Yes, it is fine to have hardwood in the bedroom. It is better for those with allergies. I used to want hardwood stairs, until one time in a rental, I slipped and fell on wood stairs, and then I vowed to always have carpet on the stairs, tho I suppose a rug would be similarly padded.

I've talked to several people who were told, by a realtor, they needed to replace carpet/paint to sell their house.

Mostly gobbleygook advice. Most folks around here have such different tastes(and different houses) they want to install/paint/etc. in their style.

Put the hardwood where you want it.

Oh, for the slippery wood stairs----there are non skid additives which are added to stair finish(poly/etc) which make stairs much safer.

Haha, yes, maybe it does make them safer, but not more padded!

"In terms of resale and/or appeal" ... IMO, it would be offputting to find hardwood only in the Master Bedroom and carpet everywhere else. I'm not one of the "most folks" that HandyMac mentions who wants to move into a new home and install/paint/etc. I look at those things and see $$$$$ and work. If you are doing improvements for your own enjoyment, I say do whatever you want. I don't think that home improvements give you back 100% of your investment when you sell, so even if you install hardwoods throughout, you won't likely recoup that investment entirely. I would not rule out a great house solely because of carpet, but I would definitely have to consider that it would need to come out. I'd either have to match the wood in the bedroom, or tear that out, too.

Ditto to Sophie. It would look silly to have hardwood just in the master.

Ditto to Sophie. It would look silly to have hardwood just in the master.

They already have hardwood in the main living areas ... it's the bedrooms, halls and stairs that are in question.

If this were my house, I'd want hardwood in the halls and stairs first. Why? Because those are the spaces that get most walk-wear. Hardwood in those spaces and carpet in the bedrooms is fine. Hardwood in the master and not the secondary bedrooms is also fine.

As for resale, are you looking at selling soon? I wouldn't replace any carpet unless your resale plans are very close -- carpet doesn't do anything for your sales price unless it is new.

Thanks for all of your comments! Mrs. Pete, to your question, we aren't planning to sell anytime soon (maybe another 3 yrs minimum). We've gotten quotes for the hallway/stairs and the full carpet replacement. We're thinking those are the routes we really want to go with. Installing the wood in the bedrooms isn't what scares us...it's the stairs.

I wouldn't sweat it. I know people who carpet just little kid rooms for safety, so I'd take the flooring through the hall of the second floor, too.

Some people also like carpeted stairs. I call these people crazy. But they're afraid wood stairs are too slippery.

" I know people who carpet just little kid rooms for safety,"

I wonder which part of the dust, dirt, mold, pee, poop, erp, and who knows what else that accumulates in a kids room carpet they think is safe? I'll take a cleanable surface any day.

They're specifically afraid of falls.

I was thrilled to rip mine out, but some of my friends thought the idea was bad.

There is also the fact that unless you soundproof well, the rooms under kid rooms sound like you've adopted a troop of enormous tap dancing tarantulas.

Every area I've lived it's hardwood for living areas, tile for wet areas. Carpet is disgusting (tear it out and see what's under there), plus with the cycle of replacement it is more expensive. Anymore when I see carpet I think "cheap".

Tell that “cheap” to the $180 a yard wool that will last you 30 years. Carpet need not be ripped out every 3 years if you buy decent carpet in the first place.