Whether you’re moving into a new home or building a new one of your own, there’s an age-old question you may be contemplating… should I put carpet in the bedrooms and hardwood in the hallway?
It’s a tough call and often, will depend on the layout of your home. Both carpet and hardwood floors have their own advantages and disadvantages. Each one should be given careful consideration.
After all, you want to think about which will endure the best with your family’s needs. There’s also the matter of resale value versus cost plus your own personal preference.
Certainly, there’s nothing wrong with mixing it up so that your bedrooms are carpeted and the hallways are hardwood. Or even vice versa!
So, how will you choose carpeted bedrooms and hardwood hallway? Or something else? Read on to find out the pros and cons of each type of flooring so you can decide!
Carpeted Bedrooms/Hardwood Hallway?
Bedroom flooring can be different than the hallway. Mixing carpet and hardwood flooring can give you the best of both worlds for your home. Depending on the layout of your home’s design, choosing carpeted bedrooms and a hardwood hallway may be the ideal balance of style and comfort.
If you’re still having trouble deciding between carpet or hardwood, it’s time to learn more about each style of flooring and see what fits your needs. Every home is different, just as every homeowner’s preferences are too.
While both carpet and hardwood can create a beautiful look, you’ll want to consider which one creates a higher resale value.
You’ll also want to think about the lifespan of these types of flooring under normal wear and tear or even with the addition of pets and children, both of which can cause damage.
Lifestyle is another factor too as is the layout of the home. Harder surfaces on second floors tend to create more noise for anyone on the first floor.
It’s why apartments tend to have carpeting throughout except for the bathrooms and kitchen. Read on to find out more and see which is a match for you!
Benefits of Carpeted Bedrooms
In bedrooms, it has been common for ages to have carpeted flooring. Of course, modern designs have shifted this a bit but it is still your preference for the kind of flooring. Both hardwood and carpet look gorgeous, but looks aren’t the only thing to consider.
– Carpet is soft and cozy
Nothing is as plush or warm as carpet can be on your feet. When you get out of bed in the morning, it’s nice to step onto something soft with your bare feet.
While hardwood flooring may look nice, it can’t give you the warm and fuzzies as you make your way to bed at the end of a long day.
Or when you wake up on a chilly morning. Plus, some people like to do yoga or stretches on the floor or play with their kids or pets and it’s much easier to be comfortable on a soft floor.
– Carpet tends to cost less
Overall, carpet is usually less expensive than hardwood. Naturally, it depends on the type of wood you choose, but carpet almost always wins out as the cheaper option.
If you have a budget to stick to, comparing the cost of quality carpet for a large bedroom versus hardwood may mean you’ll save more if you use carpet for your floors.
– Excellent noise reduction
Since carpet is so soft, it reduces the noise in your bedroom. And bedrooms should be a haven of peace and quiet, perfect for rest and rejuvenation. Hardwood floors cause sounds to bounce.
It does depend on your subflooring too, but as a rule of thumb, if you want to reduce noise in your bedroom as well as on the floor below of a multi-level home, you’ll choose carpet.
– Carpet stands up better to kids and pets
If you have kids or pets (or both!), carpeting is an ideal choice. Of course, there are scratch-resistant styles of hard flooring but carpets add a measure of softness. And with little ones under foot, it cushions and tumbles and falls they may take as they run and play.
Slip and falls happen with kids too, and carpet minimizes this even though you can still slip on it. When you fall on carpet, it’s a softer landing. Plus, kids often drag toys and cars all around. On carpet, it won’t get destroyed.
True that one spill can make an unholy mess on your bedroom carpets, you can still clean them and remove the stain. Or banish any food and beverages (aside from water) from your bedroom areas.
Disadvantages of Carpeted Bedrooms
For anyone that has ever lived in a space with wall-to-wall carpeting throughout, like an apartment or rental for example, you already know how problematic carpet can be in high-traffic areas.
Bedrooms typically don’t have everyone parading in and out of them at a constant rate, but there are some drawbacks to putting carpet in the bedroom.
– It’s harder to clean
Harder surfaces are always easier to clean. Carpets require frequent vacuuming and should be kept up with professional cleaning every so often. Plus, when there’s a stain, you’ll have to work hard to get it out.
Yes, there are stain-resistant carpets out there to choose from though. These offer a practical solution to carpeting your bedrooms.
– It can make your home look dated
Even if you have your carpets professionally cleaned every year, they wear out with time. Grimy and dull carpets can age the look of your home.
Plus, if you choose the wrong style or color, it may look out of place and create an outdated look.
Ideally, you’ll look at all the carpet styles available and see what is ideal for a home of your size and style.
It certainly adds comfort and warmth, but you don’t want to choose a bargain style that will make potential buyers gag because it looks like it came from the 1980s.
