Saturday morning, pancakes on the table and a dog waiting under the chairs for crumbs. The Phoenix in red lies right there, beneath the family dining table or in front of the sofa where the children watch cartoons.

Red polypropylene in the Phoenix

Its pile is 100% polypropylene on a jute backing, machine-woven in Turkey. The red goes into the fibre during production rather than onto it, and polypropylene takes up hardly any water. That puts the Phoenix among our synthetic fibre rugs. The vintage pattern looks worn by design.

The red Phoenix under a dining table

Choose a format large enough for chairs to stay on it when pushed back, which keeps legs from catching on the edge. Being a low pile rug, it suits kitchens and kids' rooms too, and underfloor heating is fine. Red brings warmth to grey or white schemes, which is why it also features among our living room rugs. Tape the outline down before choosing the right size.

Phoenix care after family meals

Reading up on how to clean your rug takes a minute, and for the Phoenix the key point is time, since spilt juice stays on the polypropylene briefly before it sinks in. Put a grippy underlay a little smaller than the rug beneath it. Its short pile takes a brush-head vacuum without fuss.