Soft and matt: that is how the Kelim Durry in grey looks and feels when you first run a hand over it. This cotton rug is woven flat, with a tight, even surface with a checked pattern in shades of grey.

The yarn is 100% cotton on a cotton back, woven by hand in India. Hand-woven means the weft is worked across the warp thread by thread, which is why a rug like this can differ slightly from the stated size. That is part of how it is made rather than a flaw. Cotton takes colour well, as our cotton rugs show in many shades, and the grey here is calm enough to sit beside both pale and dark furniture.

Because it is flat-woven it is light and easy to move, which helps when it serves as a kitchen rug that often gets shifted for cleaning. A checkered rug in grey also works in the dining room under a table, in a nursery, where the flat surface is easy to move and tidy up, and in the living room by the sofa.

The Kelim Durry is a rectangle, available in several sizes, and choosing the right size is easier once you have marked the floor with masking tape. It suits underfloor heating too.

For everyday care, vacuum lightly and shake it out now and then. A non-slip pad underneath keeps the thin weave flat, and our advice on looking after your rug explains what to do with spills, so the cotton can dry fully before anything goes back on top. Grey or not, this Kelim Durry stays happiest with that bit of routine.