When it comes to the comfort and aesthetic of one’s home, few alterations can make as big a difference as a change in flooring. Finding the perfect fit for your home and family is important.

While its popularity has tapered off a bit in the past five years or so, carpet is still often picked by homeowners, particularly in the bedroom.

Robert “RJ” Jones, a store manager with Cost Less Carpet of Moses Lake, said in addition to the popularity of carpet tapering off in recent years, the top sellers in style of carpet have changed, too. He said people tend to prefer the more tightly-pulled plush style of carpet that is dense rather than the loose, shaggier frieze style.

Jones said people also tend to prefer the multi-toned fleck colored carpets as opposed to solid tones, as they hide dirt better and customers feel they won’t stain as easily. Jones said carpets from DreamWeaver can have bleach poured over them and won’t discolor.

“Carpet is inherently stain resistant with the solution dye, so it’s a different way they make the fiber as opposed to how they used to 10 or 15 years ago,” Jones said. “You can buy a lighter carpet and it will be stain resistant.”

Solid color options for carpet only make up about 10% of customer orders, he said. Grays have been very hot in the home industry for a long time and Jones said he doesn’t expect them to go away anytime soon. Gray-toned carpets have become more universal in recent years by adding in tones of blue, yellow or brown. Jones said he’s seen a lot warmer color schemes creeping back into the market, with gray undertones mixed in.

Ultimately, choice in carpet comes down to feel for a lot of homeowners, Jones said. Someone can close their eyes and not worry about the color if the carpet feels good, between super-soft and more starchy options.

Jones said when customers look at flooring options, he starts by asking them what their needs are.

“Are you going for comfort or are you going for durability? Are you going for resale?” Jones asked.

For families with teenage kids, the preference might be hardwood floors that can stand getting beat up, while families with infants or toddlers may look at carpet wanting something the kids can crawl around on.

Patterned carpets aren’t the most popular option, but can make a classy look for offices, stairways or hallways, Jones said. He said the type of material used in patterned carpets tends to wear down better than the plushier carpets.

“It can be a fun look, if you want to do a dining room like that it gives the room character,” Jones said. “It’s another option that people might see on HGTV and think it’s cool, but won’t think about it when it comes to their house.”

Practicality-wise, he said he’s not sure patterned carpets would be the best idea for the whole house, particularly if someone is looking at selling their home down the road.

Jones said he’s a big fan of not overspending, something that happens a lot in his industry. He said people will find a carpet they like the feel of, but there is often a similar option for a fraction of the price. Price difference typically comes down to the amount of fiber crammed into the package, Jones said.

While finding the right carpet choice is key, Jones said something people often don’t put as much thought into is the floor padding underneath the carpet.

A good pad can improve the feel of the carpet quite a bit. Jones said if he was going to spend extra money when putting in carpet, he’d save some on material and put it toward better floor padding.

“It’s something customers should think about because it’s often an afterthought to what’s sitting on top,” Jones said.