– It’s a pain to replace
Carpeted flooring should be replaced every 8 to 10 years, sooner if you have pets and/or children in your home.
Unless you know what you’re doing, you should not try to make this a DIY project either. It’s a big job to tackle and only someone that does this for a living can ensure it comes out looking smooth and refined.
Especially if you plan to sell your home, hire someone that can expertly replace your carpets or else potential buyers will run right back out the door!
Benefits of Hardwood Flooring
Now, we’ve discussed the potential pros and cons of carpeting your bedrooms. What about hardwood flooring? Here’s what you should know to help make the right decision.
– It looks beautiful
Hardwood flooring is aesthetically pleasing. Additionally, like carpet, there are many styles and types to choose from. You can have it put down in a pattern or in standard strips.
And you can also add nice area rugs around, like underneath the bed to dampen sound and create a soft place for you to put your feet when you get up.
Stick a pair of fuzzy slippers there and you won’t have that cold floor feeling when you get up if you don’t want to worry about cold feet.
– It’s easier to clean and maintain
With hardwood flooring, you can simply clean it with a dust mop and a soft-bristled vacuum. Mopping is easy with a wood-floor-designed misting product to clean and dry as you go along.
If those in your family can be gentle and not ride toy cars all over the place, this style of flooring will last for years to come.
Water-resistant hardwood flooring is ideal though because you don’t want to damage the wood.
– Hardwood increases your home’s value
If you put hardwood in your bedroom, it increases the value of your home. It creates a gorgeous aesthetic, something people are willing to pay more for.
And since you can make it feel more warm by adding in area rugs in strategic places, it lets people choose their vibe, much like a blank canvas.
– It’s an environmentally-friendly choice
For those that value sustainability, hardwood may be the best choice. Since it is made from natural renewable resources and lasts a lifetime, it may never need to be replaced.
If it looks worn or has problematic spots, you can refinish it or even bleach it to remove water and rust stains.
Disadvantages of Hardwood in the Bedroom
Hardwood flooring is an excellent choice for improved value, ease of cleaning, and durability. But it might not be the best choice in your bedrooms.
– It’s not soft or warm
In cold climates, hardwood flooring can get pretty chilly. You can install a wood floor that heats up from underneath, but that will cost a great deal more. It’s a good investment but might not be ideal for everyone.
Additionally, if you have foot problems with aches and pains, your bedroom should be a soft and comfortable environment. Carpet may be a better choice for you.
– The upfront costs are expensive
Yes, you won’t likely need to replace the hardwood flooring once you install it, but can you afford to invest in it?
Hardwood flooring can cost anywhere from $9 to $12 per foot to install. Compared to carpeting, which can be as minimal as $3 to $5 per foot to install, you’ll have to see what is best for you in the long run.
– It’s noisier
Hardwood floors don’t absorb sound so if you have this in your bedroom, it will make for a louder environment.
Yes, you can put rugs down on the hardwood flooring which are easy to swap out or wash, but why cover up your gorgeous investment?
– Difficult to maintain
While hardwood floors are easier to clean, you will have to maintain them over the years so they always look nice.
You should never use a standard wet mop on them or else they’ll warp. In time, they get dents and scratches that will need to be smoothed over so they look good as new.
Carpet or Hardwood in the Bedroom?
Hopefully, you now have a better understanding about carpet and hardwood. That’s why an ideal solution would be to do both.
If you carpet your bedrooms, you have that soft and cozy touch. It’s perfect for play and keeping feet warm.
And if you put hardwood in the hallway, you keep that high-traffic area from getting worn down too quickly.
Hardwood on the stairs and hallway area is a prime solution, making it easier to keep the common areas of your home looking new and fresh for years.
Bedrooms don’t get that kind of foot traffic up and down and all around like the hallway. Plus, it will look lovely when properly installed if you have hardwood floors and open the bedrooms to reveal cozy carpeting.
Conclusion
Both carpet and hardwood flooring have numerous design potentials for your home. Each has their own advantages and disadvantages. That’s why it might be ideal to mix and match rather than choose just one.
If you have a large family with kids or pets, you should consider carpet and hardwood that is durable, easy to clean, and water- and stain-resistant. This will make it easier to keep your home looking brand new.
For those that are looking for easy maintenance, hardwood may be best throughout. But as you age, those hard floors can harm your feet and impact how you walk.
You can get supportive slippers though that will keep your feet in surefooted grip while keeping your arches supported.
Many homeowners mix these styles because there is room for both in the home. Hardwood offers a durable and beautiful solution for busy hallways, stairways, and common areas.
Carpet offers softness, relaxation and comfort for bedrooms, a place where rest and rejuvenating are of utmost importance.
While you have many choices to make for your selections, going with what works for your family while thinking about those resale values for someday in the future should provide the best solution when carpeting bedrooms and adding hardwood in the hallways.