What Is the Best Carpet for Bedrooms and How Do You Choose One?

Your bedroom is a sacred, personal space, and it should be where you feel most comfortable. But if you have stained, torn, or stinky carpet in your bedroom, you might not feel as inclined to spend time in there—and you’re probably due for a carpet replacement. If that’s the case, here are a few pointers to help you find the best carpet for bedrooms, so you can relax and enjoy your space.

Key Features to Look for in a Bedroom Carpet

So, what is the best carpet for a bedroom? In short, it should be soft and comfortable. While the carpet on stairs, entryways, and other busy areas needs to be tough and durable, most people prefer more delicate carpet in their bedrooms. After all, when you hop out of bed in the morning, you want your feet to land on a soft, inviting surface—not a rough one that’s designed to withstand tons of wear and tear.

With that in mind, let’s dive into the key features to look for when shopping for bedroom carpet.

Cut Pile

Carpet pile refers to the shape of a carpet’s fibers. There are two main types: cut pile and loop pile. The fibers on cut pile carpet are trimmed to a specific height (like a mowed lawn), while loop pile fibers remain uncut, forming a loop that begins and ends at the carpet backing.

Cut pile is preferable for bedrooms because it tends to be cushier and more luxurious than loop pile, which is a more durable type of carpet for high-traffic areas. There are a few types of cut pile carpeting that work particularly well in bedrooms, including cable, plush, and frieze pile carpets.

High Pile

You should also consider the length of the carpet fibers—known as the pile height—when you’re looking at bedroom carpets. Carpets will have a low, medium, or high pile height.

Low pile carpet has the flattest and densest fibers, making it well-equipped to handle regular wear and tear. High pile carpet is the fluffiest of the bunch, but it won’t stand up to foot traffic as well as low and medium pile products can.

Soft Carpet Fiber

In addition to choosing the right pile type and height, you’ll also want to pick a bedroom-friendly carpet fiber material. Much of this comes down to personal preference and budget, but generally speaking, soft and comfortable materials will be the best fit for your bedroom.

Need some inspiration? Here are three popular types of carpet fibers for bedrooms:

• Polyester: As a synthetic carpet fiber, polyester is super-soft and stain-resistant. It’s more affordable than nylon or wool, but it isn’t quite as durable as those carpet materials.

• Nylon: Nylon, like polyester, is another synthetic fiber. However, it’s far more resilient (and, as a result, more expensive) and performs well in high-traffic areas.

• Wool: Wool is a natural carpet material that’s soft, warm, and long-lasting. The downside is that it’s costlier and harder to maintain than other bedroom carpet fibers.

Thick Carpet Padding

When you want your carpet to be as cloud-like as possible, adding a layer of carpet padding is a must. This cushioning sits between your subfloor and carpet and serves multiple purposes, including making your carpet more comfortable, extending its life span, and absorbing noise.

However, it’s worth mentioning that carpet padding can damage thin carpeting. But assuming you’ve opted for high pile carpet in your bedroom (as we’ve recommended above), you can pair it with a carpet pad with a 6- to 8-pound density.

How Much Does Bedroom Carpet Installation Cost?

Ultimately, the cost of carpet installation will vary depending on the size of the area you’re carpeting, as well as the carpet material and padding you choose. You’ll likely also pay more if you have an irregular-shaped room, need to repair or replace your subfloor, or purchase stain-resistant treatments for your carpet.

On average, though, carpet installation costs between $3 and $11 per square foot (including materials and labor). Here’s how much that would cost for different types of bedrooms, based on their size: 

DIY vs. Hiring a Pro

Installing carpet throughout your entire house will be challenging if you don’t have any experience with this type of work. However, if you’re only carpeting a single, regular-shaped bedroom, it’ll be more manageable.

Before you get started, check the manufacturer’s warranty. Some companies will cancel your coverage if you install the carpet yourself.

For this project, you’ll need some specific tools, like a knee kicker and carpet knife, as well as quite a few materials (and the new carpet itself). Learning how to use these tools and grasping the process of stretching and laying carpet can take time, so in many cases, it’s better to hire a local flooring company for the job.