Taniya Nayak, from HGTV’s Designed to Sell show, one of the nation’s foremost interior designers, really helped us out with styles and colors for the new Mohawk SmartStrand carpeting for our home!

At the end of our lengthy phone conversation, using iPhone pictures and walking around the house with my note pad, Taniya left me with a fun challenge.

Taniya: Sandy, since you’ve been so safe with the colors you’ve chosen for your home (rightly so, since most of us think about what’s best for “resell”) why don’t you do something a little daring?

Taniya: Since your sons are away at college, why don’t you let your daughter choose her own color for her room?

Taniya: Something like … chartreuse!

Me: Chartreuse? Are you kidding?

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That put a real spin on the carpet choices!

So back down to Fashion Floors we went, Abby along with me, and we looked at all the “daring” colors. :)

But … the practical side of my daughter came out.

Considering the color of her bedroom/bedspread, she really did consider chartreuse, but the wall color just didn’t coordinate well.

I backed off and let Abby choose. She’s a creative girl (and practical), and had “new wall colors” in mind for down the road, considering we had just painted her room a year ago.

Here’s where we went. It’s true, it is lighter and different than the rest of the house, but it has “girl” written all over it.

Abby’s bedroom: Natural Setting – 523 Subtle Skies (plush low-pile pin-dot pattern)

So where are we now in our carpet journey?

The carpet styles and colors have been chosen and ordered. In fact, they should be arriving this week.

Now we’re getting ready for the big INSTALL.

This part can be very overwhelming. The thought of moving the furniture, going through piles of “stuff,” where to put it all when the carpet comes in … are some questions we may ask ourselves.

I think one of the most worrisome questions is do we have to move the furniture ourselves?

No way! The company you purchase your carpet from will work with you, for an extra fee, having their install team move all furniture. That for sure eased our minds, especially since our sons are in college now. The installers may require that you move (or handle) your own electronics, like computers.

Here are some tips to consider when getting ready for your professional installation:

1. They will tear up and haul off the existing carpet and pad.

2. They will move furniture in the areas in which carpet is being replaced (including pianos!)

3. There may be extra charges if you have stairs or a balcony.

4. Usually in a bid you should look for a clause that says “minor floor preparation, filling or saw cuts, included,” because you never know when a small repair is needed.

5. Take advantage of the “cleaning out” process by taking some items to Good Will, or tossing.

6. Gather boxes so you can sort through your closets and keep things organized.

I like to think of the next phase as a time of purging — do you know how many magazines I have laying around my house?!

It’s time to start sorting … now! :)

We are expecting top-notch service from Fashion Floors. We did our research in advance regarding which Mohawk Flooring company we wanted to use in our town, seeking a company with an excellent reputation.

Next post I’ll let you know how the install is going, and what type of padding we chose (another investment well-worth exploring).

Have you changed out the carpet in your home, and what was the installation process like for you?

I’m partnering with the “Mohawk Floors Me, as Told by Bloggers” program, and will be receiving all of our padding, carpet, and labor as a part of the project, but as always, all opinions and experiences are my own.

If you missed these posts:
A Change in my Home with Mohawk Carpet
Becoming Educated with Mohawk SmartStrand Carpet
How to Choose the Right Style and Color of Carpet