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What colour carpet

(28 Posts)
seasider Mon 30-Sept-13 00:00:37

Hi . we have just "inherited" two chocolate Italian leather sofas. Never had leather before so can I ask the best way to clean and protect them please. We are hoping that now OH has got some work we can afford an inexpensive new carpet so any ideas which colour would go best? We bought a very pale carpet last time which did not mix well with kids and a dog so need something more practical

Greenfinch Fri 16-May-14 14:00:07

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stuartkweston Fri 16-May-14 13:52:50

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Anne58 Wed 19-Mar-14 14:10:29

We have a large dark chocolate leather corner thingy, wooden floor, large flokati rug between the coffee table and the fireplace, large dense pile pure wool rug with geometric block colours on the section of the floor as you walk into the room.

The curtains are cream, but have an interesting texture. Various cushions added to the sofa, inc. a couple in a sort of burnt orange (a colour I would normally hate, but it works)

gettingonabit Wed 19-Mar-14 12:43:35

Chocolate sofas-lovely! I think I'd think outside the box on this one. I'd ignore the biscuitty shades or brown and go for something like a teal/ turquoise blue. Light enough not to show too many stains, but enough personality to look bland.

Otherwise, I'd go for wood or otherwise hard floor and rugs.

rosequartz Mon 10-Mar-14 19:31:23

DH knew someone who needed new carpet for the reception area of some offices/factory. He asked the salesman to fit a white carpet. The salesman protested but the manager was adamant, so a white carpet was fitted. Six months later the manager called the carpet salesman back in, and said "I need another carpet". The salesman said, "well I could have told you so!" The manager said "see the colour of that carpet now? Well, that's the exact shade I want you to fit."

Supposed to be a true story.

SamanthaQueen Mon 10-Mar-14 12:36:06

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rosesarered Fri 17-Jan-14 11:00:07

Yes, it's the best option I think, and glad that we did it, other than hoovering it I never worry about stains now [used to be down on hands and knees before as so many spot stains.]The mid brown flecky effect is the best. Of course you do need brighter soft furnishings, but if you don't want to buy new sofas etc then buy bright throws, cushions.We did consider going 'all wood' with floors, but don't like the slight echo-y feeling and they do need more regular cleaning than carpets.Carpets feel cosier too.We also have a lot of light oak furniture, and it would have felt overbearingly woody I think.

Elenkalubleton Fri 10-Jan-14 18:53:11

Yes thanks, the present carpet has got scotchguard but I used a carpet cleaner the sort you hire and I think the scotchguard came off.ihave to say that after I shampood it the water was hardly dirty.not like the previous carpet which was man made the water was absolutely filthy!Even though I'm fit and well at age 66i don't want the worry of stains, it is living/dining room,so is well used.think I might go for medium pile stain resist.

rosesarered Fri 10-Jan-14 17:59:35

We had the same treatment done. the modern carpets are more forgiving of stains generally. We got the medium pile, not the shortest and certainly not the deepest , as where you walk WILL leave tracks that way like a path through grass effect.

Anne58 Fri 10-Jan-14 17:33:00

Back again!

Found quite a few bits of info, here is just 1

uk.ask.com/question/scotchguard-carpet-protector

Anne58 Fri 10-Jan-14 17:22:28

I think that it is possible to get a good quality carpet (like your 80/20 mix) and then have it treated. It used to be Scotchguard or something.

I'll have a quick google!

