Velmette Plain Hand Tufted Shaggy Runner Rug - Lavender

Velmette is a plain shaggy runner rug in lavender, a soft, muted purple with no pattern. The long strands fall in loose, tousled clusters, so the colour reads a shade lighter in some places and a shade deeper in others as the pile moves. The maker calls the pile deep and soft, and it is the sort of rug you notice the moment you step onto it. It is hand tufted, and the fibre is 100% polyester, chosen to wear well and feel comfortable under bare feet. It comes in one size: a 67 by 200cm runner.

A runner earns its place where a wider rug would crowd the floor. Lay it beside a bed, so your first step of the morning lands on something warm; run it along a hallway or a landing; or set it in front of a sofa in a smaller living room. The maker has bedrooms and living rooms in mind, and the deep pile brings a cosy, softer feel to a room with wooden or laminate floors that can look a little bare. Because the rug is one solid colour, there is no pattern to align: you can lay it square to the wall or at a slight angle and it will still look settled.

The rug is 3cm thick, so if it will lie where a door opens, check the gap beneath the door first; with little clearance, the door may drag across the strands. For care, the maker advises vacuuming regularly and using a dry shampoo when it needs freshening. Keep it dry, and when it needs more than that, send it to a specialist cleaner. A new rug can hold the curve of its roll, so reverse roll it and leave it flat for 24 hours after unpacking. On a smooth floor such as wood or tile, an underlay helps keep the runner in place.

Will a 67 by 200cm runner suit my hallway?

Measure the width and length of the space first. We like a strip of bare floor showing along both sides and at each end, so the runner looks chosen for the space rather than squeezed into it.

Can this shaggy runner go in the washing machine?

No. The maker gives dry care only for this rug, so it should never be soaked or put through a washing machine; a specialist cleaner handles anything a dry shampoo cannot.

Can I use this runner in a bathroom or kitchen?

We would keep it out of the bathroom and away from the kitchen sink, because the maker says the rug should be kept away from the wet. A bedroom, living room, hallway or landing suits it far better.

How do I keep the shaggy pile looking full?

Give the runner a shake now and then to raise the strands, and brush it gently or vacuum it using the floor tool, as the maker recommends, to keep its appearance.

Which colours suit a lavender rug?

Lavender is a soft, cool purple, so it sits comfortably with greys, whites and pale wood, and it can lift a neutral bedroom without overpowering the room.