You also have different styles of draperies and valances to choose from. With draperies, you have the options of rods with tap tops, tie tops with different pleats, grommet rod pockets, flouncy tops or plain rings. With valances you can choose to have them gathered, pleated, shirred, swaged, bundled, formal, casual, scalloped, lace, or even flat.

You also have a different variety of shades and blinds to choose from. You can choose between fabric shades or cellular shades. If you don't want to go with shades, you can choose from metal mini blinds, natural blinds, or even wood blinds.

With fabric shades you can choose between the Roman, balloon, Austrian, bottom arched, pleated, or even flat panel. If you prefer cellular shades, keep in mind that they will give you a cleaner look and are also available in sheer or non-sheer materials.

If you decide to choose blinds, make sure that they meet your homes requirements. Metal mini blinds offer choices in weight and size, special finishes, privacy options, header choices, cloth tapes, and hundreds of different colors.

Your first consideration when purchasing a new carpet should not be color, even though it is important. Your first consideration should be how much traffic you are going to have on the carpet. If you plan to put carpet in the bedroom, then it won't have as much traffic as carpet in the living room.

Stain resistance will also be important. This is something to think about with any carpet, especially carpet that is going to be used in a dining room or play room area where there will be a stready stream of food or possibilities for spills.

You'll also want to inquire about the rating of the carpet as well. Indoor carpeting is normally rated on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest rating. Carpets with a 5 rating are considered the best for heavy traffic areas. Rating of 4 are considered outstanding and recommended for heavy traffic areas of your home.

Ratings of 2.5 to 4 would provide normal durability for your home. Carpets that rate 2.5 or lower should only be used with light traffic areas, such as bedrooms. Choosing carpet based on the type of traffic it will receive can help you save a lot of money down the road, although you should buy carpet suited to your needs and requirements.

The highest quality of carpet you can buy is carpet made of wool. Wool carpets are very expensive, although you'll reap the benefits over years of use as wool will easily out perform any man made carpet. Two of the best benefits of wool carpet include its natural soil resistance and it's ability to retain appearance, meaning it won't crush or wear down like other carpets.

The downside to wool carpet, is the fact that it is out of reach for most of us. If you can't afford to have woold carpet installed throughout your entire house, then you should instead have it installed in the room that receives the highest amount of traffic.

There are several different man made carpets that you can choose from as well. If you have a high traffic area, then nylon would be an ideal choice due to the durability. Nylon is stain resistant as well, and repels mildew.

Carpets made of olefin is also a great choice for high traffic areas as it is very strong and easy to clean. Polyester is another good carpet as it is easy to clean and repels water based stains. Polyester is known for the look and feel of wool, although it is much less expensive.

The color consideration is also important. Light colored carpets create an effect of a larger space, although they do tend to show stains more easily. Dark carpets on the other hand tend to absorb light, giving a room what many know as the "cozy feeling".