If you are expecting a new baby, you may well want to create a new bedroom for it. As well as redecorating walls and bringing in new pieces of furniture, this could also mean choosing new flooring. So where do you start?
The Benefits of Carpet
Opting for a carpet will undoubtedly be the cosiest option for your new baby. It will reduce any drafts coming up through floorboards or under doors, and will give the room a much warmer ambience overall.
On top of that, if you plan to use your baby’s bedroom as a Playroom too, a carpet will be softer under foot and will serve as more of a buffer against falls that will naturally occur when your little one is learning to walk.
Finally, don’t forget that carpet absorbs sound as well. The reality is that your baby will cry in the night and by carpeting his or her room you may be able to reduce disturbance to other members of the household to some degree.
Opting for a Hard Floor
Having a hard floor in a baby’s room is not an ideal option from the point of view of comfort – although, of course, you could adorn it fairly heavily with rugs.
Hard floors are, however, obviously easier to clean than carpets. A quick wipe down will remove most substances from wood or vinyl. This is true not only of liquids but also of dust and allergens such as mites or pet hairs.
Nevertheless, if you do decide to go down this route, choose your rugs carefully. Buy washable rugs that can be thrown into the machine quickly and easily if need be and ensure you have firm non-slip underlay to prevent your toddler from having an accident.
Which Carpet?
Your carpet or rugs will obviously need to tie in with your chosen colour scheme. Be aware, however, that lighter shades are more likely to show dirt and stains.
Choosing a plain, dark colour and then dressing it with a brightly coloured rug might be one option. This will protect your carpet, help hide marks and add colour and interest to your baby’s room.
Minimise Risk
Choose a carpet with a good non-slip surface. Talk to the manufacturer or supplier about whether they feel the one you like is suitable for a child’s room.
As a rule, carpets that are unsuitable for stairs may well be slippery underfoot and should therefore be avoided anywhere where people might be moving quickly. Look for the symbols on the labelling.
Some people believe that in order to minimise the risk of allergies, natural, or even organic, carpets and rugs are the best options for a baby’s room.
There are also some specially-made, allergy-free carpets out there. Search for them on the internet or discuss options with high street stores.
If you decide not to go with a special allergy-free product then remember to clean the carpet in your baby’s room regularly, in order to reduce the build-up of dust.
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