Beneath a dining table with white chairs, the Sina in mottled light grey keeps a bright room bright. Crumbs and chair legs meet wool instead of hard floor, and the flecked grey looks quieter than a solid shade would.

Its pile is 100% wool on a cotton backing, hand-tufted in India. Wool fibres have a natural crimp that traps air between them. This light grey design is one of jaloom's wool rugs made by tufting rather than weaving.

Pick the size so the chairs stay on the rug even when someone pushes back from the table, and choosing the right size becomes much easier. Among our dining room rugs, the light grey Sina suits pale wood and white tables.

The wool stays low underfoot. Underfloor heating beneath it is fine, and the same rug moves easily to a living room or bedroom later.

Snip any yarn that sticks up instead of tugging it. Dents from chair legs usually lift with a little water, a step from how to clean your rug that is handy in a dining room. Vacuum the light grey Sina often in the first weeks, while new wool still sheds loose fibres.