Deciding on the colour of carpet or LVT to install in the home can be a puzzling factor in many households. But these guidelines from authorities on the subject may help steer you in the right direction.

• A room’s floor should be regarded as the “fifth wall” – the element that connects all other design components in a room, while complementing your existing furniture, curtains, and wall décor.

• If you’ve ever been to a home with white carpet and have been asked to remove your shoes at the front door before entering such ‘holy ground’, you will know that a darker colour or a patterned design will be much more forgiving and not show dirt and wear and tear as a light-coloured floor. If you have children or pets, lighter colours should never enter the equation.

• Lighter coloured flooring is, however, ideal for areas of the home without enough natural lighting. Bear in mind, however, that the colour of the carpet chosen at your supplier may look a lot darker in space without much natural lighting so it’s always a good idea to take a sample swatch home to observe how the colour looks in your room, and how it changes at different times of the day.

• Use light, neutral shades of flooring when you want a room to look larger – beige, tan, light grey would help in this case. Matching the colour  of the walls on the floor also tends to expand the room size. Neutral coloured flooring also helps when you are selling your house as really bold colours could put potential – more conservative – buyers off.  It is also much easier to change furniture and other above-floor elements of interior design in a room with a neutral colour floor. Neutral colours are also ideal for quiet areas of the house such as bedrooms or studies.

• However, bear in mind that contemporary lifestyle has now definitely brought bold colours into modern homes. Orange, purple, and multi-coloured carpets now speak loud in young people’s homes with flooring being a dominant design element. But if you want to compromise in the interests of those not yet converted, use bold coloured area rugs to introduce accent and variation or confine the striking colours to smaller areas such as passages and stairs. Bold coloured flooring also works best in lively areas of the home such as children’s or family rooms. Purple, orange and green flooring are now increasingly found in trendy, modern residences.

• When selecting colour, remember that you can now incorporate bio-mimicking elements into your flooring – carpet and luxury vinyl tiles in different colours that mimic natural elements such as stones, forest leaves, concrete, granite etc. When used in conjunction with indoor plants, for example, grey stones or green forest floors can make a dramatic difference in your living room or patio design.

• Finally, if you are concerned about the declining state of our planet, inquire about the sustainability and recyclability policies of the flooring producer whose ranges you are considering for your home. Knowing the colour you select comes from a manufacturer  aiding environmental preservation could just make your final choice that much easier.