The Living Room Flooring Option That's Making Your Home Look Terribly Dated

Once upon a time, wall-to-wall carpeting was a proud design feature that graced many living rooms worldwide. In addition to its textural quality and sound insulation, carpeting delivered coziness and comfort to the room. It also allowed homeowners to express their aesthetic tastes through their chosen carpeting's colors, textiles, and patterns. But as expected in the ever-shifting landscape of interior design, wall-to-wall carpeting started to lose its appeal in the 1990s when homeowners started favoring cleaner and sleeker options for their living room floors. Today, wall-to-wall carpeting has become a dated reference to a trend that's overstayed its welcome.

In fact, it's easy to see why a carpeted living room is at a disadvantage. Aside from its dated look, maintaining the cleanliness of a carpeted living room can be a laborious and time-consuming task, especially for busy families. Prone to heavy foot traffic, the living room naturally receives a hefty share of dirt, dust, and spills, most of which are absorbed between the carpet fibers. And if the growing number of homeowners choosing conscious consumerism is anything to go by, wall-to-wall carpeting is definitely out, as it's not the most sustainable floor choice compared to the slew of non-toxic flooring options you can feel good about installing in your home.

Fortunately, there are many choices when it comes to modern replacements for dated wall-to-wall carpeting. Designers and even HGTV stars have a say on the best flooring options for every budget. Hardwood floors, despite the multiple factors to consider before installing them, are what most homeowners prefer due to their wide range of finishes and textures. While pricey, they do pay off in the long run by increasing the value of your home. However, there are other budget-friendly flooring options that give you the same look as hardwood, including luxury vinyl planks, engineered hardwood, or the eco-friendly bamboo flooring. Tile, natural stone, or cork flooring also do a good job of updating your living room's aesthetic.

If you aren't ready to switch out your wall-to-wall carpeting, or simply can't make that decision as a renter, try covering up large portions of your current carpet with area rugs. Besides absorbing noise and offering comfort underfoot, area rugs are cost-effective, minimal-effort solutions that instantly elevate a dated living room's carpeted look. They also bring character and warmth to a room with the vast choices in color, pattern, and textile. And when you finally get to replace your wall-to-wall carpeting, you can position your area rug elsewhere, as a rug can go in almost any room around the house.