I’m not sure where my love of rugs comes from.

Maybe it was the cover of a favourite childhood storybook with a genie flying on a magic carpet. That image filled my young mind with the thrill of possibility, so I’m guessing that’s where it all began. Of course, I understand the chilly-winter-morning appeal of fitted carpet, but for me, nothing beats the perfect partnership of timber floor and textured rug. It always feels like art at my feet.

Not surprisingly, perhaps, given my infatuation, our country home features a profusion of rugs from Afghan runners to jute mats and vintage Moroccan heirlooms. We love their eccentricity as much as we value their neutrality, and laid on white floorboards, our rugs are the thread that connects the eclecticism of our home. Some are coolly neutral and others richly patterned, while the show pony – purchased in the Marrakech souk – combines traditional Berber motifs with bright, primary colours.

Whether sizing them up for the pages of a magazine or judging them on TV, I’ve seen my fair share of rooms over the years. And I firmly believe that when we look at a room, the first thing our eye registers is the floor – that first glimpse will dictate our reaction. The right floor covering will anchor a room with harmony and balance, the wrong one will create discord. That’s why so many interior designers choose to use a rug as their starting point and create a room – quite literally – from the ground up.

Derwent in Graphite

The King Rug Collection

The King Rug Collection is designed exclusively by King and inspired by the Australian landscape and our beautiful, endless coast. Twelve rug designs (with names like Oceania, Bronte, Derwent and Scarborough) reflect the subtle constancy of sand and the ever-changing moods of sea and sky.

Each rug in the new collection is handcrafted and constructed from a range of natural and innovative fibres, including pure New Zealand wool, Art Silk, Tencel, linen and Banana Silk. Importantly, every rug in the King Rug Collection is endorsed by Care & Fair, an industry-led, not-for-profit organization founded in Europe and committed to breaking the cycle of illegal child labour in the carpet knotting communities of India, Nepal and Pakistan.

Size and fabrication matters

Despite my love of rugs, I’m the first to admit that selecting the right rug for your home isn’t always easy. It’s not only size that matters – you’ll need to consider the fabrication of your rug in relation to its placement. Premium New Zealand wool blended with hardwearing nylon is perfect for high traffic areas of the home such as entrance hallways and dining rooms, while blends of silk and viscose are better suited to medium and low traffic areas like bedrooms.

Apollo is ideal for high traffic areas while Hue is suited to medium traffic areas. 

And yes, there’s the issue of size. As you may have heard my fellow judges and me often say on The Block, nothing will make a room look smaller than a small rug. My mantra of 'if in doubt, oversize' is especially relevant when it comes to rugs. In an average-sized room, a large rug will feel balanced, and even in a small room, a large rug can create the illusion of size. The majority of rugs in the new King collection are available in three sizes: 200 x 300, 260 x 360 and 300 x 400.

A useful rule of thumb is to choose a rug large enough to accommodate all four feet of your furniture. Alternatively, a smaller rug should accommodate at least the front feet of heavier furniture items like sofas and armchairs. Lighter items like side tables and floor lamps should either be completely on – or completely off – the rug. Nothing is more irritating than furnishings that rock. And if you're choosing a rug for the dining room, make sure the dining chairs will still be on the rug when they're pushed back. You don't want rocking guests either – at least, not in that way. And remember to consider doorways and door swings, floor grilles and details such as fireplaces with hearths. Underlay is always a good idea (it can help prolong the life of the rug), but especially in high traffic areas.

Marquina, Casablanca and Oceania.

Timeless beauty

To me, the real beauty of the new King Rug Collection is its sophisticated, neutral palette that will work in harmony with almost any colour or toning neutral you choose to team it with. My advice is always to avoid trend colours when it comes to home furnishings, and rugs are no exception. Far better to invest in quality and style that will complement your home for many years to come. Personally, I’m torn between Marquina’s subtle pinstripe and the soft geometry of Casablanca.

Then again, Oceania’s bold abstract design would look sensational in our home …

I wonder if any of them fly?

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