Godfrey Hirst carpet in Edmonton

Most people come to Godfrey Hirst for wool. Wool broadloom is the company's specialty in North America, and it's the carpet many homeowners picture when they want something that feels rich underfoot in a living room or primary bedroom. Godfrey Hirst says wool offers comfort and a look and feel other materials can't match.

Others come for choice. Under one name you can compare natural wool with two synthetic fibre families, which makes it easier to pick the right carpet for each room instead of compromising on one for the whole house.

• Wool carpet: Godfrey Hirst's specialty for North America, including wool and wool-blend styles.

• SmartStrand and SmartStrand Silk: Godfrey Hirst markets SmartStrand as "Carpet Made With the Entire Family in Mind," for busy homes.

• EverLux nylon and EverLux XTRA: nylon carpet that Godfrey Hirst describes as "Crafted for performance. Designed for beauty."

Each fibre has a personality. Wool is natural and has a feel that's hard to match. SmartStrand is built around families, kids and pets. Nylon is chosen for performance in rooms that see a lot of foot traffic. The best way to decide is to stand on them. All three are on our showroom floor, and we're happy to talk through where each one makes sense in your house.

If SmartStrand is on your list, you can also compare it with Mohawk's SmartStrand carpet, which we carry as well.

Carpet is still the first choice for many bedrooms, finished basements and family rooms here. It's warm on cold winter mornings and it softens sound between floors. Stairs deserve their own conversation, because they take the most wear in the house, so mention them early.

Underlay matters as much as the carpet. We match it to the room and the carpet you've chosen. Our carpet flooring page explains how we measure, prepare and install.

A few questions make a carpet visit faster and the choice easier. Which rooms are you carpeting, and does anyone in the house have allergies? Do you have pets, and do they use the stairs? Is the room over a heated main floor or a cool basement slab? How do you clean now: a quick vacuum, or a regular deep clean? Bring rough room sizes or a floor plan if you have one, and a photo of the room in daylight. With those answers we can usually narrow a wall of samples down to three or four that genuinely fit.