Your Carpet and Your Personality Type

When it’s time to choose the right carpet for your home, look in the mirror. If it reflects a room with unattractive floors, it’s definitely time to get a nice new carpet. Once you’ve decided that for sure, though, look at yourself. The type of person you are determines what lifestyle you lead. The lifestyle you lead at home determines the best carpet for your space.

Choose the personality profile that fits you best, and find the right carpet for you:

The Entertainer
Are you checking your reflection on the way out to the next cocktail party? Soon it’ll be your turn to host, and you’ll want a carpet that will stand up to traffic from minglers and wallflowers alike. A sturdy level loop cut pile carpet can handle high heels and high traffic without wearing down. Look for stain-resistant nylon carpets in darker colors to camouflage spilled wine, or be prepared to institute a clear cocktails only rule.

The Parent
The pitter-patter of little feet will be blessedly muffled by a carpeted floor, but that doesn’t mean your worries are over. Shop around for carpets that are thick and textured enough to mask footprints, like frieze or multi-level loop carpeting. Kids’ rooms are also a good place to consider large, room-spanning area rugs. You can find area rugs with kid-friendly designs like cartoon characters, and once they’re past the cartoons and spilling everything stage, their room will still have a great stain-free carpet underneath.

The Homebody
If your home activities include channel surfing, reading under the lamp, and reveling in the glorious quiet, then you can have your choice of carpeting. Cut loop pile carpet is great for informal areas like dens or living rooms. If you want a cushier walk from the recliner to the fridge, try Saxony plush carpeting. Reading rooms look great with lighter carpets to pick up the sunlight, and a deeper-colored carpet in a den can bring a cozy feel.

The Hedonist
It’s Saxony plush carpet all the way for those who value the good things in life. This thick, luxurious carpet is perfect for walking on barefoot, and it looks great in all areas of the home from formal to informal. Step up the luxe factor even further by getting your Saxony plush carpet in a pale, rich shade like beige or champagne. Hedonism doesn’t include a whole lot of cleaning, so make sure you get a carpet with the maximum level of stain resistance.

Source : findanyfloor.com

What you should know about carpets

Let's get down to the bottom of it all and talk more about carpets. After all, buying carpet is an investment that will hopefully last a long time, giving comfort and ambiance during its lifetime.

So let's get started on the whats, whys and hows:

First, check the quality: There are two ways to do this: The finger press check and the smile check.

durability of a carpet: often depends on the density, resilience and weight of the pile. If you press your finger into the pile and it recovers quickly, it is a quality carpet.

Another test is to take the carpet sample and bend it backward. Do the fibers spread in a big "smile" so the backing is easily visible? If the answer is yes, the quality isn't too good.

Short, dense carpets are the most durable. Long strands and big loops may look bulky, but are of less weight and therefore of less durability.
The underlayment of a carpet is important, too. If foam padding is used, check the quality. Your finger becomes the tester again. Rub the foam with medium pressure. If it crumbles a little, reject it. Most experts consider rubber padding as the best support for the carpet, as it is resilient and durable and won't rub the backing off the carpet.


Now for some carpet terminology:

Berber: Originally this carpet was a looped-pile carpet in a natural, undyed wool. Currently, Berber is any looped or nubby carpet in any fiber and it comes in many colors.

Broadloom: Any carpet wider than 6 feet qualifies as a broadloom. The most common size is 12 feet wide, though 9-foot, 13-foot and even 18-foot widths are available.

Body carpet: This is the baby brother of the broadloom. It is only 6 feet wide. The body carpet is used in corridors, stairs and for awkward-shaped areas.

Bonded: The fibers are bonded into an adhesive base. This type of carpet is often of superlative quality.

Cut pile: Here the strands of fiber are cut rather than looped into a carpet.

Looped pile: Uncut loops. That was a tough one to describe.

Tufted: The individual fibers are punched into the base material. This pile may be looped or cut.

Source: the daily journal

How to Choose Your New Carpet

If you want both great style and lasting durability, there are several important factors to consider.