Elenkalubleton Fri 10-Jan-14 15:37:21

We need new carpet the one that's down is 14 years old and very light colour
I still like it but looking a bit worn now.It is 80/20 wool nylon. Has been spot cleaned and comes up well.But always a worry when wines around! My problem is I fancy the stain resistant carpets that are around,but the one in the spare room / office / junk room has one,it's gone very flat where OH sits at the computer.The man in the carpet shop said if I get one with a longer plusher pile it will leave track marks where it's walked on most? But the shorter flatter pile looks a bit cheap for main room.Dont know what to do?has anyone got advice please.

rosesarered Wed 08-Jan-14 12:26:56

I know this is kind of a lapsed thread, but we got a mid brown slightly flecked carpet for lounge and hall because we were so tired of cleaning stains off a lighter coloured carpet. That was last Summer, and the only time we needed to clean a stain was 2 nights ago when DH managed to chuck half a glass of red wine on it. We mopped up with kitchen towel [lots] and then lightly cleaned with Fairy Liquid and water. You wouldn't know that there had ever been a stain there now, brilliant!

danialhenrry Fri 20-Dec-13 04:24:34

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seasider Tue 01-Oct-13 07:39:45

Thanks everybody looking forward to shopping now. Love the idea of blue/green but a Berber may work better. Your story really made me smile Stansgran smile

gracesmum Mon 30-Sept-13 15:25:45

Stansgran I wonder what the colour was called " Coffee tea and beer mix"?? grin I used to have a berber and as you say, it showed very little! (Feet sticking to the floor before I realised I needed to hoover!)

kittylester Mon 30-Sept-13 14:21:55

GM, I think you're back to the berber. It's great as I can't tell whether it's a mess or not grin

Gally Mon 30-Sept-13 13:45:52

I have dark brown leather sofas reclining on a duck egg bluey/green carpet. I love it, but I am very strict on the consumption of red wine in that room and definitely no food and I waited until the dog, with long black fur, had gone to her maker before it was installed grin. The sofas certainly wouldn't go with a dark carpet - Gracesmum's idea sounds good if you really can't go for a plain pale coloured one.

Stansgran Mon 30-Sept-13 13:29:08

My MIL needed new carpet so took a piece of A4 threw coffee ,tea and beer at it and rubbed some cake into it. She let it dry and took it in to John Lewis. She ended up with a rather interesting flecked tweedy carpet, much lighter than I would have expected. I've done the same for a refurbished guest room.

gracesmum Mon 30-Sept-13 13:03:33

I'd go for a sort of vague beige with biscuit crumbs splattered over flecks of brown in it, neutral but not boring . And I'd also have at least 2 spray bottle s of Vanish carpet cleaner/1001 carpet cleaner handy in the kitchen!

glammanana Mon 30-Sept-13 08:36:24

I do agree with the lighter colour carpet with sofa's being so dark a shade depending on the size of the room you may be able to get a small pattern depending on your taste,I have two large brown sofa's in my lounge but lighten the room with a big glass coffee table and two huge mirrors,I don't have carpets but wooden floors in a light oak the only place I have carpet is in the bedroom and that is a mid brown with a cream dottie pattern running through which lighten's it up quite a bit but is still easy on the eye.

Iam64 Mon 30-Sept-13 07:38:44

Another snap Mice - I chose a very light carpet for our sitting room when the children were at university, and I had this mistaken notion we were free of things being spilled on it. Big Mistake - they came home of course, had parties, knocked over red wine, spilt curry - I've just given it another good cleaning. It's a Berber next time - sounds fun seaside

kittylester Mon 30-Sept-13 07:15:06

Snap, * miceelf*. We've just had a new Berber carpet to go with a grey/brown sofa. The only problem is that the loops can get caught on the claws or picked at by pets. I love the texture and mixture of colours.

MiceElf Mon 30-Sept-13 06:54:11

Your carpet does need to be fairly light otherwise the room will look oppressive. You could consider a Berber carpet which is a mix of neutral shades ranging from cream to a much darker stone. John Lewis have a good selection. The dirt will be the same but it doesn't show so much on textured fabrics or floor coverings.

Ariadne Mon 30-Sept-13 06:23:12

I have seen dark brown furniture on a pale green carpet, and it looked good. You do need a light colour, I think, because the dark leather stuff can easily dominate.

(Best carpet I ever had for not showing the muck was in a married quarter in the late 70s - a swirly pub type carpet in reds, yellows and oranges. It was just living with it that was difficult!)