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SELECTIONS OF THE MONTH
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Summer showroom sale and accessory sale.
Items 70% off list price
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Chair and Ottoman with cated metal frame. Chair:
32"w x38"d x34"h. Ottoman: 19"w x 24"d x16h |
Screen w/silver leafing on hand carved panels. Dimensions: 60"w x 81"h
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Summer furniture reproduction clearance.
50% off retail price
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Hepplewhite Mahogany Armchair with heart shaped backs,
tapered legs. Dimensions: 24" W X 19" D X 38"HIGH
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Let’s think about it! The floors in a home form the entire footprint of the home. For this reason, I have chosen to discuss with you how to choose carpeting, why your carpeting choice is so crucial to all the visual components of interior design for the home as well as the different options in the marketplace. Flooring choices can have consequences for the visual quality of the home, the performance of the surface area and for environmental qualities such as air quality. In this issue, I will deal with carpeting only. Other types of flooring will be dealt with in future issues of this newsletter.
Stephanie V. Bruker
ISSUES TO BE CONSIDERED:
The intensity of wear to the area in consideration: Are there any moisture issues or acoustical considerations: maintenance issues; slip resistance; durability and cost.
Does the subfloor require preparation or repairs to accept the desired flooring material? For example, if the chosen flooring finish is ceramic tile, it is then necessary to have a foundation that is heavy enough to support the ceramic tiling installation. The preferred method for installing the ceramic tiling is to ensure that the ceramic tiling has a direct bond to a mortar bed or a concrete slab.
PRIOR TO MAKING FLOORING CHOICES, DO MAKE A FURNITURE PLAN!
One type of wall to wall carpeting which seems to be de riguer is not the most flexible solution to the above mentioned issues. When planning a home, it is best to make a furniture plan for the entire home prior to making a flooring choice. Different areas of the home or even in one room should be treated separately with different flooring solutions. Aside from the creative aspect towards providing visual interest , the result will have implications toward better livability, maintenance and even environmental issues.
Good interior design is art and as such, one should consider several aspects of the interior visual environment prior to making carpeting choices.
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1. The color scheme for the interior
2. Do you want the carpeting to make a statement – luxury or practicability?
3. Does the carpet have a texture
4. How does the carpeting combine with the with the various finish materials for the home
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Carpeting is part of the interior design scheme and as such should be incorporated into the design. For example, in this home we used an area carpet to compensate for a hallway which had been designed with two large stairways. The custom- designed Chinese area rug transports one through the space into the living room area where the chosen carpeting was a commercial woolen carpeting. The plush texture of the Chinese rug juxtaposes the granite flooring finishes and the nubby living room carpet. The colors tone in with the living room fabrics. If you are seeking to have a custom look, choose all your fabrics before you settle on a colour for the carpeting. A good way is to take all the fabrics and textures that you are considering and place them on a small board to see whether they achieve harmony in colour and texture.
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A FLAT PILE CARPET OR A THICK PILE CARPET?
Carpet not only is attractive, but works hard for you, as well. It absorbs sound and thus cuts down on noise. Its natural insulating qualities also can reduce heating and air conditioning costs. And carpet has built-in features to help prevent slips. It also provides a cushioning layer of comfort underfoot. Best of all, today's "miracle fibers" are designed to resist stains, making cleanup quick and easy in most cases.
Not all carpet is created equal. The price and performance of a carpet is more likely to relate to the type and amount of fiber used and to the quality of construction, rather than the method of manufacture. Carpet density is directly related to the amount of yarn used. A simple density test that you can make when carpet shopping: Bend the carpet and note how close the individual tufts are to each other and how much of the backing is exposed. Press down with one finger and see how easy it is to penetrate the backing. The stronger the backing and the less backing exposed the better the carpet.
Another important factor in carpet construction is the "twist." The twist is the winding of the yarn around itself. The cut ends should be neat and well defined and should not "blossom" at the ends. In human-hair terms, this can be compared to split ends. The twist is set by heat or steam so the yarns can maintain their original look.
Tufted carpet is made by a process in which hundreds of tufts (pieces of yarn) are embedded into a backing material. Loop pile, cut pile velvets and plushes, saxonies and cut and loop pile are the most common types of carpet construction and texture.
