Eight of the best modern carpet ideas
From bold colours to sustainable sisal, here’s our guide to selecting the right carpet for your space
It's official – carpet is cool again. But if you're overwhelmed by choice or struggling to picture anything other than an oatmeal square, you're certainly not alone. Our guide to the latest carpet trends covers patterns, textures and materials, with eight brilliant examples to inspire. First, let's go over the basics...
Woven or tufted?
The former is made from wool on a traditional loom; the latter uses different types of yarn and includes twist carpets, where the yarn is tightly wound to create a textured surface.
What's best for busy spaces?
The denser the fibre, the more durable it is – this is important for high-traffic areas. A hard-wearing carpet should quickly spring back into shape when you walk on it.
Why shouldn't I scrimp on underlay?
Not only does it help retain the heat, it also acts as an extra layer of cushioning to protect your floor and will extend the lifespan of your carpet.
What should I consider when choosing colours?
Ask to take swatches home and place them in different parts of the room to see how they look as the light changes over the course of a day.
Skirting around
By painting the woodwork to match your carpet – and opting for taller skirting – it makes the floor space seamlessly flow upwards and appear larger than it is. Darker-hued designs anchor the room and make the walls above look lighter and more airy.
For similar, try the ‘Bell Twist’ carpet in ‘Damson’, £39.99 per sq m, Brintons, brintons.co.uk
On the up
For a busy area such as the stairs, opt for a low-pile design. Made with smaller fibres and tightly woven loops, they have a smooth, flat surface, so any stains are easy to remove.
For similar, try ‘Sensation’ carpet in ‘Siberian Mink’, from £25 per sq m, Cormar Carpet Company, cormarcarpets.co.uk
Tread softly
Best suited to low-traffic areas of the home, such as the dining room and bedroom, a thick velvety carpet offers a plush, luxurious look – and feels super-soft underfoot, too.
Try the hand-woven ‘Heavy Velvet Mist’ wool carpet, £121 per sq m, Jacaranda Carpets, jacarandacarpets.com
Mix and match
Combining plain and patterned carpets is a simple trick for defining zones within a single open-plan space. This colourful version by Cristina Celestino for Besana Carpet Lab is produced on a roll, so it can be supplied in any size, any shape, with or without a border.
‘Nebula’ carpet, approx £220 per sq m, besanamoquette.com
Material matters
Choosing an individual carpet for each room of your home allows you to mix up materials according to footfall. For instance, hard-wearing natural fibre sisal is ideal for high-traffic areas like the living room and hallway.
‘Sisal Bouclé Brockton’ carpet, £44.40 per sq m, Alternative Flooring, alternativeflooring.com
Small print
A hallway is one of the most used and functional spaces in a home and an obvious way to make it instantly more interesting is with a subtly patterned carpet. Neat, uniform designs work best, such as this geometric ‘Quirky B Geo’ carpet in ‘Duck Egg’.
£103.35 per sq m, Alternative Flooring, alternativeflooring.com
Floor art
In recent years, painterly rugs have become increasingly popular on floors and even walls, but these abstract designs work just as well on fully fitted carpet. Choose a pattern in tonal shades, or for maximum impact, a spectrum of contrasting hues like this stunning ‘Blend’ carpet in ‘Magma’.
£147 per sq m, Besana Carpet Lab, besanamoquette.com
Optical illusion
Make a patterned carpet the main feature of a room by keeping walls plain and neutral. Set the scale according to the size of a space: the larger the room, the larger the pattern. This wavy line design by Ege adds an extra dimension by creating an optical illusion on the floor.
‘Ocean’ carpet in ‘Beige’ from the ‘A New Wave’ collection by Séché Studio, £30 per sq m, egecarpets.com
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