Drift Wool Rust Rug

A converted barn in October, logs crackling in the stove, and on the floor a rug in Rust, an earthy red brown halfway between old brick and terracotta. Drift Wool by Layered has a ribbed face that glows like corduroy, darker in shadow and warmer wherever the firelight reaches.

Exposed oak trusses and lime washed walls love this colour, and so does a battered leather sofa with a brass reading lamp beside it. For sharper contrast, try cream walls with a black chair and a white plaster table. In terms of size, 180 x 270 cm suits a smaller sitting room, 200 x 300 cm sits nicely beneath a dining table for six, 250 x 350 cm gathers a sofa and two chairs, and 300 x 400 cm draws an open plan space together into one warm whole.

In Bhadohi, India, this rug takes shape on a hand loom, wool over cotton warp, with cut and looped pile about 15 mm deep creating its ribs. It works well over underfloor heating. Handcrafting brings small variations in size and shade, part of the character. Fresh wool releases a few loose fibres to begin with, which tails off. Avoid a rotating brush when you vacuum, and soak up spills quickly by blotting.