Magic Carpets

ShopFront: The burnt orange in one of the rugs on show in  Plush Interiors in Sligo is a very dominant colour but could look with many lighter shades and against very blonde wood.

The pattern is strong and masculine and its thick pile should stand up to a lot of footfall. The price of €289 shows what you can get if you shop around outside Dublin. Owned by two sisters in law, Plush tends to have a wide variety of styles at any one time, all at affordable prices. Plush Interiors, 2 & 3 Ballast Quay Sligo, 071 9154912

Rug Art opened recently in Sandycove and has a number of unusually textured pieces. This one (1.5m x 2.4m) has a varying long and slightly shorter pile, is hand-woven wool and costs €900. You can't do much more than walk on most rugs but this is so lush, thick and deep that you could sit and lie on it comfortably. For its size and quality, it's a good price and could be used to add a contemporary element to a classic room. While many styles similar to this are white, from a practical point of view, this darker biscuit colour is easier to maintain. Rug Art, 49s Sandycove Road, Sandycove, Co Dublin. Tel 01 2360126

It's hard to figure out why Holland's in Douglas isn't better known. There are few secrets left when it comes to finding well-priced quality in any area of home furnishings, but this is certainly one. Although they also sell contemporary designs, the traditional rugs at Holland's are special and exceptionally priced. In comparison to what something similar might cost in Dublin, this Pakistan wool vegetable dyed rug (6'6" x 5'2") is a reasonable €1,100. The colours are rich and quality is excellent and it has a flat weave that is lovely to walk on and will get more character as it ages. Ask for Dominique, the charming Frenchwoman who co-owns the store. Holland's, Unit 106, St Patrick's Woollen Mills, Douglas, Cork. Tel 021 4898000

Laura Ashley's mauve-grey rug is a cotton and wool mix (1.7 m x 2.4 m) and costs €440. It has quite a fine weight and might be good for a bedroom where there is probably less foot traffic than in other rooms. Try to keep it clear of furniture or the pattern will be lost. It could also work well in a conservatory.

Laura Ashley, Grafton Street, D2, tel 01 6795433; Blanchardstown, D15, tel 01 8850420; 10 Merchants Quay Shopping Centre, Cork, tel 021 4274070