Barefoot on a Sunday morning, coffee in hand, you want something underfoot that feels flat and even. This round rug in beige has a checked pattern, woven in squares that sit neatly against each other. No pile to wade through, and chair legs slide across it without catching.

Outdoors it works just as well. Set it on a terrace or balcony, under the seating so the furniture stands on it. The beige keeps things calm, so the checkerboard design reads as a quiet texture rather than a loud statement.

Polypropylene, a synthetic fibre, forms the whole pile, and the rug is machine-woven in Turkey. Jacquard weaving gives the lines their precision, which is why the squares stay crisp from edge to edge. Underneath is a jute backing. A heated floor underneath is fine as well.

Under a round dining table, a round rug like this one frames the chairs and softens the straight lines of the room. Beside an armchair in the living room, it makes a tidy island. Under a round table it makes a calm dining room rug, so pick a diameter that keeps the chairs on it when they are pulled back.

Polypropylene soaks up hardly any water, so a spill stays on the surface for a while. Dab it with a clean cloth, then work over it with a cloth and some mild soapy water, as described in our advice on looking after your rug. Keep hot pans and irons away from it, since heat is the one thing this fibre does not like.