My mother is 85 years old and has Parkinson's, so she has trouble getting around. I am keeping her in mind with your question. I would go with a low pile carpet, if you were my parent. It is softer for when she falls down. Mom has hardwood in her foyer, dining, and halls, and although they are beautiful, they are mostly covered with throw rugs, which are a tripping hazard, but less slippery for her. She has trouble with getting a "grip" on the floor when standing up, and carpet helps with that. Wheelchairs will run grooves in a hardwood floor.

Also I apologize for the incorrect placement of this post. I saw Home Forums and didn't realize I was in Garden Topics.

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.

"Tom Silva replies: You can do it either way. My painting contractor, Jim Clark, wants to be last so doesn't have to repaint baseboards that have been splotched with stain or ployurethane, or nicked by a sander. Besides, even the most careful flooring contractors inevitably leave a film of dust everywhere, he says. My flooring contractor, Pat Hunt, sees things a little differently. He prefers to be last because floor finishes take a while to fully cure, so he doesn't want anyone walking on them even when they're covered with protective tarps. He also says it's pretty common for other contractors to damage or spill stuff on a finished floor. The way he figures it, it's much easier to touch up paint than a floor finish. As the general contractor, I sometimes have the flooring finisher go first, and sometimes I let him go last. It all depends on what's best for the project schedule. I have that kind of flexibility because I know Clark and Hunt will put a lot of effort into protecting the other guy's work." https://www.thisoldhouse.com/ask-toh/what-comes-first-wall-painting-or-floor-refinishing