What’s Hot in Summer Flooring Trends BY ELISABETH STUBBS
Homeowners are tackling home improvement projects this summer. Maybe you put off installing new flooring during the pandemic, because you didn’t want workers in your home, so now it’s on the top of your to-do list. If you planned on installing hardwoods, knowing what type of flooring is trending now might surprise you. It’s carpet! Carpet is like comfort food: familiar, cozy, warm. Not to mention, it’s affordable. Carpet is typically the flooring of choice for bedrooms and cold basements. If you love to play games on the floor with your kids, you’ll appreciate the softness of carpet. Popular looks include luxury cut loop patterns and Berber designs. Bold patterns often are chosen for staircases, and more subtle looks typically are chosen for other rooms in the home. Carpets with color flecks are popular choices, especially for active households. If you have kids and/or pets, be sure to take a look at triexta, a soft synthetic carpet fiber, also known as Sorona or SmartStrand. This style offers built-in, lifetime stain and soil resistance. It doesn’t wash or wear off, and it is easy to clean with just water. If you have allergies and have been told to stay away from carpet, the first step is pinpointing exactly what you are allergic to. If you have a chemical allergy, it may be latex. The latex that is used in carpet construction is one of the most common allergens for clients. Other allergens include volatile organic compounds (VOCs), dust and pollen. Depending on your allergy, here are new options that might work for you.
• No latex. Air.o by Mohawk
is latex-free, with no VOCs. Another option is PureBac carpet, recently launched by Dream Weaver, which contains no latex. 30
AROUND ACWORTH | August 2021
• Plant-based. SmartStrand
Forever Clean carpets are made with DuPont’s partially plant-based polymer, Sorona, which is free from harmful substances.
• Low VOCs. A wool carpet with a woven backing is low in VOCs, as there is no secondary backing, and wool is a proven air purifier. A synthetic fiber pad, or a rubber waffle pad, is the best choice for carpet cushion when VOCs are a concern. • Dust and pollen. A dense, tightly-woven carpet, cleaned often by a vacuum with a high efficiency particulate air filter, and occasionally professionally cleaned with a hot water extraction, can help combat dust and pollen allergies.
Carpet is also budget-friendly. Hard-surface floors, like luxury vinyl plank and hardwoods, are usually double the cost of new carpet, sometimes more. Most carpet is made in the U.S., so steep import charges do not apply. If it’s time to replace your flooring, don’t let the popularity of hardwoods deter you from choosing what you want. Carpet is in! Elisabeth Stubbs is one of the owners of Enhance Floors and More, one of Atlanta’s top-rated flooring dealers, located in Marietta.
