Choosing a carpet comes down to color and material

Carpet: The difference in what makes a house a home.

Fashionably speaking, people don't have to follow trends to dress up their homes.

When it comes to carpet, Steve Brociner, owner of Carpet Mill in East Hanover, takes the rugged individualist approach.

"Each family is different depending on size and traffic," he said. "And everyone has different taste. A couple starting out in an apartment will have different needs than a family with kids or pets."

In carpet-speak, that translates to color and material.

"Some people like nylon because it resists dirt," he said. "Others like wool because it cleans very well. But again it's about individual preference."

If your preference is to follow trends, then carpet diem this: In with color; out with solids. In with patterns; out with plush.

"People are going for more patterns such as floral or trellis," said Peter Kaufman, owner of Abbey Carpet Center in Succasunna. "They're moving away from the more plain or solids and going for more colors."

Berber, or looped carpet made from wool, nylon or olefin, has created a customer buzz, Brociner said.

"It has a utilitarian look," he said.

Rolling out the red, berber or trellis carpet isn't for everyone though.

Joy Nan Rodia, president of the Design Studio of Spaces in Morris Plains, has answered many calls for area rugs.

"The benefits of rugs over carpets is that there's no installation costs and they can be easily cleaned," she said. "They add warmth to a space and provide sound-proofing for hardwood floors."

Area rugs can tie elements of a room together or serve as the main focal point, she said.

"For example, if you have a large family room with a fire place and separate seating area you can use two rugs," she said. "You just have to color coordinate with the furniture and walls and make sure that the rugs are similar in design and color to themselves."

If you wouldn't wear plaids and polka dots, the same dress code rules apply to your floors.

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