Basement Carpet Final Decision -- Hurray!

In January, when Jon and I tore apart the basement to get ready for the remodel, I began my basement carpet obsession.  Everyday I would make another inspiration board of the family room to try out different options that would look good with this criteria:

1. Works with the existing fireplace brick

2. In our price range (we are buying about 98 yards of carpet and at $20/yard this adds up fast)

3. Jon wants a comfy cut pile he can take a nap on

4. I want a loop pile to go on the stairs without laying down under constant foot traffic and to look nubby against the fireplace.  I don't nap on carpet!

5. A color that would be darker--but not TOO dark--than the paint color we used upstairs and have decided to use downstairs.

On Saturday Jon and I visited my dad's carpet store AGAIN (with our naughty boys who run around everywhere).  After looking over the same samples of Phenix carpet over again, Jon stumbled up this new carpet that my dad put in the showroom just a few days earlier:

Cascata, Silent Taupe Carpet at Western Wholesale Flooring, SLC, UT

We were instantly excited: the color was right, the price was right, and it had the cut pile for Jon + a loop pattern mixed in to satisfy me.  We brought the sample home and liked it even more:

carpet option against wall color upstairs to check if they go together
(wall has spots of reflection from a crystal chandelier)

carpet option against brick fireplace

carpet option against brick and near paint choice on wall

The secret to making this work is WHITE TRIM.  We have a lot of white trim to put up and paint before the carpet is installed.  Ugh.  Someday we will be done with the basement.