Not many of us like the idea of replacing a carpet, no matter how old it is. A new carpet can be quite a hefty expense depending on the size of the room, and there are plenty of other household items we’d rather spend out money on.

That said, a worn carpet can make your home look scruffy, so it’s worth changing it. The good news is that a new carpet doesn’t actually take that long to fit nowadays, and a carpet man could be in and out of your house in just a few hours (for one medium sized room). There are many different types of carpets to choose form today, so whether you need ultra premium fabric or just a cheap basic carpet, the options are there.

For a typical three-bedroom property, it doesn’t usually take more than 3 days to change all of the carpets, and you’ll be surprised how much you can save if you shop around.

It can be difficult to decide on a carpet colour, but don’t worry we’re here to help. It doesn’t matter what home you have, the following tips will help you decide on a colour that’s right for your home.

Firstly, take a look at your walls, is your home bright or dark? Is there a colour theme running throughout, or is there an opportunity to hone in on a set of colours. If you have red walls, you may want to complete the theme with a red carpet, but that could be too much. You may want to break up a colour theme with a contrasting carpet, so if this is the case, start to think of colours that can work well.

You may also want to consider whether you’re running the same coloured carpet throughout or having a different one in each room. If you are opting for a one-for-all, then consider a neutral colour, like grey, cream or white.

The best trends and fashions always come back around. This is certainly happening with carpets this season – vintage prints, patterns and bright colours have made a comeback, and are once again proving popular with numerous consumers. That’s not to say that you have to adorn your home with the brash, swirly carpets of the 70s – this is a more refined, modern take on vintage styles. Here is a brief guide to making 2015’s carpet trends work for you.

You can use vintage carpets to accessorise a smaller area of your home. Buy a vintage second-hand rug as a focal point for a room, or use a larger area of carpet to create a bigger rug. This style will work especially well with hardwood flooring, especially if they’ve got a natural finish.

Patterns have certainly made a comeback, but smaller and more subtle than before. In fact, you may want to make use of texture more so than actual patterns. Textured loop carpets and ribbed carpets are stylish, durable and help to hide hoover marks. If you do want to try out some patterns, you could choose subtle geometric designs like diamonds or squares. Stripes are also popular – you could use these in smaller areas and coordinate other areas of the room to match, such as in a hallway or on the stairs.

In terms of colours, pastels are highly fashionable. Pinks and blues are particularly prominent. You could choose an all-over pastel shade, or select pastel shades for your patterned carpets or rugs to create a high fashion look.

Slate flooring can add sophistication, charm and timelessness to your property, and that’s why it doesn’t come cheap. It’s a kind of flooring that you don’t just buy out of necessity, you buy it as an investment.

It can increase the value of your property, and there are many benefits of slate tiles:

• They’re long-lasting
• They easy to clean and maintain
• They come in different shades
• They have character and unique natural textures
• They work well with marble
• They add value

The only drawbacks with slate tiles is that they can be cold in the winter and hot in the summer, so they’re not always friendly to your feet. This type of flooring isn’t chosen for comfort though, and you can always put on a pair of slippers. Not many materials compete with slate when it comes to flooring, and you certainly won’t regret installing it in your kitchen, conservatory, bathroom or hallway.

A runner rug can add style, comfort and warmth to your hallway, and you can decide between fur rugs, Aztec patterned rugs, chequered rugs and runners with print designs.

Hallways can often look quite bland, even if you have very nice decorative flooring, but cold tiles or solid oak aren’t the most welcoming of materials, and a comfortable rug can add to the look of the room whilst providing comfort too.

No matter where you shop, rugs vary significantly in price, but you do get what you pay for, so quality materials do tend to be a lot more expensive. That’s not to say that a cheaper rug can’t add style to you home – it all comes down to preference. Some rugs will wear easier than other, and if you may want to choose a strong material while non-slip grip sheet can be cut to size and placed below the rug.