Five on Friday with Kevin Harrison

Discover the World of Home Carpets with Insights from Kevin Harrison of Carpet Mill Outlet, Including Considerations, Installation, Sustainability, and Flooring Trends

Have you ever noticed when people start talking about buying a home, they have strong opinions on carpet? We thought it would be fun to sit down with Kevin Harrison of Carpet Mill Outlet, to learn more about home carpets!

Where are you from?

My wife and I moved to Portland from the Chicago area in 1994. Most of her family was living here and we did not want to miss out on those relationships. So we packed up all our belongings and moved west. After a couple of years, both my wife and I joined her father’s company. One part of that company is the Carpet Mill Outlet.

We’ve been very happy with our decision to move here. We were attracted to the northeast neighborhoods and the charm of the older homes. It’s been a great community for raising children, making friends, and of course great restaurants. I do miss the Chicago pizza.

What do clients need to consider before purchasing carpets?

There are several things to consider as you think about new floors, for example: What do I like or dislike about my current floors? What areas of the home is this going in? How much usage will this area have? What are my color schemes? How soon do I need it?

We want to make sure that the new product will be a positive addition to the home. We also do not want to focus so much on durability and function that we forget that this is also about fashion and appearance. We love working with our clients to help them find the best product to fit their needs, we offer so much more than just carpet.

What do people need to know about the installation process?

Like any home improvement there is a bit of upheaval before improvement. Each room will need to be emptied of all furniture before installation can be done. Often everything can be moved to one room while the other areas are worked on. Then, that room can be emptied and the installation can be completed. Not all the heavy lifting needs to be done by the homeowner though so don’t let that hold you back from changing your floors.

Are there sustainable types of carpet?

The first one that comes to mind is wool. Wool is comfortable, warm, soft, and naturally sustainable. It can be a bit expensive though. To get around the expense we keep a lot of wool carpet mill ends in stock. That way we can fill the client’s desire for wool carpet for about a third of the usual cost.

The industry in general is very focused on sustainability and recycling. They have improved manufacturing techniques that use much less water than the past. Some fibers like P.E.T. polyester is made from close to 100% recycled materials.

What are some of the current flooring trends?

We find that a lot of the “public” spaces in homes like living rooms, family rooms, & kitchens have wood or tile flooring. This has led to continued popularity of one of my favorite product lines, area rugs. Area rugs add color and soften the feel of a room. Carpet remains popular in bedrooms and other rooms whose focus is comfort. Another product that has a lot of popularity is Luxury Vinyl Flooring. It is a great alternative to wood or laminate in areas that would have exposure to moisture like bathrooms, utility rooms or kitchens. It has updated looks is easy to install and is relatively affordable. No matter what product type we talk about, the trending color is Grey.

Kevin Harrison [email protected]

http://www.carpetmill-portland.com (503) 766-3203

Have more questions or want professional advice on buying or selling a home?