Tag Archives: carpeting

Choosing the Right Carpeting

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design center 3What factors are important when choosing the right carpeting for your home? Most people want a lighter tone so that it doesn’t make their home feel too dark. But you don’t want to go too light so that it doesn’t show the dirt too easily. But beyond that, what should you look for? Here are a few things to consider.

Stain resistance: Will the carpeting have to stand up to children or pets? If so, look for something that will recover from spills with an easy wipe up. There are special carpeting techniques that include overdying and stain-proof coatings that make carpeting almost completely stain-proof. Talk to your designer about the specifics of the maintenance requirements of whatever carpeting you choose. It may be worth a higher price to get carpeting that will withstand the onslaught of a tough audience.

Durability & finish: Are there certain rooms that will have to withstand heavy traffic? If so, certain types of carpeting handle that demand better than others. For example you may be tempted by the soft feel of plush carpeting, but its tendency to show every footprint means that in a high-traffic area you will find yourself vacuuming constantly to keep it looking nice. Instead, you may want to choose a more forgiving option.

Color: Although most people select a neutral tone, carpeting often has an underlying color. Make sure your choice works well with other colors you may use in your home. Be sure to bring your final choice into natural light to see how the color looks in daylight and with your tile, paint and cabinet selections. After all, you will be living with your choices for a long time. Make sure everything coordinates well together.

Just the Right Neutral

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Carpet Design Center 055Most people want neutral carpeting, but how do you choose the right neutral for your new home? Here are a few tips to help you define your best choice.

Choose carpeting later: There is such a large selection for neutral carpeting that you can find a shade and tone to work with any décor. So if your new home has an open floor-plan spend time first on those options that have fewer choices such as cabinetry or countertops. Then bring samples of your choices along when you select your carpeting.

004 carpetingNarrow your search: Select three or four samples of carpeting and pull them away from the rest. Your favorite may pop out at you once you see your selections together.

Look for contrast: Is your furniture dark? A lighter carpeting choice will showcase your décor more effectively. On the other hand, if you have light colors in your home, darker carpeting can add drama. Overall, balancing dark and light creates a more interesting look.

Pull a color out of your upholstery fabric: Are there any prints highlighted in your home? Look for a neutral tone that you could pull out to integrate your furniture with your flooring more effectively. Guests may not notice the connection consciously, but your home will feel more coordinated.

Connect your carpeting with your paint choice. When you visit the Fulton Design Center, you have an interesting selection of neutral palettes to choose from for custom paint for your walls, and you may find it easier to make a paint choice first and then use that tone to determine the best carpeting for your new home.

Fulton Homes Design Online – Carpeting

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cable carpetingIt’s hard to know where to start when it comes to flooring – there are so many wonderful choices. Today we’ll take a look at carpeting.

Fulton Homes offers  carpet that varies widely in texture as well as color. Some are particularly workable in high-traffic areas, while others have a softer plusher feel which makes them ideal for creating warmth in spaces such as bedrooms.

The carpeting above is in the cable category. Constructed of a thicker yarn that is typically longer than most carpet fibers, this is extremely comfortable and inviting for bare feet or floor-sitters, however it may crush in higher traffic areas. This makes it perfect for a bedroom. Select a thicker carpet pad, and your flooring will feel absolutely cushiony.

frieze carpetingFulton Homes offers classic Frieze and Saxony, as well as Cut & Loop and Looped or Berber options. Frieze carpeting like the sample on the right is a cut pile with a very tight twist level which makes it work well in high traffic areas. Differing pile heights add a stylish appearance and vary the look.

looped or berberThe selection to the left is a looped pile, often called Berber. A long-lasting choice due to its uncut loops of carpet yarn, it has an unusual design look. Berber handles family rooms and other high use areas very well. Take a look at the selection of tweed-like fleck options and the varying loop levels.

To select the right carpeting for you, start with the Fulton Homes Online Design Center, but be sure to get an in-person feel for your choices and talk with your Fulton Homes Design Center designer about your lifestyle and requirements to ensure that you select the right carpeting for you and your family.

Fulton Builds Energy Star Homes

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Fulton’s Energy Star approach to homebuilding for all of its homes ensures that your home will save you energy costs, be more comfortable, and reduce your family’s exposure to harmful Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). Our Energy Star Certified Homes surpass all of the current Energy Star Requirements. Some of the steps we take with your home include:

  • Low VOC carpeting and interior paints to minimize the off-gassing these products can release when new.
  • A Lousiana Pacific Tech Shield Radiant Barrier under your roof to deflect the sun’s heat away from your attic.
  • High-performance Vinyl Windows designed to reduce both heat and UV rays from entering your home.
  • A 14 SEER Carrier Air Conditioner which provides energy efficient cooling. It also comes with a 10-year warranty if you register it online.
  • Merv 6 Return Air Filters to help your A/C unit run more smoothly.
  • Outside Air Exchange Fan to provide the precise air exchange required to keep your indoor air fresh while still allowing you to benefit from the tight construction required to keep energy costs low.
  • Drywall Caulking at Top Plate which further seals and insulates your home.
  • Minimum 10% Bulbs to be CFL – longer lasting and saves electricity.
  • Foam Seal on All Exterior Doors – a common place to waste energy – to reduce your air leakage.
  • Gas Water Heater with a .58 to .62 Efficiency Rating which will save on your water heating costs.

As part of earning the Energy Star Certification, a third-party inspection firm performs exhaustive tests on all Fulton homes. We’re happy to share more information about the energy saving features in our homes. You’re welcome to visit our website or one of our exciting Valley Communities.

 

Choosing Carpeting

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As this photo from Fulton Home’s design center demonstrates, choices today for carpeting are about more than just color. Different textures, heights and even patterns and sculptured effects are now available.

The most common carpet type in use today is still cut pile. This category includes textured plush, which is a  flexible enough look for whole house carpeting in busy households because its’ surface hides footprints and vacuum marks.

Saxony and plush (velvet) are more formal. Plush shows footprints and vacuum marks quite a bit, but the texture is luxurious. This makes it best for more formal spaces and low-traffic areas.

Frieze has become more and more popular. Its textured surface comes from very twisted yarns. This carpeting has a very casual look and also minimizes evidence of traffic on its surface.

Color is a critical component of your choice. With today’s easier-to-clean carpeting, it’s possible to choose a lighter color without risking spots. Lighter colors open up a room and darker colors can make a large space feel cozier. Most people will choose a neutral tone but if you’re feeling bold, why not try a color that works well with your furniture or window coverings? If you have tile and carpeting in the same area, be sure that the colors complement each other.

You will also want to ensure that the carpeting you choose works well with your paint choices. At Fulton’s design center, you can compare your carpet possibilities with the paint option you chose, to ensure that they work well together. Set your carpet samples on the floor so that you can see how they look at that angle.

For more advice on selecting the right carpeting for you, talk to your designer or come to one of our browse nights and take a look at your choices.