You might be walking on something Omar Khan designed

Omar Khan has always recognised the power of a statement rug. Photo: Omar Khan

For something that is usually confined underfoot, carpets have an ancient history and universal relevance – they play a crucial role in the lives of nomadic tribes and a sacred part in the lives of Muslims; red carpets instantly make us think of glamour while rugrats have become shorthand for the little humans in our life (not to mention a long running animated series that accompanied a generation of growing rugrats).

Yet they don’t command the recognition or glamour of other more modular pieces like chairs. But when one thinks about it, like that crucial accessory that pulls a look together, the rug can be the foundation piece which makes (or breaks) a room.