Straight Saxony
A straight Saxony has all of the fibers going in the same direction to present a consistent color. This style is also sometimes called a velvet Saxony because it presents a similar appearance to velvet. If you brush your hand across the surface, you will see the difference in color where the disturbed fibers were moved in the opposite direction. This style of carpet is beautiful and luxurious but Saxony carpets show footprints and every vacuum stroke.
Textured Saxony
A more recently popular style, called textured Saxony, is also known as trackless. This style has the same general characteristics as a straight Saxony, but the key difference is that the fibers are kinked or twisted in different directions. They reflect the light differently, which means that when you brush your hand across the surface, you don’t notice as much of a difference in color. A textured Saxony can help to mask footprints and vacuum marks, making them a popular choice for busy households.
Pros of a Saxony Carpet
Color aside, a Saxony is almost never out of style. It is a classic look that can work well for both formal and casual settings. When selected properly according to usage conditions, it can be very durable, and look beautiful for many years.
Cons of a Saxony Carpet
Some consider Saxony to have less personality than other styles, such as a Berber or frieze, due to its relatively uniform color and pile height. Saxony carpet can be very deceiving when it comes to quality. It can be tricky to tell the grade of the carpet just by its looks—what appears to be a full, dense carpet can sometimes just be a relatively small number of fibers that each have a low amount of twists resulting in puffy tips when crushed by foot traffic, for example.
How to Choose Quality Saxony Carpet
Saxony, like other carpet styles, is available in many different qualities, so it generally is applicable in all areas of the home. The Saxony style is also available in every type of carpet fiber, including nylon, triexta, polyester, and wool. You can learn to tell the quality of a Saxony carpet by carefully reading the specs. The durability of the Saxony will depend on variables such as the type of fiber, the twist of the fiber, and the density—higher twists and density likely means the Saxony is hard-wearing. High-traffic areas would do best with denser Saxonies with a high twist. For example, a high-grade textured Saxony is a good choice for a busier area of the home, such as stairs and a family room. A medium-quality straight Saxony looks beautiful in an area infrequently used, such as a formal living room, and may hold up well due to minimal foot traffic in the space.
