Cotton has a soft, matt feel that is lovely to walk across barefoot. The Kelim Azizi runner in blue is a cotton rug through and through, made of 100% cotton on a cotton backing.

Woven by hand in India on a loom rather than knotted, it has the flat weave you can see in the blue-toned pattern. Because the surface is flat, it stays light and easy to shift when you need to sweep underneath. Crumbs and stray hairs lift off without a fight. Handmade rugs can differ slightly from the stated measurements.

Long and narrow, it fits the kitchen runner spot in front of the worktop or sink, and works just as happily as a hallway runner or hall runner along a narrow entrance. Beside the bed in a child's room it makes a quiet strip, a calm blue take on kids room rugs. The soft cotton is pleasant to sit on while playing. Below it, underfloor heating is fine.

Cotton takes dye well, which is why the blue of this cotton rug looks so clear against a plain wall or pale floorboards. Other colours of the Azizi are available if blue isn't quite right. Whichever space you have in mind, which size to pick is easier to decide once you have measured the floor.

Dab a small spill with cold water and a mild soap, then leave the runner to dry through completely, as our page on how to clean your rug describes. A quick vacuum, or a shake outside, keeps the weave tidy.