Arlie Rachwal, Contributing Writer

As you look around your home, you realize it's time for a change. But where do you start in your redecorating process?

Buying new carpet would add the perfect touch. We have gathered information to help you choose the perfect carpet for your home.

Choosing the aesthetics is crucial when choosing your carpet. This includes color, style and texture. The next thing to look for is performance. This is the ability of your carpet to maintain its original look.

Carpet Color

Choosing the color can determine the coziness of your home. The more interesting your furniture and accessories, the less dramatic you want your carpet to be.

Remember to choose a carpet color that you like and that is flattering to you. A good idea before choosing the color of your carpet is to bring swatch samples of the carpet home to match with your home's surroundings.

To make a room feel warmer, Cathy Crane from DoItYourself.com says to choose a color in the fire family. This includes anything from yellowish orange to bluish red. She also explains that if you have a pleasant view of the outdoors, you should bring the colors of the outdoors inside to create an indoor/outdoor expansive effect.

Light colors create a spacious effect; dark colors, a cozy effect. Medium shades don't alter your sense of space.

Is the room too light and bright or too dark? Dark or dulled colors will absorb light; light ones will reflect and multiply light.

If you want a connection with an adjacent room, one continuous carpet will link the rooms, making them flow into one another. However, if you want a sense of separation between rooms, differing carpet colors will serve to separate the rooms even more.

If you have a pet that sheds a lot, choosing a color that matches its fur will save a lot of mess and time vacuuming.

Another thing to consider when choosing color is the amount of wear this room get will get -- and what kind.

Medium colors are easy to clean, while light colors show soil easily and dark colors show lint. It would be frustrating, for example, to do your sewing in a room with a dark rug.

Although bright colors are stimulating, darker colors camouflage dirt and footprints more easily.

According to Crane, choosing a color slightly darker than your walls is usually safe. It's simply observing the weight of gravity.

A cautionary note: A large carpet will look darker at home. A floor is a large area, and a whole floor of carpet will intensify the color, making it seem darker than the small sample. You may wish to select a carpet color one shade lighter than your target color in order to compensate for this.

Additional Resource:

• DoItYourself.com
• Carpet Shopping List