Kids sprawl on the floor with a board game while someone reads on the sofa. The red Kelim Chindi Uni lies under all of them, a block of warm colour with a fringe at each end.

Washing at 30 °C works for the red one, alone in the machine, and afterwards it dries flat instead of tumbling. Few rooms are off limits for a washable rug like this. Pull it far enough under the sofa that the front feet stand on the red, and the seating reads as one. Bedrooms suit it as well, next to our bedroom rugs in calmer shades, and so does a kitchen. Mark the spot with masking tape before choosing the right size.

Woven by hand in India from 100% cotton, the red Chindi Uni sits with our cotton rugs and suits underfloor heating. Handwoven, so the size can vary a little.

As our cleaning advice points out, a light cotton rug like the red Chindi Uni moves on smooth floors unless it has an underlay. Choose one a fraction smaller than the rug, so the edges of the light weave stay flat.