PSA: The carpet in that new 'retro' diner in Springfield is a trip hazard waiting to happen...

I stopped for a coffee there yesterday and noticed the install... the pattern is these huge, wavy black and white lines. From the door, it looks totally flat. But when you walk on it, there's a half-inch ridge running right down the middle of each 'wave' where the seams weren't leveled right. My foot caught on it twice just going to the counter. The manager said they 'wanted the vintage look' and picked the cheapest installer. Has anyone else run into a design that just fights a good install?

3 comments

3 Comments

angela_harris1mo ago

That half-inch ridge sounds like the installer was going for "retro trip hazard" instead of "retro diner." Guess you get what you pay for when "vintage look" is code for "cheapest bid.

knight.felix1mo ago

You ever see those optical illusion floors that make you dizzy just looking at them? I feel like that pattern choice was asking for trouble even before the bad install. My old apartment had this textured bathroom tile that looked cool but collected so much grime in the ridges it was impossible to clean. Some designs just seem to forget they have to function in real life.

jackson.faith1mo ago

...but isn't that kind of the whole point of a retro diner? The whole charm is that it's supposed to feel a little chaotic and not totally polished. You're supposed to be looking at the giant milkshake on the menu or the checkered floor, not watching your feet every step. A perfectly flat, boring carpet would make it feel like a dentist's office, not a fun place to grab a burger. And half an inch? Come on, that's barely a bump. Maybe just lift your feet a little higher when you walk, that's what I always say.