Berber Basics

Kathy S. from Cincinnati writes “What do you think about a large loop berber for my family room? We are thinking of having it installed and want your input!"

Kathy is an interior design client of mine so I am very familiar with her family (big, busy and beautiful) including her dog, a chocolate lab named Millie. I no longer live in the same city as Kathy, but am happy to help her whenever I can – and we have had many a fun conversation about her design questions.

I am not a huge fan of berber carpet, particularly the large loop berbers. The loops get squashed WAY too easily, and any dirt or stains go directly to the carpet base. When you use a small loop or tight berber, your neighbors and friends can come over and have fun and have a few drinks. Anything they spill will sit on top of the loops, making it easier to clean. Kathy’s dog, Millie (who by the way always wears a cute seasonal kerchief) can get her paws stuck on berber loops, causing snags – and no one wants that.

One nice thing about a neutral berber is that the colors are often mottled, using a number of shades of beige and brown so traffic pattern discoloration (you know, walking from the family room to the kitchen and out to the grill) is less noticeable. I know berbers are still very popular, but if you are going to go this route, be sure you buy one with a manufacturer’s guarantee and question your salesman on the installation procedure. More on this in a future blog. There are a few “must ask” questions and they all are not about how cute the installers are.

There are a lot of options out there right now in carpeting – not just plush. There are cool patterns, wonderful colors and even sculpted patterns (NOT like your Grandma had). I vote for a dot pattern or a tone on tone geometric shape. Kathy, berber is fine, but a tiny bit boring and you certainly are not!