I definitely think we have moved away from being scared of bold, patterned wallpaper. As the dedicated House Of Hackney devotees flood Instagram with their wallpaper statements, it is now seen as something much more on-trend and desirable than something we associate with 'granny's house'. I don't think the same can be said about carpet. A heavily patterned, bold carpet choice is still something we flinch at and attach to a comedic period in interior-trend history, like avocado-coloured bathroom suites. I'm sure this will change going forward, yet for now, the neutral-coloured carpet is still king.

There are a lot of 'pros' for choosing a neutral carpet. It provides a complementary backdrop to all decor choices - you may change your wall colour every year but you need your floor (which should last you a good number of years) to adapt to your new decor schemes. A neutral floor complements and does not dominate. It does not overly advert the eye from key features in the room, nor carefully chosen furniture. However, just picking out a standard pile, plain, neutral carpet may feel dated and run-of-the-mill. How can you have a neutral carpet that also feels modern and contemporary? The key is to choose carpet with understated, subtle pattern & texture, constructed by the way the carpet is woven. Alternatively, simply by choosing a carpet made with different materials to the standard wool or synthetic fibres we expect carpet to be made out of.

The 'herringbone' layout is currently popular when it comes to arranging wall or floor tiles in kitchens and bathrooms. Here, it works perfectly as the two opposing lines create two small, then one wider, stripe running across the floor. It's clever as it gives the floor a completely extra dimension:

I currently have an interior client who requires carpeted stairs. A first we were looking at bold striped runners and vivid patterns, but at the top of the stairs three bedrooms instantly lead off it, so it was decided that all the flooring needed to flow and all be the same design to stop it looking too ‘mix & matched’ and not cohesive. The period panelling at the bottom of the stairs was also now a beautiful, but quite strong, blue-grey and this was the hallway 'hero', not the carpet:

The client still lusted after stripes coming down the stairs so I suggested this Pampas Nordic Stripe design. At a first glance this carpet can appear plain, but the subtle striped detail actually makes it much more modern and contemporary. As the Pampas Nordic Stripe is suitable for heavy domestic areas, my client can have the stripes down the stairs she wanted, as well as being able to have the same design in all the bedrooms. It was the perfect option.

Another way that a neutral carpet can add interest and be suited to a modern home is to be made out of natural materials as an alternative to wool or synthetic fibres. Kersaint Cobb's 'Sisal Boucle Artist' range, pictured below, is made from 100% sisal with a back of natural latex. Sisal is a stiff fibre extracted from a succulent plant called 'Agave sisalana'. It's not the best choice if you are looking for something soft under your toes, but if you are a 'wear your shoes indoors' person after something more contemporary, hard-wearing, sustainable and full of eye-catching texture, then a neutral sisal carpet may be for you.

BUT! Don't think neutral has to mean white, cream or beige. I always consider grey and black as neutral colours. A neutral is something that complements any colour so if you love dark interiors why not opt for a sisal carpet in a deep shade, like this 'Sisal Big Boucle' in Noir, below?

This post is a paid, sponsored post in collaboration with Kersaint Cobb. However, I already knew & loved their product range so was eager to work with them. All ideas, advice and opinions in this post are completely my own. All images featured in this post (except the snap of my clients house) are owned and belong to Kersaint Cobb.