpet loops are cut to create a textured surface. Then a design is printed on the surface pile that helps mask footprints. Suits high traffic zones.
Ms Engel said carpet durability depended on finding the right balance of fibre, twist and density.
"To make a carpet, natural or man-made fibre is converted to yarn and tufted, or locked into a backing to form the pile or surface you walk on," she said.
"The five major types of carpet fibre are: conventionally dyed nylon, solution dyed nylon, polypropylene, polyester and wool.
"The tighter the twist, the more the carpet will resist changes in appearance and texture.
"Generally, the denser the carpet, the better the quality.
"Colour and pattern also influence how a carpet will look over time.
"A very light or very dark colour will be more prone to show soil and marks, whereas a mid-value colour will be more forgiving in appearance."
Ms Engel said it was important to note what the price included.
