This post is sponsored by STAINMASTER® and Lowe’s. All opinions are 100% mine.

Selecting carpet was one of the very first decisions we made in our current home. Not only was our old carpet outdated, but lacking in comfort and very worn. I’m a big believer that you don’t have to sacrifice style for durability – especially with flooring. As the kids are still little, we have to plan for the comfort of wrestling matches on the ground with Chris… as well as the spills/messes that seem to happen just about every day.

I chose a low pile, patterned carpet for all of our children’s bedrooms as well as our theatre room and guest bedroom. There is something about carpet that can provide a cozy atmosphere that a hard surface just can’t.

While my exact STAINMASTER® carpet isn’t available at Lowe’s, they do have hundreds of selections for every style and budget. I recently took a trip into my local Lowe’s so that I could see and feel all of their options… and came up with a pretty good selection of my top picks!

There are a few terms you might want to know when selecting carpet. Pile height, loop pile, cut pile, solid, multi, or pattern – all these terms can be a bit confusing! I’ll focus on just the terms that I think are important for the purpose of this post and making things as simple as possible.

PILE HEIGHT

The first term that is really important to understand is pile height. This is simply the thickness of the carpet measure from its backing. Most carpets fall into either a low, medium or high pile height. In the picture below, you can see the carpet on the left has longer fibers or a higher pile height. The far-right has a shorter pile height and is overall less thick.

Most people think that lower pile height means less soft. From a style perspective, a lower pile height will always win in my opinion. From experience, you can achieve a very soft carpet (even with a very low pile) with the right carpet pad. I used the STAINMASTER® carpet pad and walking on our carpet is a dream.

PATTERN OR SOLID?

It’s easy to think that a patterned carpet would be too busy for a large space. I disagree! I installed the plaid carpet in our playroom and love the personality it gives this space while still remaining neutral.

There are also more subtle patterns that I love for larger spaces. I snapped a photo of my top choice for patterned carpet – Deerfield Place in the STAINMASTER® PetProtect® line. This carpet is stylish enough for any home and offers the durability of their pet protect line which will stand up to any stain you throw at it. Any of the colors shown here could be a really pretty neutral foundation for a room. I’ve been leaning towards lighter “greige” colors. A soft grey with warm undertones is always a good idea or if you’re a little braver, I love the “Breathtaking” color which is a soft creme.

Pictured: PetProtect Deerfield Place Fieldstone Pattern Carpet

If you’re on a tighter budget, I really love the Framework in the color Alabaster or Mindful if you want to go a little darker. This carpet is very similar to the carpet I installed in our home.

Pictured: Signature Framework Ivory Paper Pattern Carpet

You can see in the photo below, my carpet has a defined pattern running throughout.

If you have a fun room where you want to add some personality, I absolutely love the pattern below. This is a really great statement carpet that could go with a lot of styles.

Pictured: PetProtect Reflection Delegate Pattern Carpet

Closed vs Open Loop

The next big difference in carpets is open vs closed loop. Open-loop is carpet loops that have been cut. Closed loops remain in their natural state. I prefer closed loop for durability and style but both can be a really good option.

If you do prefer an open-loop look for carpet, the below would be my top pick. This multi version has some slight color variation within the fibers giving the look a little dimension.

Pictured (closed loop): Signature Framework Ivory Paper Pattern Carpet
Pictured (open loop): PetProtect Entranced Pagoda Textured Carpet

Pictured: PetProtect Hypnotized Pagoda Shag/Frieze Carpet

The last option is a Berber-type carpet which is an extremely low pile and closed loop. This is as stated in the name, a very “tailored” look. These options are very durable and easy to maintain. I love this option in a more formal setting. They aren’t as soft and plush but could be a good option for an office for the formal sitting room when hard surfaces aren’t an option.

Pictured: Pet Protect Power End Fetch

Lowe’s is currently offering FREE carpet installation* – the best part is everything is taken care of. It’s a super simple process where they come and measure and take care of everything. You could have a completely new room in a matter of hours!

*Free Carpet Installation when you buy carpet and carpet pad. $499 minimum purchase required.