On the subject of flooring. I’m recommending VCT Tile. A VCT tile floor is relatively easy to install with mastic. It lasts a long time. It can be repaired tile by tile if damaged. It is easy to clean.
It is also a professional looking appearance for classrooms. It will also lay on top of our curved floor.
VCT Tile requires removing the existing carpet which will need to be scraped off with a machine. BlueAshTool Rents a floor scraper for $44/day. Money well spent as it makes removing glue down rubber backed carpet a much easier stand up job. The wood strand flooring should be ok for tile once scraped. Even if it requires underlayment the cost per square foot is less than most any other flooring costs. Well placed VCT Tile lasts for 15 to 20 years or more.
I strongly recommend against the hexagonal carpet tiles which has been discussed. Why?
Based on over 30 years of owning rental property, flipping houses and managing office space, I know rubber backed carpet tiles are problems waiting to happen.
Positive Amazon reviewers of the carpet tiles have placed them on tile floors and taped the tiles down or together into a rug. They liked the way they looked. They wanted a cheap area rug.
None of the Amazon positive reviews are long term. I’ve never been happy with the way rubber backed carpets wear.
The answered question about cutting the tiles said: Difficult / No don’t
Carpet tiles on top of the existing carpet will have 768 edges free to pop up whenever a weight is placed on top of one. This is true even if they are all carpet taped together.
Anyone ever installed / maintained carpet? Heat taped seams together? Plan on some full days on your knees. (No thank you) Then redoing the edges asd they break loose over time.
Buy a single box of tiles to make a Hex pattern area rug for the conversation side of the lounge. However, there are other better choices in area rugs.
On carpet… I have never pulled up a carpet and found anything other than a mess. Tile with an area rug? Hate the rug, or dirty rug, throw it away. Glued down rug? Stuck with it. Har har… sorry. Yeah, there will be a bundle of surface prep so the old glue does not show through… but tile is far easier to clean than carpet. Imo of course… have to disclose that the allergies remind me to say, allergies hate carpet too.