Floor coverings have come a long way in the past decade. Where once wall-to-wall carpeting was bland and there were few options to choose from, now there are a multitude of colors and designs to select from, and one of the best ways to dress up a bare, cold-looking hallway or lobby is by installing a well-placed rug or carpet. Rugs and carpets muffle noise, reduce wear-and-tear on underlying flooring materials, and add visual interest at relatively little expense.

In hallways of co-ops and condos, it is not unusual to see commercial-grade wall-to-wall carpeting occupying much of the floor's space. This is the most recommended floor treatment by designers for boards because of the amount of foot traffic they get in a given day.

"In public spaces such as corridors, it is best to use wall-to-wall carpet where the original floor isn't valuable," says David Kaplan of David Kaplan Interior Design LLC in Manhattan. "It reduces noise levels, it's more comfortable than the hard surface, and it just looks better in most instances."

"Carpeting wall-to-wall makes the area look more expansive," says Lauri Wood, a redecorating expert and president of Use What You Have Interiors and Redecorate.com, both on Manhattan's Upper East Side. "Plus, since sound bounces like crazy on a floor, it's just great for soundproofing which residents really appreciate. And it looks good."

It's important to know what type of carpeting you are installing. Unless you get a reasonably strong, flat-weave commercial carpeting, you may be looking at full replacement every five years or so because of heavy traffic, but with so many choices nowadays, it's easy to get something that is practical while still looking good.

"Years ago, commercial carpet was very cheesy-looking and there weren't many choices on the market, but the commercial [carpeting] industry has exploded, and there's so many more choices today," Wood says. "If you get a good nylon or a flat-weave carpet, it would be fine. Commercial carpeting can last 15 years or more with proper care."

You can also cover floors more expensive area coverings, like Persian or Oriental rugs. These coverings are more elaborate and decorative but are harder to care for. However, there are still many co-ops and condos that favor the more opulent, purely residential look.

"Particularly when the aesthetic is traditional, area rugs would definitely be the preferred treatment," Kaplan says. "Area rugs can be removed from the premises for cleaning and are easier to replace if necessary. Area rugs can be changed in the future and need not require changing of other surface treatments in the space."

"Oriental and Persian rugs require more attention in their care but maintain a more luxurious and prestigious image - which can be an important factor," says Wood.

The professionals agree that you will usually find area rugs combined with wall-to-wall carpeting in all but the ritziest buildings because the expense keeps them from being utilized exclusively.

"When area rugs are incorporated, it defines and enhances seating and gathering areas," says Kaplan. "Sometimes the look they add can really do a lot for a living environment."

But Kaplan is referring more to complementing the otherwise bare-floored areas with rugs, not overlapping. That is a definite decorating no-no.

"People sometimes put rugs on top of carpets because they think it's good luck but it's just wrong for so many reasons," says Wood. "It could be a trip hazard and result in a lawsuit, or it could look like you're hiding stains - and it just doesn't look too pleasing."

Commercial carpeting is made from synthetics or synthetic/natural blend wool fibers. Although natural fiber carpets are more elegant and perhaps appealing for residential applications, they do not meet commercial standards for stain and flame resistance.

"I don't like all synthetics because they seem to absorb oil and stains really quickly," says John O'Hare of Manhattan-based Whitney Carpets and Rugs. "[However] nylon can be cleaned and stays looking new for years, so that's a really good choice when choosing commercial carpeting."

When talking about the cost of floor coverings, the range is vast. Oriental and Persian rugs can be extremely expensive, but good-quality commercial carpeting can fit right into any building's budget.

"A low-end but decent quality commercial carpet can be as little as approximately $25 per square yard installed while more luxurious fibers and custom goods can be as high as $250 per square yard installed," says Kaplan.

"Wool is more expensive - but if you have the budget for that, it is very durable and cleans well," says O'Hare.

Cleaning and care for the carpets is probably the most important thing that co-ops and condos have to manage when dealing with floor coverings. Although carpet suppliers and decorators will recommend companies for maintenance and upkeep, it is an extremely rare case for them to do it themselves.

"Proper upkeep for carpeting other than manufacturers' specifications is basically common sense," says Todd Saunders of Long Island City's Contract Services of America, Inc. (CSA), which specializes in cleaning and restoring carpets. "You need to vacuum every day, which is crucial, not only for the aesthetic appearance, but for the longevity or what we call serviceable life of the material."

A lot of buildings may not have the manpower for regular vacuuming, but it is something that in the long run will save them time and money.

"If you don't have a really good vacuuming program, the debris that gets caught in the sub-pile of the carpet - that's below the face of what you can actually feel - gets filtered down to the base of the carpet and as foot traffic is introduced over time, those little particles basically cut the sides of the pile below microscopically," Saunders says. "For health reasons it's important since it can affect indoor air quality."

As far as cleaning carpets goes, most cleaning companies offer a variety of maintenance contracts, but a major cleaning is usually only done once or twice a year. "You need to clean carpets depending on how much foot traffic they get - but at minimum once a year; at least twice is preferable," says Warren Regent of Hi-Tech Carpet Cleaning in Yonkers.

"Natural and more luxurious fibers are typically not treated with stain-resistant finishes, and therefore require more constant attention - but they can work well in less trafficked areas," says Kaplan. "Synthetic fiber carpets are designed specifically to withstand a high level of traffic and are often warrantied for several years."

There are special solutions for cleaning any sort of stain. Whether it's food, coffee, blood, urine or even bleach, the carpet cleaning companies have a solution to fix it.

Some companies, like CSA, offer a spotting service where someone comes in on a weekly or monthly basis and polices the entire area for spots. "We can remove spots by hand with a tiny machine or by using a rag and solution," says Saunders. "We don't come in to vacuum, but we can consult with the proper people to make sure they have a solid program in place."

The charge for carpet cleaning is usually measured by the square foot. "Everything relates to time," Saunders says. "If you're cleaning carpet you have to have access to the freight elevator. We want to be able to move from floor to floor without waiting for 30 minutes to move a big machine."

Oriental or Persian carpets are more expensive to clean than normal commercial carpet or area rugs because they require special care.

"We like to do those in our own facility so we can take the proper time, and not have [the rug] touched by foot traffic as we're cleaning it," says Saunders. "When you're talking about Persian and Oriental rugs, the potential for fugitive dye, meaning bleeding, is very real. There are all sorts of methods we can use by using acids, and lower PH solutions to lock colors. We test areas as often as possible so it takes more time and costs more."

"You have to do it correctly or you are going to ask for problems," says Regent. "If you're working on wool, you have to keep cleaning solutions below 140 degrees Fahrenheit or you will have excessive shrinking."

Aside from vacuuming every day, one tip for the building staff that will help the longevity of carpets is to use and maintain walk-off mats to remove dirt. Soil reduction is the key component to keeping a carpet looking clean and well-kept. It's also good for air quality inside the building.

"The walk-off mat is designed to remove soil from your shoes and since 90 percent of dirt on carpets comes from foot traffic, they are imperative," says Saunders. "You should also have a service come in to change mats on demand or on a monthly basis. These are high-pressure washed, immersed in vats, and shampooed. That's why you need several sets too, so you always have one available."

Economical as they've become, carpets and rugs do require more maintenance and care - which cost money. Given that, there are those who still love the look of a wood or tile floor.

"The drawbacks of using carpet is that it does not wear as well as hard surface treatments. It requires more care and cleaning and will need replacing sooner," Kaplan says.

"There are always clients who are dead-set against rugs or carpets of any kind," says Ward, adding that carpeted or not, "Good design is something aesthetically pleasing and functional. It's 50/50 when it comes to what's more important."