To carpet or to laminate and can I also ask you about headboards?!

6 years ago

last modified: 6 years ago

Hi Lovely Houzzers

I am in a real dilemma with my flooring, 50 year old carpets now gone and no idea whether to carpet or laminate and use area rugs instead

I have 2 other rooms to carpet as well and they belong to a 7 and 9 year old who keep forgetting to remove their shoes! I have been reading about the Danish Hygge and the consensus is the Danes would never entertain carpets for hygiene purposes and they of course have a colder climate! Every designer home I see on Netflix does not have carpets but then the few friends I have asked said they would carpet the areas to make them more cosy. What do you think?

Now on to the headboard, sorry for double post wanting advice! I wanted a large, upholstered one but the supplies all say they are made from mdf/chipboard and I am not that wild about being that close to formaldehyde for 8 hours a night! Wondering about getting a slatted, real wood one in cream but not sure if it would work with the room

I regret the divan bed purchase (and the valance, groan!) but if anyone has a solution to make it look less twee, I am all ears!!!!

Thanks in advance :-)

Featured Answer

Daisy England

6 years ago

Don't worry about what's in MDF or chipboard for headboards. It's fine. We made all our own at home and son has too. Used MDF and thick foam on all of them. Hubby and son both suffer from asthma and have had no side effects. By doing this you can have whatever size and fabric you want. Great opportunity.

I'm going to go against the grain here. I like to see wooden floors in hallways, dinning rooms and kitchen areas (Karndean type) but just don't like to see them in lounges and it's definitely a no in the bedroom. Kids like to sit on the floor in their rooms so for me it will always be carpet. Perhaps a dark grey would be suitable?

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Comments (19)

minnie101
6 years ago
Hi. Personally I’d stick with the floorboards and add rugs. You could look st organic carpets for your room but would check how comfortable they are to walk on. I definitely wouldn’t have carpet for kids rooms, cork may be a practical alternative, if you don’t want floorboards in there. No expert but doesn’t laminate also potentially contain formaldehyde? Google “headboards “ under stories on here and there are lots of options for a headboard. If you wanted something upholstered id give a piece of wood to a local upholster or give it a go yourself!

[https://www.houzz.co.uk/magazine/why-a-scene-stealing-headboard-could-make-your-bedroom-makeover-stsetivw-vs~95112309[(https://www.houzz.co.uk/magazine/why-a-scene-stealing-headboard-could-make-your-bedroom-makeover-stsetivw-vs~95112309)
design novice thanked minnie101
A B
6 years ago
Mattresses I believe also contain nasty chemicals don’t they? Agree I’d keep the floor boards they look great. Do you need a valance? If so there are more formal ones you can buy (like in hotel rooms) that might suit the room better.
design novice thanked A B
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PRO
User
6 years ago
I would agree with Daisy England - carpet is much nicer underfoot in the bedrooms [and upstairs in general - it muffles overhead noise, especially footsteps]. But if you want to go without, I would stick with the floorboards, or, if they are not in good condition, consider engineered wood. Laminate is cold and slippy, and you need to go for the top end for it to look anything other than cheap. Rugs need a proper underlay too to stop them slipping and can be a trip hazard at night [been there, got the bruises....]

As for the head board, my upholsterer makes them without MDF - see if you can find one locally who can make one for you that is wood based. You could do it deep buttoned in a velvet in a mid taupe colour which would add texture and warmth [two key hygge attributes!] to what is quite a cool coloured room. A faux fur throw would add to it. Then crisp it up by using a stretch valance rather than a loose one and possibly by using housewife style pillowcases rather than the Oxford ones shown.
design novice thanked User
design novice
Original Author
6 years ago
Thank you so much to you all. Minnie 101 and Read Interiors, I will definitely contact an upholsterer and ask them to make one with wood. Really appreciate the advice. One more question, do you get your upholsterer to make one with struts or a floor standing one? Is there a difference aesthetically?

Jen P thanks I am going to go and look for a nicer valance, I didn't realise you can get stretch valances,Read Interiors, sounds like this will be a vast improvement!

Daisy England, I am still torn as to what to do. I had a carpet person come round yesterday who advised me against a lightish coloured one due to the black dust which collects around the edges which he said is impossible to clean. That did put me off somewhat, yet I think it would finish the room off and make it look more finished. Also as it is a bungalow the kids invariably run in with their shoes on. I think if it was upstairs I would definitely put carpet in. Dear oh dear I still cannot decide!!!! The floorboards are quite gappy and with a few extra cuts in places and I am not sure if they would suit the space.

