Carpet versus LVT versus vinyl, room by room
Use sheet vinyl or LVT where water and mud arrive, meaning kitchens, bathrooms, utility rooms and entrance halls. Use carpet where warmth, quiet and comfort matter, meaning bedrooms, living rooms, stairs and landings.
Room by room
This is the split that works in almost every Kent house we supply.
- Kitchen: sheet vinyl or LVT, no contest
- Bathroom and cloakroom: sheet vinyl, cut with no seam where possible
- Utility and boot room: vinyl or LVT, mopped rather than shampooed
- Entrance hall: vinyl or LVT at the door, carpet beyond the inner threshold
- Living room: carpet for warmth, or LVT with rugs if you prefer hard floor
- Bedrooms: carpet, and this is where a softer pile earns its place
- Stairs and landing: carpet, for grip, quiet and safety
The trade offs worth knowing
Hard floors are easier to clean and cope with damp, but they are colder, louder and less forgiving underfoot. Carpet is warmer and quieter and much cheaper to buy per square metre, but it does not belong anywhere that gets regularly wet.
On stairs, carpet is also the safer choice. Hard flooring on a staircase is a genuine slip risk.
Mixing them well
The join is what makes a mixed floor look deliberate rather than accidental. Get the threshold trim right and pick tones that sit comfortably together. We stock the trims alongside the flooring so you can match them on the day.
Common questions
- Can I put carpet in a kitchen?
- We would not recommend it. Vinyl or LVT will look better for far longer.
- Is LVT warmer than vinyl?
- They are similar. Both are colder than carpet, and both can go over underfloor heating in the right specification.
- Do you stock all three?
- Yes, plus carpet tiles, rugs, underlay, trims and adhesives.
- What if the range I want is not in stock?
- Stock changes weekly, so call Maidstone on 01622 828445 or Gillingham on 01634 481102 and the team will tell you what is in today and what is close to it.
- Do you sell underlay and accessories too?
- Yes, underlay, trims, adhesives, gripper and accessories are all stocked, so the whole job comes from one place.