One important aspect of bedroom design is the flooring you choose. Flooring installed in a bedroom is most often carpet, wood, laminate or tile, and each type has its advantages and drawbacks. To choose the best bedroom flooring for your home, consider the function of the room, the age of the occupant, the room's decor, and the required maintenance.
If the room is primarily used as a guest bedroom, your options for flooring are nearly endless. Since guest rooms are not used as much as those that are occupied all the time, there are fewer opportunities for the bedroom flooring to become damaged or stained. You can choose a light colored carpet or expensive hardwood floor for these rooms without worry. On the other hand, bedrooms in constant use may call for more inexpensive flooring in case it needs to be replaced or darker carpet to better hide stains.
Consider the age of the room's occupant when choosing bedroom flooring. If the room belongs to a child old enough to have friends sleeping over, carpet is generally the best option. Choose a thick carpet with a good quality padding to make camping out on the floor in a sleeping bag more comfortable for the child's guests. Another bonus of carpet is that a child of this age can easily clean the floor alone, with just a vacuum cleaner. Teenagers may be responsible enough to care for a light colored carpet, but purchasing stain resistant carpet is a good idea for these bedrooms no matter what shade you choose.
Bedroom flooring should also fit in well with the rest of the room. If you choose carpet, it should not match the color of the walls, or the room will be overpowered by the single shade. Likewise, wood or laminate flooring should not be the same tone as wooden bedroom furnishings, in order to allow both the furniture and the floor to stand out on their own. Other bedroom decorations, such as linens, lamps and artwork, can more easily be changed to complement your chosen flooring, so the presence of these type items may not impact your decision as much.
Finally, choose a bedroom flooring that requires the amount of maintenance you can easily fit into your schedule. Flooring warranties are often dependent upon whether the flooring was properly cleaned and maintained, and improper maintenance can completely void a warranty. Carpet generally requires the least maintenance, with only vacuuming and periodic steam cleaning usually needed. Hardwood and laminate flooring manufacturers are often quite particular about maintenance procedures, with only use of certain cleaning products allowed. Using the wrong products on these floors can not only void the warranty, but also damage the flooring.