From drab to fab. How Carly Anne transformed her apartment, from the floor up!

The Melbourne apartment had the potential to be a character-filled haven and the bones were there, but there was work to be done. “This apartment has incredible natural light, a balcony that spans the width of it and a car park but its best feature is how well it was built.  Made of solid concrete it blocks out the noise of city traffic, it has great airflow and has no cladding.” Said Carly Anne, of her new home and what initially attracted her to it. There was a list of changes she wanted to change (including new carpet) and she wanted to do a lot of it herself.

Carly Anne started with several ideas, concepts and themes that she wanted to explore for her new home. Drawn to 70s vibes and a blend of vintage pieces and new, she settled on a style and was able to make design decisions, including selecting the bedroom carpet. “(I wanted) the carpet to be exactly like the one in Kyneton. I’ve spent many nights on the floor there with my legs up the wall, zoning out. But Mum (interior design superstar Shaynna Blayze) was like no you have to have a look, there will be others! Ultimately, I chose a textured wool loop because the weave is reminiscent of Berber rugs which felt like a nice fit with the 70s vibe I wanted in my room.”

The wool carpet has added a luxurious layer to the bedroom, with the added benefits that wool brings. As a natural insulator, fire resistant and made from a sustainable fibre, wool carpet was an excellent choice. “My room is so cosy now and it’s all because of the carpet. The weave on my feet feels so plush making winter mornings bearable knowing it’s a soft exit out of bed.” As for the rest of the home, there are gorgeous pops of colour and pattern throughout and an authentic mix of new and old furniture and décor pieces to finish the spaces.

“My best thrifting find was the pink velvet couch with two armchairs. It’s not a great sleeping couch but it’s great when entertaining. I couldn’t fit both armchairs here and not wanting to separate the set and sell it, I took one to Kyneton. Now I have a little bit of home up there too!”

The four-part YouTube series is an enthralling watch, but while it’s entertaining, it’s also informative and inspiring. We were keen to hear what the process had been like, behind the scenes.

“My first year of owning a home has been a rollercoaster of emotions. The space didn’t feel like a home yet and there’s been some lonely times doing it on my own, especially over winter. But as the year’s gone on I’ve gone down whatever rabbit hole I wanted and ended up with some awesome new skills, a sense of pride and achievement and it’s so cool I can watch it back on the Domain series and reflect on the past 12 months. It feels safe and happy and exciting!”

You can watch the Domain series to see the whole renovation and also learn more about choosing carpet for your bedroom on our blog!

Where can I buy carpet?

Flooring Xtra have a wide range of carpets across varying price, fibre and style categories, with stores conveniently located Australia-wide! To find your nearest Flooring Xtra store you can use our Store Finder.

How often should you vacuum carpet?

Vacuuming frequently will help reduce wear and tear on your carpet by removing dirt and grit from fibres. Vacuum frequently, weekly if possible and book in a yearly professional clean too.

What are carpet beetles?

Carpet beetles are pesky critters that can cause havoc on your beautiful flooring. They can come inside hiding on fresh flowers or through open windows and doors. The larvae feed on animal fibres meaning your wool carpet or rugs can be in serious trouble. There are ways to avoid and tread carpet beetles and you can read our blog to learn more.