DALTON, Ga. -- The Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI), Dalton, Ga., is advising homeowners to decorate their homes as artists might paint their canvases -- using colors, textures and patterns to reflect their personalities and to evoke a certain mood.

According to interior designer Linda Frazier, "When carpet is added or updated, it is the one item that creates the greatest interior impact for the price."

She adds that, "Carpet is the easiest, most cost-efficient means of changing the entire look of a room because it covers so much of the visual space and because of the return on investment -- the long life of the carpet versus the initial cost.'"

More than ever before, decorators and interior designers are receiving requests for soft colors, such as dusty blue, aqua and lavender. Frazier believes this is in response to the chaotic lifestyle most Americans lead. "These soft hues induce feelings of serenity and calmness; something we all wish we had more of in our lives."

For carpet cleaning professionals, CRI's suggestions are a call to education: You will find yourself cleaning carpet laden with a variety of colors. Understanding how to address this will help to define the carpet cleaner's worth to their customers.

CRI is the national trade association, representing manufacturers who produce over 90 percent of the country's carpet and rugs and suppliers of raw materials and services to the industry. CRI is a resource for extensive information for members, consumers, and end users of the industry's products.

CRI is a sounding board for the industry, bringing together the expertise of the membership to provide standards and guidelines for the use of products, environmental issues, and information for customers on carpet selection, installation, maintenance, and the role of their products in the indoor environment.

For further information on the latest trends in carpet color and texture, contact CRI at (800) 882-8846 or visit the Web site at www.carpet-rug.com.