We’ve said it before, but we’ll say it again. Life is too short for ugly floors. In the kingdom of personalised interior design, flooring is your castle’s crown jewel. It’s the foundation on which every movement is reflected. It absorbs your mood and provides the springboard for life’s incoming achievements.
Poor flooring can radiate negative activity. That’s a fact. How can you walk with gusto into life’s challenges when you are constantly keeping your balance? For that reason, some poor souls waste precious hours debating between carpet or laminate. What a waste. The truly fabulous among us understand that you don’t have to choose.
You can, and should, have both.
Think of it like this – why settle for just pearls or diamonds, when instead you can feel the glorious effects of a dream partnership? Carpet and laminate each bring a bespoke shade of panache to your space, and when curated wisely, they can co-exist in your home like a power couple on the catwalk.
There’s no reason why you can’t have the sultry and stunning glean of laminate, paired with sleek comfort of perfect carpet. It’s ying and yang for the benefit of anyone who steps across the threshold. And here’s why.
The case for carpet
Oh, carpet. She’s lush. She’s decadent. And when done right, she whispers luxury with every step. We feel that carpet is the champagne of flooring; best served in select, sumptuous spaces for the full dramatic effect.
We’d say that your home boasts of certain rooms where carpet doesn’t just make sense—it reigns. Bedrooms, for instance. Why would anyone step out of bed onto cold laminate in the dead of winter like some kind of Dickensian orphan? That’s not romantic or sexy. No, darling, your feet deserve the plush kiss of a thick pile carpet. The warmth. The intimacy. The sensuality when the icy world turns just a bit too slowly towards salvation.
And let’s talk about your living room. This is more than just a corner of the house. This is where laughter happens, where long and deserved doses of relaxation take place, and where everybody comes together to let their guard down. From celebratory soirées and dog naps, to sipping brandy while donning silk robes and casual TV-fronted dinners, you need a floor that softens the acoustics yet radiates with a vibrancy usually reserved for 1950s Cunard liners.
Laminate cannot rival this level of tactile opulence. However, don’t get cheeky and think that all carpets are created equal. The threadbare disaster offered by the welcome stretch of WH Smith remains leagues below. And if you are slapping down beige shagpile from 1983, you might as well throw in a rotary telephone, polio, a perm, and call it a day.
Modern carpets come in glorious textures, tight loops, and sumptuous colours. Go bold. Go luxe. And never, never skimp on underlay. That’s like wearing couture with cheap heels. Unforgivable.
Leaning towards laminate
Then there’s laminate. She’s the impeccably dressed one who’s far too clever for her own good. She’s durable, she’s unfussy and always ready for action. To anyone intrinsically linked to interior design, laminate flooring is what you install when you want style and function, without compromising on an ounce of attitude. It’s Lara Croft’s Land Rover, after a detailing session and a coat of wax.
Ideal for high-traffic areas (hallways, entryways, dining areas, porches), these are your show floors. Rather than rolling out the red carpet, this welcomes people to your empire. When chaos strikes – muddy shoes, spilled coffee, doggy drama – there is no need to sweat. Laminate handles it all without breaking a nail.
And let’s not pretend laminate can’t be divine. Today’s designs mimic hardwood, marble, even slate, with uncanny sophistication. You can have that polished walnut look without the upkeep, or a faux herringbone that screams “custom,” without the custom price tag.
But there’s a kicker, in that laminate isn’t too fond of overbearing moisture. So, you need to be strategic. Bathrooms and laundry rooms certainly warrant some thought.
But here’s the kicker: laminate doesn’t like moisture. That means you have to be strategic. Bathrooms and laundry rooms? Better rethink that. Laminate is the strong, silent type, but dunk her in water and she swells up like an insecure socialite at a Botox party.
Still, when laid strategically, laminate is your home's steel backbone. She keeps everything beautiful and grounded, while carpet flirts and seduces in all the right corners.
The great bathroom carpet debate, and other scandals…
Now we arrive at society’s most scandalous design divide; carpet in the bathroom.
Yes, it exists. And yes, people have done it. Some still do.
It’s the flooring equivalent of wearing a ballgown in a thunderstorm. Glorious in theory, disastrous in reality. Such a design was absolutely a staple of 1960s and 1970s design chaos. Chances are, your grandparents had carpeted bathrooms and kitchens. Maybe even a permed Afghan Hound, an orange Triumph Stag, and a cheese plant by the front door. Mainly because Good Housekeeping said to do so.
The supporters of bathroom carpet (bless their misguided hearts) claim it adds warmth, a cozy spa-like atmosphere, and insulation. But let's be brutally honest here. Carpet in the bathroom is like inviting mildew to a garden party. It absorbs everything. From water and odours to your deepest regrets. It's high maintenance in the worst way. And frankly, it's a biohazard with a blowout budget.
There are exceptions, of course. Some wealthy eccentrics with cavernous bathrooms and dedicated staff might get away with it. They might carpet the dressing area beside their marble-tiled bath like it’s Versailles. But for the rest of us mere mortals? Tread carefully. Literally.
And don’t get me started on carpet in the kitchen. In my humble opinion, that’s a design trend that should have stayed dead and buried with avocado appliances and popcorn ceilings. Once upon a time in the ‘70s, some bright-eyed soul thought “Why not put plush under the toaster?” And thus began one of interior design’s darkest eras.
Kitchens are for bold spills, sizzling oil, dropped spatulas and brave experimentation with food. Carpet doesn’t belong in a room where the action is as messy as a Kardashian divorce hearing. Laminate or tile reign supreme here, not because they’re cold, but because they’re clever. Glamour without the drama. And frankly, that’s rare these days.
Carpet and Laminate, the perfect pairing
In the battle of carpet versus laminate, the wisest homemakers know it’s not a war, it’s a waltz. These two darlings weren’t made to compete; they were made to complement. One brings softness, the other brings shine. One whispers, the other declares.
If you want a home that feels like a penthouse suite and functions like a five-star hotel, use each material where it shines brightest. Carpet for indulgence, privacy, and barefoot luxury. Laminate for polish, durability, and poise.
So go forth, decorate like a diva, and remember: a well-designed floor plan doesn’t just support your feet—it supports your empire.
After all, if your home isn’t dripping in both drama and discretion, what on earth are you doing?
