Dear Carpet Girl,
We are in the process of redoing my daughter’s bedroom and playroom and need your help. We want to pick the right carpet or floor for each room, and we need some help with paint colors. We’ve read that colors and fibers can affect mood and behavior. Our goal is to create the perfect environment for her. We’ve received conflicting information about our choices. What’s your advice?
Dear Moods, Fibers and Color Fun,
Texture and color are essential to our way of life. Here at The Carpet Girl, we believe color can save the day, inspiring creativity and soothing the soul after a rough day at school.
Let’s start with carpet or flooring, since the style you choose may have a limited color selection, while paint has many different shades and variations. We believe picking the foundation first sets the stage for the next decision. We call it “building from the ground up.” In her bedroom, we suggest making the space soft, inviting, and calming. Soft doesn’t mean giving up on stain protection or durability — quite the opposite. Many fibers used in today’s carpet manufacturing use advanced yarn technology to service your daughter’s potential stain needs. Our flooring design team would suggest creating a space for leisure, reading, down time and, most importantly, a space for much needed rest for children. We suggest a plush style carpet, providing a feel of luxury. Today’s plush carpets don’t necessarily mean thick; a low-profile carpet can create this mood for the floor and make vacuuming easy.
Warm colors inspire happiness and comfort. They can also make a large space feel more intimate for young people. Do not limit yourself to brown or tan; think calming green, which has been scientifically linked to reading and comprehension. A warm yellow is associated with feelings of happiness and cheerfulness. Deep orange, a misunderstood color, is great for encouraging confidence and independence. Don’t be afraid to pick one of these colors for the carpet and a shade darker or lighter for the walls, one of our favorite looks. Make sure you address the lighting as well. Dimmer switches are one of our favorite suggestions!
These same principles can be applied to the playroom. However, for a messy space, may we suggest a commercial style carpet, carpet tile, or vinyl floor. Look for a floor that can withstand her various styles of play! Create different spaces, perhaps one for arts and crafts and another for imaginary play. We often put carpet in one area where children sit on the floor and make a separate area for indoor messy days. How do you feel about red? This color can energize the mind and body, but maybe only on one accent wall. Blue is an all-around great color, often used in spaces with children who experience temper tantrums. Purple is a deep and emotive color known to inspire sensitivity and compassion in children and works well with the red accent wall or a dark teal family.
Bottom line, use color and texture the way they were meant to be used. Children of all ages love color. Bring it into her space and allow it to be her own from the floor to walls. The Carpet Girl offers in-home paint and color selection if your flooring retailer does not offer this service; ask them to refer you to someone who specializes in color.
Your friend in floors,
The Carpet Girl