Read Interiors, love the hygge advice and am going to definitely incorporate those suggestions :-)
Sam Potter
6 years ago
Sand and paint floors. get a huge rug that leaves a border round the edge of the room. solve valance nightmare with very big bedspread/throw
design novice thanked Sam Potter
PRO
User
6 years ago
You can fix headboards in 3 ways - use the struts on the back of the mattress, floor standing [though this can be a pain with skirting boards] or wall fix. A good upholsterer will do any of those for you. A wall fixed one means you have to ensure the head board is in exactly the right place before you fix [natch!!] and then if the bed moves a bit, it has to be pushed back in line. But it makes for easy bed making and would be my choice. I'd not worry about the black edges to a light coloured carpet - you rarely notice it, unless you've gone for cream or white [eek!] and it takes years to develop. Ask friends with light coloured carpets - I bet they haven't noticed it, or worry about it. Try something like Cormar Home Counties in Italian Stone. Get a free sample from www.cormarcarpets.co.uk. It's widely available, though sometimes under different names, but your carpet suppliers will know it
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Juliet Docherty
6 years ago
I have sisal flooring on stairs and landing as it has the cosiness of carpet but keeps it's looks. Plus, food and spills aren't an issue on stairs generally. I have kids and have engineered extra wide plank wood floors with ebay vintage rugs. There are lots of rug sellers out there and so many amazing rugs that cost less than new ones and are often much nicer. Cork is also great for kid's rooms and there are now lots of options there.
design novice thanked Juliet Docherty
Sonia
6 years ago
I lived with floorboards and rugs for years in the bedrooms but i hated it. It was so cold! We finally treated ourselves to wool carpets in all the bedrooms and is it lovely - springy and cosy rather than hard and cold! As suggested, you could go for a darker colour carpet for the children’s rooms, or keep to floorboards and rugs in their rooms. Children don’t seem to feel the cold as much as we do!
design novice thanked Sonia
Daisy England
6 years ago
Just a thought ... If you're worried about dirty marks on the carpet invest in a carpet cleaner. I have a Vax one and it's brilliant. Needed to clean my lounge carpet and to hire one was half the cost of purchasing one so I bought one. I've used it twice so have recouped the cost as opposed to hiring. The Vax one is around £80 and the carpet is more or less dry the minute you've finished working on it as long as you suck up the water sufficiently.
design novice thanked Daisy England
Vicki Phillips
6 years ago
The stretch wraps are Belledorm and available in four colour options with a suede effect finish. No ironing needed. Linen colour maybe of interest.

Have had both wood floorboards, stripped and stained with rugs as well as carpet. Both good but carpet would be my choice for comfort and warmth as well as noise. As advised there are numerous carpets now available which can be washed and even bleached. I have only found the dark lines around the edge of my cream carpets where I have not been so diligent with the vacuum otherwise not a problem.
design novice thanked Vicki Phillips
Angie
6 years ago
The last time we had carpet fitted they recommended we have a layer of paper-like stuff fitted under the underlay to stop dust coming through to make black marks round the edges. It had a special name which I forget but it was very effective and we never had marks round the edges, even though I'm not always diligent with the vacuum cleaner. In this house we only have carpet on the stairs and landing which works well for us plus a rug in the sitting room. But we no longer have children at home.
Agree with comment about fixing headboard to these all. That's our plan for the guest room. I don't like a slatted headboard as its not comfortable when sitting up in bed.
design novice thanked Angie
Angie
6 years ago
Edit - fitting headboard to the wall...
sam irwin
6 years ago
Carpets all the way. Original pine floorboards in homes are too noisy (especially when you’re below the bedroom) It’s so lovely stepping out onto carpet in the morning. Definitely laminate in the kids bedrooms. My kids have rugs between their beds with laminate but when kids get a tummy bug they don’t always make it to the bathroom so for that reason we had to get rid of carpet in their rooms until they’re older.
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Copper Dust
6 years ago
A big no-no with carpets, the floor looks great as is, I would opt for getting a medium size rug if you would like a cosier feeling.
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Cour Interior Design
6 years ago
Agreed that floorboards can be noisy, but a large rug can add a classy look and it can also be taken with you if you decide to move. Just remember to go very large with a rug, ensuring that it goes under the bed and bedside cabinets and reaches right up to the wardrobes, otherwise it will just look like it's been dropped onto the floor.
design novice thanked Cour Interior Design
design novice
Original Author
6 years ago
Thank you so much for all your comments, really kind of you.

Read Interiors will take your advice and get a wall mounted headboard, will start calling upholsterers tomorrow to get prices.

Daisy, yes I do have a vax from the last house and the newer models are much better than the previous ones in terms of drying times.

Vicki thanks for the name of the stretch valance as I couldn't find them on Google apart from on House of Fraser but they have limited colours and were pretty pricey at £100 or so!

Angm, funnily enough I had this conversation with the carpet man as when I lifted the 50 year old carpet I noticed there was paper down and he explained that was why. He said it was also a good idea to tape any joins in underlay as well as the carpet but said a lot of fitters don't do this.

Forzaitalia and Sam appreciate the insights and very interesting given your experiences

Corbridge Interior design interesting point re rug and sizing

I am still torn!!!! But I am probably moving towards carpets.

I think the pics make the floor look better than it is! Noise wouldn't be a problem as we are in a bungalow, which is why I am concerned about the kids walking into their rooms on carpet having forgotten to take their shoes off!

If it was upstairs I would definitely go with carpet!

Aargh decisions, decisions!
PRO
User
6 years ago
Good luck! Every decision has its pluses and minuses, the key is not to agonise too much. As for valances - try Amazon, search divan wrap valance. I've not used them, but have seen them there
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PRO
Cormar Carpets
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Hi there, what a lovely decorating scheme you have for your bedroom! We’d suggest choosing a carpet for your home as when the mornings are cold, nothing beats the feel of a soft and snuggly carpet on icy toes. Coming in to a warm and welcoming house is the pinnacle of luxury. While you do need to whip the vacuum cleaner over your carpet, there is little other maintenance compared to the upkeep of hard wood floors or laminates. And if you buy one of our easy clean ranges (Sensation, Apollo and Primo collections which you can find here https://www.cormarcarpets.co.uk/types_easy_clean.php ), cleaning becomes less of a chore - plus you have the added reassurance of a 10 year stain and wear warranty. Not only does carpet absorb up to 10 times more sound than hard flooring but it generates less too. Carpet also prevents allergens from becoming airborne by trapping them in the fibres of the carpet, helping to keep them out of the air and out of your lungs. Vacuuming the carpet then removes the trapped allergens completely. Hope that helps!

To carpet or to laminate and can I also ask you about headboards?!

Daisy England

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