Is carpet such a bad idea?

[GranolaHolmes]

For context, we've moved to a small 60s bungalow that currently has no flooring. No pets, kids are big. We will extend the bungalow next year.

Decisions need to be made even if temporary ones.

Is carpet such a bad idea?

Assuming it's not kitchen or bathrooms why would it be a bad idea?

Dust, dust mites, bugs, switched to hardfloors throughout and never looked back.

Rented several wood laminated flooded houses... They were cold and got dusty... Yuck... Made sure we installed carpet throughout when we bought, only have wood/laminate in hall, kitchen and bathrooms... Will never not have carpet. Everyone who has ever visited has commented on how lovely and cosy and comfortable our carpet is compared to their floors! Having a baby soon and couldn't bare it crawling around on hard cold floor Xx

Floored not flooded

Hard floor doesn’t get any more dusty than carpet though - the same amount of dust is there, it’s just easier to see and clean I always do carpet upstairs, hard floor downstairs. Means I’m no panicking over muddy wellies (looks at kids) vomit (looks at mums dog) and dropped glasses of red wine (looks at DH). I basically live with dirty animals. I’d never do carpet downstairs personally, but that doesn’t make it wrong. You should just get what you like, and what’s comfortable to you.

I'd just get a few rugs until the extension is finished.

Definitely a hard floor with large rugs for comfort. Because rugs are easily replaced if they are damaged or if you change decor.

For bedrooms - no.

Lots of people do a mixture so bedrooms, other rooms upstairs, upstairs hallways and stairs have carpet. There as downstairs rooms, main hallway, bathrooms, kitchens and utility rooms have hard floors.

Carpets provide sound insulation as well as warmth.

Exactly @SherlocksDeerstalker it’s the same amount of dust, but having to hoover hardwood flooring more often, doesn’t make carpet sucking up 3 weeks worth of dust/skin etc before you hoover anything more hygienic

Sorry I forgot I started this thread.

I have since at least found the floor in the living room.

It feels like carpet would be easiest to do because the doors and skirting are cut for carpet already so less disruption required.

And carpet cosy in the bedroom but would be odd to have just carpeted bedrooms in a bungalow wouldn't it?

I like the idea of wood or bamboo floors but might be better to wait until the extension is done and then do the whole house in one go.

One option is to paint the current floorboards and use rugs for the time being.

Don't underestimate the amount of dust/dirt involved in building an extension, all of which will somehow end up on/in your carpets, even if proper barriers are used. Live with painted floors with cheap rugs for now. Later, you'll have lived with hard floors in the bungalow, so you'll have more of a feel for what you really want......without wrecking the carpets in the meantime. I have a dislike of carpets ever since I worked for a commercial cleaning company and learned how much crud an apparently clean carpet can harbour!

This is all really helpful advice.
We've only been in one day so have some time to decide.

Think I'll buy some slippers.

I have engineered wood floors downstairs and yes you do see the dust more because the carpet isn't "eating" it. We bought a cheap robot hoover which is programmed to zoom about every morning and my house has never been so clean. You would probably benefit from one living in a bungalow.

There are patches which are colder but that's typically around where vents are.

FWIW I don't think it's odd to have a mix of carpet and wood floors. Heck, chuck some tiles in as well!

The bathroom is tiled.

It seems we have a whole house full of woodchip wallpaper to scrape off before we can even start on the floors.

And the kids have already started spilling drinks on the floorboards.

Hard floors are awful. Uncomfortable and cold. Even rugs aren't great, no underlay means they're not that soft. Kitchen and bathroom fine, but carpet everywhere else.

I don't find hard floors either uncomfortable or cold. They are so much more hygienic than carpets too.

I much prefer carpet, but it seems topsy turvey to carpet a new home and then start decorating, even, let alone having an extension.

Carpets are surely the last thing to go down.

DH wanted engineered wood downstairs. Friend has all engineered wood in her home. We have mostly carpet.

DH is never cold & sleeps thru all noise. Friend's place is noisy & I'm always cold when I'm there. In British climate, mostly carpets suits me best. We do have part hard flooring downstairs, areas where we need to wear outdoor shoes.

I’ve a single-storey cottage. Wood floors in kitchen/dining, living room and hallway. Tiles in bathroom, carpets in bedrooms. Personally I don’t think it’s jarring to have different flooring in different rooms even in a bungalow, and quite like a difference between “bits you sleep in” and “public” bits.

It’s really just personal choice and slightly dependent on size/layout of rooms, though.

You're right it will likely be the last thing we do. I'm trying to plan ahead so I have a vision of the final look as we go along.

It does seem to be a personal choice doesn't it, with everyone having different opinions. Good ol' Mumsnet.

I like the look of hard floors but they’re too loud for my liking. We have wooden floor in hall/kitchen/diner and tiles in bathroom and utility. Everywhere else carpet.

A mixture is best. Lounges and bedrooms are much nicer with carpet and it deadens sound also. Get a robot hoover/mop if that's an issue for you.

With older kids and no pets, carpet is a fair choice. I may consider it for bedrooms particularly as it's warmer. However personally I really prefer wood/laminate flooring. Just because it's much easier to clean.

I’ve just bought a little 1960s bungalow too, for DF to move into. I’d like to put in a beautiful herringbone parquet floor, to go with the sixties lines, but DF is adamant he wants carpet. His call, as he’ll be living there, but as he is a person who doesn’t believe in taking shoes off, ever, and this is a very muddy village, I am cringing a bit.

ClapTrap - be v careful of how much a trip & slip hazard rugs on hard floors are for infirm people, but also just HOW SLIPPERY wet wooden floors can be. I’m sure you’re aware of those risks already, but it’s surprising how quickly “old age” can strike!