1. Foot Traffic
Where are you putting this carpet? Is it a high traffic area such as a hallway, a child’s room, or a family room? This is one of the most important considerations in choosing your new carpet.
There are many different fibers and methods of construction in today’s carpet industry, allowing you to have just the right carpet for each area of your home based on specific needs. It makes sense to choose a very durable carpet for the highest traffic areas so the wear and tear won’t show right away. Great choices might include a nylon carpet which is made of exceptionally durable fibers and is the most popular of today’s choices.

2. Style
Are you more interested in a carpet that will easily blend into your décor and become a subtle background for your room, or would you rather make a bold statement with your carpet that complements your furnishings and window treatments? The choice is surely yours and the options are many!
It’s important to think about how long you intend to stick with your carpet choice and choose wisely when it comes to color, patterns, and textures. Today’s carpet industry is far more sophisticated than in years past. You can find carpet in almost any imaginable style today with color choices that range from bright and bold to subtle and sophisticated.
Carpet with designs, patterns, and textures can provide just the right backdrop to create the atmosphere you want. Just be sure you can live with your choices for a while if you step out of the box when making your selection!

3. Durability
What is the specific need for each room you are carpeting? If you choose very durable fibers you can expect your carpet to last much longer. However, if you’re placing carpet in an area that won’t be used often, this consideration is not nearly so important. If you choose the right type of carpet for each room in your home, you should enjoy your carpet for many years.

Your primary options include nylon, olefin, polyester, acrylic, wool, or blends.

Nylon:
Is today’s most popular choice, offering resilience and resistance to stains and soils.

Olefin:
Is another popular choice because of its resistance to stains, static electricity, and moisture.

Polyester:
Is good choice and has a luxurious appearance, is easily cleaned, and is resistant to water-soluble
stains.
Acrylic:
Provides a beautiful appearance of wool with a less expensive price tag.
Wool:
Is the most luxurious of all carpeting choices but isn’t the most practical for a young family with children or high traffic areas.
Carpet Blends:
Such as acrylic/olefin and nylon/olefin are also options.

Choose Carpet that Really Works for You and Your Family
Depending on your specific needs, there are great carpet choices for you and your family – choices that will fit your lifestyle, your sense of fashion and your budget. If you do a little research before you buy, you’ll know your investment will pay off and provide the style and comfort you want for you and your family.
Once you’ve explored your carpet options, be sure to consider the care and maintenance required to keep your carpet looking attractive before you make your purchase. Choose carpet that requires the type of care you have time to provide. With normal cleaning and care, you and your family should be able to enjoy your carpet for a very long time.

Source: Direct Buy

Carpet safe? Check the label

For many years now, there's been a big concern over healthy interiors and with good reason. The air you breathe affects your health and indoor air has claim to most of the hours in your day.

Many articles have been written about pollutants in paints, wallpaper, adhesives, flooring, air coming through the air-conditioning system, plastics that emit toxins -- and the list goes on. The causes for the pollutants are many but the most talked about seems to be volatile organic compounds.

One product that draws attention in the polluting category is carpet. Many are concerned with pollutants that might be found in carpeting, particularly a brand-new carpet and the padding and adhesives used, but upon closer examination, this actually isn't always the case.

''Carpet is a safe, cost-effective and fashionable choice for many indoor settings,'' said Alexander Peykar, a leader in today's floor-covering market. Actually, according to the Carpet and Rug Institute, carpet is one of the lowest emitters of volatile organic compounds.

''Green'' seems to be the latest buzzword in interior design and many manufacturers strive to attain ''green'' status. To achieve ''green'' status for carpets, adhesives and padding, the Carpet and Rug Institute offers an in-depth testing program, called Green Label/Green Label Plus, to identify healthier carpet and rug options.

A Green Label indicates that a rug or carpet (plus, cushioning and adhesives) is emitting the lowest level of volatile organic compounds possible and indicates that a product is one of the industry's best for indoor air quality.

