It’s the time of year when we all want to cozy up by the fireplace and settle in for the coming wet, cold fall and winter evenings.

Nothing can help create this cozy feeling more than the right area carpet in your main living space. As more of us now have hard flooring surfaces (wood, tile, cork, bamboo, laminate etc.) area carpets are vital to warm up the space. They also ground the furniture, define the area, give us comfort on our feet, as well as absorb sound waves.

I am always on the hunt for area carpets and think of them like artwork. There are inexpensive polypropylene carpets – good for kids, pets, and your wallet. Think of these as temporary, they don’t last forever. Then you can find decent European machine-made wools, which are great if you want a nicer carpet but can’t afford hand tufted.

Then you can move up to hand tufted beautiful wools or silks, some of which are truly masterpieces. Carpets like these are often lifetime investments.

Area carpets come in every possible design, pattern, colour, and texture. To get started finding the right carpet, it is important to figure out the feel you want to achieve, the size you want to cover, and the amount you want to spend.  A good rule of thumb for size, is the carpet should be at least the length of your sofa on one side.

Here are some decent machine made wool and olefin carpets I found recently.

Sheri Peterson has been an interior designer for 22 years in Victoria. She designs for commercial, residential and hospitality clients.