I was going to buy my sister a rug for her birthday, but realised that it's way too personal an object to buy. Plus l like this vibrant Monti rug for £169 from Ilva and you will either like or loathe it. I'm not sure how Ilva is doing, given it's store fairly remote localities. But they do have 20% off over the Bank Holiday weekend and £50 back if you spend over £250. Will that be enough incentive to get you there?

Posted by Carole

I'm a big fan of the rubber flooring company because they have the same range as Dalsoupple but are less expensive. Saying that I can't tell you the exact price because that information comes via a store near you or by phoning their freephone number. We've had rubber flooring in our bathroom, so I can say their PR is true which is' it provides an unequalled level of softness and impact absorbency ..It is resistant to fading, cigarette burns and damage'. How about throwing an Easter party to christen your new floor and test it's reputation.

Posted by Carole

I pass Woven Ground (rug heaven) every day on my way to school. Should we ever get to the stage of needing rugs rather than a new rear end to our house, then this 90cm by 160cm acrylic butterfly beauty will be on my shopping list for Erin. This shop has got every conceivable design, style and colour combination you could ever desire. If you still can't find what you like, then simply design your own. Meanwhile I shall just dream about them.

Posted by Carole

This little man (he's called James) is described by the people at BarkerandStonehouse as 'the perfect gentleman', so if you're lacking in the male chivalry department, he's always on hand to open the door for you. Quirky, fun, and child friendly, for only £13.95 this is a great move away from generic doorstops, and is sure to inject character into any room or hall. Made from natural rubber, so is strong, guilt free and also versatile, as he comes in a range of colours...Sounds like the perfect man to me...

posted by Kieran

Having lived with plain wooden stairs for five years, I really want to liven things up with a runner. This turkey red Chatham number fits the bill perfectly from Roger Oates. Prices start from £620 to cover a straight run of 13 steps. If this sounds too scary take a peek in their clearance basket at rugs, runners or fabrics - as there's not a bad selection.

Posted by Carole

Okay, we admit you'll need a big doorway, but this Hippo Mat wallows in mud and is itching to help clean mucky feet.

A design by Ed Annink, a member of the innovative Dutch design collective Droog, this 140 x 68 cm (didn't we say it was huge?) Coco mat is available from the ever excellent Dutch By Design shop, who pick work by modern dutch designers producing beautiful pieces from furniture to lighting, ceramics to textiles.

Posted by Ross

I'm sure you are now fully aware that Renewable Bamboo flooring is pretty hard wearing and environmentally a big resounding 'Yes' at the moment. I'm still undecided about the look as my visual head is still stuck in big oak reclaimed timber mode. But there are some strong conscience clearing and purse impacting facts to bear in mind.

At Simply Bamboo flooring costs from £16 per sq metre and is harvested from forests that are monitored by the Chinese Department of Forestry. So like me, you may have to adjust your preconceptions and become a bamboo lover.

Posted by Carole

Rugs are rarely sold by the people who make them. If you are in the market for a really special hand-knotted rug, cut out the middle man and go to Tashi Murik. Tashi and his wife have set up in London to sell Tibetan rugs hand woven in Nepal where his sister, who has woven rugs for no other than the Dalai Lama, oversees the work. This gorgeous 150x230cm Rainbow rug in silky soft highland Tibetan wool costs £1,535, but Tashi is offering a 25% discount on any rug if you quote Housebible.

Posted by Ros

Funky Rugs provides exactly that - affordable rugs in a variety of funky, quirky designs and prints. With collections ranging from 'folk' to 'urban' and 'crazy patchwork' to 'fizzy pop' there's bound to be something that appeals to you. Evoking memories of crunchy leaves and my favourite time of year this "Autumnal" rug is hand tufted from Espirelle Acrylic which I'm assured allows easy cleaning and a natural 'wool look'. (From £105)

Posted by Chanika

It’s not uncommon for high street clothing stores to branch out and experiment with selling products for the home, but I’d yet to be impressed until I saw the range at Zara. Aptly named 'Zara Home' the collection includes everything from bedding to trinkets and ceramics in the most sumptuous, luxurious fabrics and finishes. I’m particularly impressed by the gorgeous throws and rugs on offer. Although you can’t order online yet, it’s worth checking out the website to get a feel for this stylish Spanish based brand’s home wares.

Posted by Chanika

If you're after a bargain rug GH Frith is the place to go. From the downright hideous to the exquisite Persian, this vast carpet trove has something for everyone. Contemporary design is rather thin on the ground but try this 183x122cm handmade Indian wool rug in their clearance section for just £99.50

Posted by Ros

You can trust the Anglo-Japanese design duo Mixko to come up with a quirky take on just about any object you can think of. And unlike most carpet designers they actually hand-tuft their rugs 'Corner' and '1st Class' to order themselves using British wool. Hence the 14-weeks delivery time. Which makes £500 a very reasonable price.

Posted by Ros

A doormat is a doormat, it simply exists for us to wipe our feet on; not in the world of
Laura Ashley. With their beautiful decorative touch, they can make even a doormat look good, so that you find yourself thinking 'that's a nice doormat'! Its 43X73 CM, and is currently on sale for £15, even nicer.

Posted by Kerry

Despite Natural Collection's impeccable green and ethical credentials, I just don't like a lot of their home wares. I would however make an exception for these art inspired modern rugs. They're hand - stitched in Kashmir, by craftsmen and women who work from home. Each Circles Rug takes 3½ weeks to complete, is stitched by hand in a traditional Kashmiri chain-stitch and finished with cotton backing. That £170 /£250 rug would definately feel good underfoot.

Posted by Carole Sleight

The colour red always brings a certain quality to a room. It can make it look sexy and elegant, or bright and fresh.
Bubbles Rug from John Lewis is a simple yet gorgeous looking rug, made from 95% wool. The prices vary with the size of the rug, the cheapest being £250, the width being 90 and the length 150cm. It is quite pricey but the rug possesses a style that will last forever.

Posted by Siddikha

Dutchman in London Thorsten van Elten
has an eagle eye for design oddities. Amongst them are these ironic post colonial wire Antlers for hanging coats on by Alexander Taylor. Guaranteed to raise a smile at £49.

The perfect thing to complement this item would be young designer Jon Male's English Hide rug, which was originally his parents' old carpet cut into an animal skin shape. It is now hand-knotted in Nepal for Rimo Designs, although they don't seem to show it on their site. £950.

Posted by Ros