Barley Bone White Rug

Who says jute has to be rough and brown? Barley in Bone White is a jute rug with a lighter touch, pale jute and soft white wool woven into a small, tight check. From the doorway it reads as one calm, bright surface. Up close you notice the play of the two fibres and the golden glint of the jute.

In an Edwardian semi knocked through into a kitchen diner, it sits happily under a dark wooden table with simple chairs, adding texture without visual weight. It also suits a bedroom of linen sheets and aged oak, or the hearth beside an open fire. The 75 x 240 cm runner brings warmth to a hallway, landing or galley kitchen. Then there is 140 x 200 cm beside a bed, 180 x 270 cm for a smaller sitting room, 200 x 300 cm for a table for six, and 250 x 350 cm or 300 x 400 cm for large living areas.

Barley comes from the looms of Bhadohi, India, made by hand with the punja technique, where the yarn is beaten down firmly with a heavy comb. The mix is 70% jute and 30% wool on a cotton warp, with a pile of about 14 mm, and it suits underfloor heating. Handwork means slight differences in size and tone. Jute dislikes water, so never wash it. Vacuum often, give it a shake and an airing now and then, and blot spills at once.