I remember it so well: fire-engine red shag carpeting, covering our home from wall to wall. Perfectly awful, and the one negative of a six-month-old home filled with so many positives. The home's previous occupants, who had to leave the home due to a foreclosure, had selected this carpeting, in this exact hue, for their new home. Why? was all we could ask. Because it complemented the wallpaper they'd chosen. The red and gold fuzzy wallpaper. OK, so maybe the house had two negatives.

This was the home of my childhood. And in case you're wondering, the wallpaper was removed almost instantly upon our arrival. The carpeting? Well, the carpeting's demise took longer. It wasn't for lack of wishing, mind you. It's just that the expense of replacing all of the carpeting in a four-bedroom house was a bit daunting. So it stayed ... and clashed with the furniture ... and turned a lovely shade of pink in front of the dining room windows when the hot Texas sun streamed inside during the summertime. A flood during the winter of 1982 led to the removal, at last, of the red shag -- seven years after we moved into the house. It was probably the first time in history that homeowners cheered when they learned (while out of state on a ski trip, no less) that their carpeting was sodden and ruined.

If there's any aspect of your home in which you don't want to skimp, it's carpeting. It has the power to determine how everything that sits on top of it looks. Nice, plush carpeting can make garage-sale- hand-me-down furniture look presentable, and by the same token, cheap carpeting has the amazing ability to make showroom-quality furniture look like dime-store-dorm-room.

With carpeting, it's important not only to look good, but also to feel good and to just BE good. We're talking both quality and longevity. Your carpeting is a significant investment that not only defines the look of your home, but also provides a sound and temperature barrier. Take care of it well, and you'll enjoy this investment for many years -- perhaps even longer than some of that furniture you've purchased.

When you decide to start shopping around for carpeting, you're going to have to select a color in addition to a fiber and texture. A few things to consider:

Homeowners can and often do select one color for bedrooms and another for living areas. If you like lighter shades, you may want to put those in your bedrooms because they attract less traffic. Of course, if you have children -- especially small children -- you'll either want to consider putting darker shades in the bedrooms, or selecting a lighter shade with a tough stain-resistant quality. Before you select very dark shades, however, remember that they can make a room appear considerably smaller. Neutrals open up a room and make it seem larger. If you're toying with the idea of putting a bold color in your living area, keep in mind that colors seem even bolder when laid down in large areas. So if you're considering a mauve for your living room, it might appear "Pepto Bismol pink" to you after you've applied it throughout your home's large common area.

When selecting durability, you'll want to consider two main qualities: the twist of the yarn and its density. A high-quality "twist" is indicated by looking at the tips of the yarns. Do you see any unraveling or fraying? If so, that's not a good sign. The tighter the twist is, the more that piece of carpeting is going to hold up over time. When checking density, press down on the carpeting with your fingers. Can you get to the backing easily? How much do you see? If you're seeing a lot of the backing, that carpeting isn't very dense; in other words, there are fewer pieces of yarn per square inch of carpeting. Again, move on. You want a dense carpeting regardless of whether or not you have children or how much activity goes on at your home. In the event of spills, substances can easily find their way down to the backing of a low-density carpeting, and such carpeting will not have a long lifetime. You want to select a tight, high-density piece of carpeting that gives you considerable difficulty when you attempt to find the backing.

Carpet may be woven, hand-knotted, tufted or needle-punched. Woven carpeting is just like it sounds; it's woven just as fabric is woven. Hand-knotted carpets are pricey. Sometimes called oriental carpets, they're labor-intensive to create (thus the price tag), but they have a long life, so they could be worth your initial investment. Needle-punched carpeting is created by placing layers of carpet fibers on a layer of mesh material. A machine containing multiple needles then punches the fibers through the mesh backing. The most common type of carpeting is tufted, which is considerably less expensive than the other varieties. Tufted carpeting also is made with machines, which weave carpet fibers through layers of backing material.

Carpeting is comprised of either manmade or natural fibers. The fibers are converted into yarn, then into "pile," the material upon which you actually walk, place your furniture, etc. Think about how much abuse the surface of your carpeting receives on a daily basis, regardless of how large your family is. Among man-made carpet varieties, nylon is the most popular choice. It's relatively affordable and the most stain-resistant among the manmade varieties of carpet. Wool is used occasionally, but it's very expensive and, ironically, not as durable as nylon. Homeowners select wool primarily because of its luxurious feel. It's not particularly stain-resistant, however. Some manufacturers also make carpeting of polyester, which is comparatively softer than nylon but less durable. Polyester provides a nice feel underneath the feet and also resists stains and soil quite well. It's also less expensive than nylon.

You'll also want to purchase a high-quality padding. Many homeowners skimp here because they think it's less important than what's lying on top, but it's not. The quality of the padding you select will ultimately determine how much mileage you get out of your carpeting. It's also what determines the absorption of heat, cold and sound in your home. Cheap padding can result in shifting carpet. Thick padding keeps carpet where it's supposed to be, and it provides a nice, soft surface underneath your feet.

When selecting stores for comparison shopping, head to well-known outlets with knowledgable representatives. Don't make any decisions on your first trip to the carpet store. Ask for samples -- large samples to give you a better idea of how they'll really look in your home -- and note how they appear in the morning light, noontime sun, dusk and nighttime. The shade will appear different to you at various times of the day and evening.

Buy the best your budget will allow. You won't regret it. And before you sign on the dotted line, be sure that in addition to the carpet itself, padding, delivery and installation also are included in the price you're paying.

Once your carpet is installed, you'll be amazed at how much different your home looks. Many homeowners remark that they feel as if they've moved into a new home once their new carpeting has been installed. To take good care of your investment, vacuum it a minimum of three times per week, and have it professionally cleaned once a year.

Published: May 26, 1999

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Editor's Note: This article reflects the opinions of Courtney Ronan only and not necessarily the views of this or any other publication, organization or Website owner.