So, is your carpet making you sick? Check to see if it has been awarded the Green Label/Green Label Plus bill of health. If it is an old carpet, you will need to call the manufacturer. If you are purchasing a new carpet, the information should be on the label or the salesperson should be able to verify the 'greenness'' for you.

BY ROSEMARY SADEZ FRIEDMANN

Experts say don't cut corners when choosing a carpet

First, there are several types and textures.

"You have cut pile. You have loop carpets. You have twisted carpets, friezes. You have shag carpets," explained Larry Chiprut of ABC Carpet and Home. "Each one has to be used for individual applications. One is not better than another; it's a matter of individual preference and it's a matter of how you want your room to look."

The pile is the height of the carpet. A more plush, high-pile carpet will be softer under your feet and offer a luxurious feel. A low pile or flat-weave type will offer a more contemporary look.

Also think about fabric. Wool is the standard, the best of the best, but there are the synthetic fibers, like nylon and polypropylene, which are durable and will last a long time.

"Then you have the sisal fibers and the natural fibers, which are made from anything from cocoa plants to abaca, which is a banana plant, and those are the sisal fabrics used today and are very, very popular," said Chiprut.

Another option in carpeting that is very popular is eco-friendly carpeting. Some texture options are all natural, which is wool that has no dyes or chemicals and is held together by a natural adhesive, or you could go with a synthetic that is made of recycled materials or a corn product.
Experts say the true test of quality is density, which is the amount of yarn per square yard. Just touch the carpet and look at the bottom to see how tightly woven it is. The tighter it is, the better the quality.

Once you pick the carpet, make sure you have the appropriate padding.

"If you are looking to buy a flat-weave type of carpet and achieve that look, stay with that type of pad; stay with a flat pad," said Chiprut. "Don't mix a soft, spongy pad with a flat carpet just to get a soft feel. You are not accomplishing anything. If you want a softer feel, buy a softer, plusher carpet."

Lastly, experts say the key to carpeting is really the installation. Make sure you use a craftsman who will do it well, because its one area where you don't want to cut corners.

DOMOTEX Middle East The latest in Carpets and Floor Coverings!

DOMOTEX Middle East is the region's leading trade show for carpets and floor coverings. It is the event for discovering new trends, sourcing inspiration and smart ideas!
A highly international field of flooring suppliers will present to you the latest flooring products and solutions for the Middle East market. This year's edition will have the broadest range of products ever.
The two special events Designers Corner and Creative Flooring will bring you up-to-date with the latest in interior design and floor laying techniques.

MAC Carpet will participate in Domotex Dubai 2008

MAC Carpet has announced that it will participate in Domotex Dubai 2008 as a leading global supplier of custom printed carpets and rugs. Applying high technology and emphasizing quality led it to gain a distinguished position in American, European and Far Eastern markets. MAC Carpet products are available through many world-class retailers, e.g.. Wal-Mart, Ikea, Tesco, etc.

In its home country MAC Carpet figures as one of Egypt's top exporters, with more than 90% of all its total production going to some 107 countries. The company's corporate headquarters and main manufacturing facilities are located in Tenth-of- Ramadan City, the largest industrial estate in the Middle East. In total, its plants occupy a surface area of 520.000 square meters employing 5,600 people.

MAC Carpet produces a wide variety of soft flooring products. Its current product portfolio includes door and kitchen mats, bathroom mats and sets, outdoor mats, car mats, children rugs and mats, area rugs, club rugs, advertising floor panels, wall-to-wall carpets, runners and artificial turf.


MAC Carpet is an affiliate of the highly diversified Oriental Weavers Group, one of the largest conglomerates in Egypt. Other members of the group include Oriental Weavers Carpet Company, The Modern Carpet Company, Oriental Weavers International, 10th of Ramadan Spinning industries, Egyptian Fibers Company, Oriental Weavers Fibers Company, Oriental Petrochemical Company, and Oriental Weavers Rug Manufacturing Co. I,nc.. USA.

For more information about MAC Carpet visit;www.maccarpet.com