Originally the concept of having fitted carpets was used to help keep homes warm and reduce draughts from coming up through floor boards and whilst many homes still prefer this style of flooring, the trends for clean lines and clean homes is seeing the trend move back in time with stripped floorboards, laminate or tiled flooring being the most fashionable alternatives.



Homes are far better insulated than they were in the past with the introduction of central heating and double glazing in the majority of new homes the need to preserve heat being lost through the floorings is gradually becoming a thing of the past. Many modern and contemporary homes also have under floor heating which enables a wide variety of different flooring to be used whilst still retaining heat.

Sleek, clean lines and easy cleaning are foremost in many people's minds as they move away from the days when homes took all week to keep clean, and whilst this is still a necessity the ease and speed of completing housework enables people to spend more relaxation and leisure time that hours scrubbing homes!

People from other countries such as France, Germany and Sweden actually find it most bizarre that homes in the UK have fitted carpets, especially in the bathroom! They consider this to be unhygienic for obvious reasons, as tiled floors are far easier to keep scrupulously clean than carpets. In the UK people are also beginning to realise that bathroom carpets are not very practical and are opting for tiles or laminate flooring with a bath mat or rug to step onto. Old fashioned bathroom 'sets' comprising of a bath mat, pedestal and toilet mat continue to be popular as these can quite simply be laundered.

Of course this does not mean that every room in your home should be completely devoid of any style of carpeting, rugs are a great way to make a room feel warm and inviting. They are also a cost effective method of flooring which can be changed and swapped around to meet the needs of each person's interior design style and theme.

Lounges can look stunning with a brightly coloured patterned or plain rug used under a coffee table or in front of a fireplace, whilst dining areas often include a large rug placed under the table and chairs. These placements of rugs may appear to somewhat defeat the object of keeping homes clean as they are used in areas which are most likely to suffer spills and food crumbs, however, as they are easy to maintain they are used with great affect and bring cohesion and create a warming atmosphere to a home.

In the bedroom designers are using a large rug placed just under the bottom third of the bed, rather than the more traditional rugs placed either side of a double bed! This produces a modern look to your interior without having completely bare flooring. With the wide ranges of colours, patterns and styles available having cheap rugs in your home is a cost effective and very practical way of creating stunning interiors which are easy to maintain.