Carpet...

[Mireowl]

Moths and children have destroyed our carpets and I'm struggling to choose a replacement. We live in a mansion black and aren't allowed to have hard floors (how I long for floorboards!) so I'm looking for a man made carpets the moths won't eat and the kids can't destroy and that I don't hate.

It needs to be some sort of neutral as it will cover all rooms (except the bathroom and kitchen) but I'm feeling very blah and indecisive. We have whiteish walls and and something with a fleck, pattern...

Any suggestions for where I can look for something interesting?

Amtico, Karndean, etc? They are not noisy like wood or laminate, but can look like a wood or tiled floor.

I would love something like that but carpet is specified in our lease and when we come to sell we would have problems and if anyone complains before then we'd have to cover it with carpet . And the battle axe woman who lives downstairs would complain!!

I love the look of jute, sisal etc but think it would be too hard/uncomfortable and Google seems to suggest the bloody moths might eat that too.

Am I right in thinking sisal, etc must be glued to the floor?

Have started the process of choosing carpets ourselves and it is overwhelming - used to have a part wool part man-made carpet that looked sort-of like sisal in old house - that wore very well and wasn't destroyed by kids or moths. I loved it but DH thought it a bit hard and uncomfortable and I'm worried it would look too dated now (although plenty in carpet shops).

Recently looked in CarpetRight (I know it's not very exciting but has a good range and 0% interest free credit - and, I know too, that's factored into the cost but it's that or nothing!)

Has anyone got suggestions for other places or opinions of CarpetRight - the the past I used a local, independent shop that has now closed down.

I just did our whole house and went to an independent place they gave such good advice and the fitting and service was a million times better than carpet right 3 years earlier. I have 3 children and went for 100% polyprop but a high quality one. It's absolutely lovely, we've only had it for a few weeks but it's soft and comfortable.

Our make was Victoria carpets

Can you clean jute/sisal, and if so, how? I know they are hard wearing and look nice, but imd, not comfortable underfoot.

Argh, I've lost my message three times. So, briefly...

I haven't researched sisal as it's not suitable for our needs so am sure about cleaning installation etc.

I've ordered samples of a polypropylene 'sisal' from carpet right so we'll see what they're like, haven't used them before so I have opinion on their reliability. I've also seen some fab stone fibre (no idea what that is) carpets and I'll post the link in a mo.

Rootveg do you know which carpet you have? Victoria carpets seem to do quite a few polypropylene options.

The carpetright option www.carpetright.co.uk/natural-look-loop-pile-pattern-carpet

These are the stone fibre carpets www.hammercarpets.com/carpets/domestic?reset-filter-Backing=&Material=stonefiber&reset-filter-Construction=

Orlando is lovely but has white in it which I don't think is a great option with kids.

Jute/ sisal not a great option with kids. I had a jute rug once and it stains badly with water spills... Also incredibly uncomfortable underfoot.

perhaps I imagined it, but I think I heard about a synthetic jute/sisal. Wonder if that is more comfortable and/or possible to clean.

Does your lease say carpet or 'carpet or equivalent'?

We're in a maisonette and put down an underlay called 'acoustilay' under engineered oak floor. It provides better soundproofing against footsteps than carpet does, satisfied our lease and our downstairs neighbour's say they don't hear anything. Maybe worth asking your freeholder if that'd be ok, and then if you have written permission it won't be a problem when you sell?

I still rather wish I could have had original floorboards, as the oak looks 'new', but prefer it to carpet as a good compromise to keep happy neighbours.

I have Cormar Sensations in Taupe for my upstairs, it is lovely and soft and cleans easily. I will be getting it for the living room too now I have seen how good it is.

We have Carpetright's Sahara Berber in one of the grey colours. It is 60% polypropylene, 20% acrylic, and 20% wool and hair. It doesn't feel plasticky at all and looks lovely. They have it 25% off right now and you can haggle them down more, we did and I am rubbish negotiator.

We have it in our lounge and playroom. Do get the good underlay though as Berber carpet can feel hard if the underlay isn't good. We have had lots of compliments on it.

We have just had 100% polypropylene fitted on stairs & landing with a really expensive underlay & I'm really pleased with it so far.
80/20 looks nicer but polyprop can be bleached - I have a very spilly family so this was a big thing!

Ours is plain beigey colour but there are speckled ones too which look good

www.cormarcarpets.co.uk/product_primoplus/product_primoplus.php it's this one in Pebble