Barley Chestnut Rug

Picture a handful of conkers on a gravel path in October, and you have the palette of this rug in Chestnut: deep brown wool and golden jute interlaced in a small, close check. Up close, brown and gold trade places square by square over a dense 14 mm surface.

It belongs in a Victorian terrace with stripped floorboards, where the brown picks up the old pine beside a tan leather chair. Chestnut is forgiving with muddy boots and crumbs, which makes the 75 x 240 cm runner a natural for a narrow hall or the stretch along the kitchen units. For a bedside choose 140 x 200 cm. In the sitting room, 180 x 270 cm suits a modest layout, 200 x 300 cm takes a sofa and a pair of chairs, while 250 x 350 cm and 300 x 400 cm fill a generous through lounge.

Barley is woven by hand in Bhadohi, India, using the punja method, where a heavy comb beats each row of yarn firmly into place. The blend is 70% jute and 30% wool over a cotton warp, and the rug sits happily on underfloor heating. Handmade pieces can differ slightly in size and shade. Jute and moisture are poor companions, so do not wash it: run the vacuum over it often, take it outside now and then for a shake and an airing, and blot any spill at once with a dry cloth.