If you built or renovated a home in the last 30 years or so, chances are you opted for hardwood floors and area rugs in the common rooms and a careful shade of beige carpeting in the bedrooms. But that is yesterday’s news. Today more and more homeowners and interior designers are boasting the benefits of bold and beautiful broadloom.
Formerly called “wall-to-wall,” broadloom can be simply described as carpeting that is woven on a wide loom— usually 12 to 15 feet wide. But along with the name change, comes a seismic shift in selection. Patterns, colors, textures, materials and technological advances have made this covering hard to ignore.
“Broadloom has become very fashion forward,” says Chad Martin, owner of K.A. Menendian Rug & Carpet Gallery. One of several manufacturers who illustrate Martin’s point is Prestige Mills with their Missoni Collection. Bold and vibrant designs similar to this Italian fashion family’s clothing pieces have found their way into carpeting.
Celebrating patterns
Broadloom is a great option for introducing pattern into a room. While in the past it was often selected to blend in, today it often sets the design tone for the room—almost like a work of art. Stripes, retro patterns, plaids, florals and geometric are working their way into rooms all over our homes.
“I think in this day and age, patterned carpet can be used anywhere. How somebody decorates around those patterns can really transition a space into a more modern environment,” says Michael Wolf, executive territory manager for Nourison, Nourtex and Craftworks.
Just as in clothing, stripes are a classic pattern that will elongate or widen the appearance of whoever or whatever is wearing them—whether that’s a person or a floor. Florals can add an elegant touch that can range from light and airy to dark and dramatic. Retro and geometric patterns add traditional or contemporary vibes. Plaids, often considered for rustic cabin-like spaces, are making their way into all styles of rooms.
According to Lori Wahl, territory manager for Prestige Mills and Design Materials, the big movement at January’s Surfaces, a trade show for the flooring industry, was “different and unique types of plaids.”
Paul Lovett, territory salesman for Couristan and Silver Creek sees that demand within his manufacturers. “A good amount of the requests we get are for plaids—they are one of our most steady movers,” he says.
Adding texture
Textured carpets are available in a wide variety of weaves, some subtle, some intricate. Twist piles are the flattest of the group. Loops create subtle shapes and movement. Natural woven fibers can be the most textured.
“The demand for texture cut and loop has been on the rise because it adds to a more casual feel,” Wolf says. Along those same lines, he adds, “The most exciting trend is a natural organic look. In essence it’s taking the look of natural, hand-knotted rugs and putting it in a wall-to wall environment.”
Plus, the softness of carpeting has additional benefits: It absorbs sound to soften the acoustics in a room. It also softens falls, which helps prevent injuries.
Material matters
Broadloom can be made with synthetic or natural fibers. Nylon, polyester, and polypropylene are the most common synthetics, while wool, an upscale pick, is the industry’s natural fiber.
Wool has been a mainstay in carpet weaving for centuries—and for good reasons.
• Wool is both flame and stain resistant
• It’s durable and resilient which makes it great for high traffic areas
• Dyed wool holds its color for years
• Wool fibers have natural elasticity—they can stretch and then bounce back
• It’s a natural insulator: warm in the winter, cool in the summer—an especially attractive feature for older, drafty homes
• It’s eco-friendly: renewable, biodegradable, with a low carbon footprint
• Wool resists odors, mold, mildew, and dust
• Liquid spilled on wool is slow to absorb
• Wool carpeting is easy to clean
“Wool naturally has lanolin in it which is basically a natural Scotchgard,” Wolf says. “Wool and wool blends make up for nearly three quarters of our company’s sales. You can blend many different fibers with wool—like nylon or polyester—and still have the natural qualities of wool but at a better price point.”
Lovett believes in the power of wool as well. “After 42 years of selling carpet, I have never had one complaint relative to the performance/wearability of wool,” he says. “Wool looks better longer and cleans better than any synthetic.”
Technological advances
Stain resistance, comfort and longevity are constantly being improved with the latest and greatest technology. But Wahl sites one change that is drawing excitement in the field. Looms are getting larger, which allows manufacturers to produce broadloom in wider widths and in turn results in the elimination of seams in larger rooms.
Picking favorites
One of the top sellers at Prestige Mills is Deerfield Antelope, a pattern which just celebrated its 20-year anniversary. “People love animal patterns,” Wahl says. “They make such an impact on stairs, in bedrooms and in family rooms.”
While there is no denying the pizazz of pattern, Wolf says there is something to be said for a tried-and-true standard. “Trends can be cyclical in the floor covering arena, but there is one constant—traditional has always been there. The majority of our sales has always been—and will always be—traditional carpeting.”
RESOURCES
K.A. Menendian Rug & Carpet Gallery: karugs.com
Bloomsburg, Silver Creek: bloomsburgcarpet.com
Couristan: couristan.com | Design Materials: dmifloors.com
Nourison, Nourtex: nourison.com | Prestige Mills: prestigemills.com
Article originally appeared in July 2025