What is best carpet for a beach house?

10 years ago

We have an open floor plan in southern New Jersey beach house (just relocated there from PA). Our large dark wood dining room table and 10 chairs is adjacent to kitchen and living room. What type and color of carpet is best (need around a 10 X 14 area rug) to purchase considering the sand that just comes in even though we take shoes off in house. Was thinking of something like sisal look, but it seems it will be difficult to vacuum up sand. Our walls are "Sea Salt" and the kitchen cabinets are cream with off white stone backsplash with sea glass accents. However the living room (all furniture from previous home) is transitional/ traditional with light gold, dark brown leather and small amount of muted red. Want to move the current dining room carpet to the living room and get rid of the gold and black carpet there. Therefore we want to get a new, more contemporary dining room rug. See current picture of dining table.

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Comments (3)

live_wire_oak
10 years ago
Think cheap painted canvas floorcloth and not carpet. It's a DIY project, so you can replace it easily and cheaply when the sand wears it out. Wood isn't the best choice for a beach house. When you get the wood worn out in a few years, think tile. Wood look tile if that's the look you like.
loves2read
10 years ago
Just wondered what you decided to do--
we have FL vacation house that is not that close to beach so walking in with sand isn't a problem we have unfortunately--
BUT I do want a "beachy/casual" rug in the main living area and the natural fiber rugs seem like they would be pain to vacuum/clean...

personally I think the wood-look tile would be worse with the crevices to mimic wood-grain...
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bpollen
10 years ago
That's a beach house? It looks too beautiful to be a beach house.

I wouldn't do carpet in a beach house. The nature of carpet is that grains will work their way down into it, so that they will not be able to be gotten out, no matter what you do. If you insist on carpet, then the obvious choice is fade-resistant, stain-resistant light colored carpet in the tone of sand. That will show dirt more easily, though. Maybe a two-toned light/dark textured (short plush carpet with textured twisted strands as opposed to straight strands). That is a more casual look that would hide both sand and dirt.

But if it were me, tile with synthetic area rugs would work best. And area rugs that would be small enough to drag outside for airing or cleaning, if necessary. If you must leave wood floors, that would work, as well - with area rugs. Which is what it looks like you have already. If you go with ceramic tile, I don't suggest a tone or color, since that is personal preference, except to suggest something neutral. If you prefer stone-look vinyl tile, you can get those in squares or planks, adhesive or floating.

You have so many options. But I would choose carpet as my last option in a beach house. It would just look so nasty in a short time, I think.

As for natural fiber area rugs, it's my understanding that most natural fibers don't take water very well, so wouldn't protect the underfloor from water, and might stain the natural fiber. If water is an issue. There are probably exceptions, but for a beach house, I'd go with area rugs that can be cleaned easily, taken outside and aired, don't stain easily, have a pattern, etc. That's usu. synthetic.