The yarn in a loop pile forms a loop with both ends anchored into the carpet back. Loops are of equal height and uncut, creating a smooth level surface; or uneven, creating a textured surface. Berber, one of the most popular carpets, is one example of loop pile.
With cut pile velvets and plushes, the top of the yarn is neatly cut, leaving two individual tufts. This creates a luxurious level surface. Saxonies use yarns of two-or-more ply, twisted together and heat-set to lock in twist so each tuft is visible on the surface.
Cut and loop pile is a combination of cut and looped yarns that creates a variety of textures, including sculptured effects.
Roughly 97 percent of all carpets produced use synthetic fibers and are designed to feature style, easy maintenance, and outstanding value. Nylon, Olefin, Polyester, Acrylic and wool are the five basic types of carpet pile fibers.
Nylon is by far the most widely used, representing two-thirds of all pile fibers in the United States. Wear-resistant and resilient, it has the ability to conceal and resist soils and stains. It is generally good for all traffic areas.
Olefin (polypropylene) is the fiber of which most Berbers are made. It is strong, resists wear and permanent stains, and is easily cleaned. Due to its resistance to static electricity, moisture and mildew, it's an excellent choice for sports surfaces and patios and game rooms.
Noted for its luxurious, soft, cut-pile textures, polyester has excellent color clarity and retention. It is easily cleaned and is resistant to water-soluble stains.
Wool is best known for its luxury and performance. It is soft, has high bulk, and is available in many colors. Generally, wool is somewhat more expensive than synthetic fibers and is not recommended in areas where it can be subject to spills by little ones.
For information on wool, see www.canesis.com – New Zealand Wool.
Environmentally, the overall appearance and lasting quality of an installed carpet has a great deal to do with the cushion or "pad" below. A firm and resilient cushion is necessary for a good foundation for your carpet, increasing its comfort and extending its life by absorbing the impact of foot traffic. Additionally, it should be mentioned here that carpeting seals out drafts coming up from the floors. See www.canesis.com. Cushion or underpadding also adds insulation and reduces noise. There are a variety of pad materials and thicknesses. Underpadding should also be used with area carpeting as well. Check with your flooring professional as to the appropriate cushion for your carpet.
Two of the most frequently asked consumer questions are, "How much do I need?" and "What will it cost?" Carpet is sold by the square yard. To determine the approximate quantity of carpet needed, multiply the length of the room by its width in feet, and divide that figure by nine for square yardage. Add a safety factor of ten percent to account for room irregularities. For unusually shaped rooms and stairs, it is best to have your retailer or installer make final measurements. They will account for rooms with widths greater than the standard 12 feet and will include material required for hallways and closets, pattern matches and seam placement.
As for cost, there is a wide range. Carpet can be installed for as little as $6.99 or as much as $75 per yard. Average quality carpet will run between $16 and $25 per yard including pad and installation. Ask yourself how long you expect to keep your carpet before replacing it. A better grade of carpet will cost more, but will give you a greater length of service which could end up costing less in the long run.
Buy the best carpet you can afford for the heavy traffic areas. A medium grade will provide good service in rooms with less traffic.
One way to add interest to wall to wall carpeting is with the use of borders. Borders can be made from fabric, specialized borders or by carpeting of a the same brand but with a different colour, etc. When using carpet borders, it is helpful to first place your furniture on a furniture plan and then delineate areas where the borders of carpet can highlight different spatial areas. In the instance of a living room dining area in a room which runs lengthwise, a carpet border can be used to divide the space between the two different areas thus delineating different functions for each area.
Below see a sample of a cotton border with a leopard patterned carpet material.
Although a little hard to tell from this picture,
this border is a durable Cotton Sisal cloth
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Bruker Design Solutions, Inc. 1202 Lexington Ave. NY, NY 10028
Tel: New York [212] 452-1867, Montreal [514] 346-1533
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This site was designed by Stephanie Bruker.
Disclaimer: All images may not be used, copied or reproduced
without the permission of Bruker Design Solutions, Inc.
All rights reserved 2004.
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Bruker Design Solutions Inc: New York: Montreal: Westchester 
