Carpet is Out!
Wood floors (Pergo, authentic, faux, ect) are in! I have a few family members that follow current interior design closely and everyone (at least with enough money to spare) is putting in wood. My parents are very slowly ripping out the carpet and installing wood when it's affordable. Here in Arizona, especially in the Phoenix and Tucson metro areas, there's also has a lot of tile. I imagine some people like it, but it might be because housing is getting so expensive that a good amount of homes are now investment properties/rentals, and it's easier for landlords to not have to rip out carpeting with a bad tenant. Model homes in new developments often have berber carpet in bedrooms, but of course "builder's grade" carpet, usually tan medium-pile, is entry level.
I think it's a good choice. It's easier to pick up liquid messes to just mop instead of getting out a carpet cleaner. I'll always love some carpeting since it's nicer to vacuum, but if that wasn't an interest of mine, the ease of maintenance of quality hard floors wins almost every time.
