The rug by use: wool, jute, viscose

Three main criteria guide rug material choice. Foot comfort: a bedroom rug must be soft at dawn, a hallway rug less so. Resistance to traffic: a high-traffic zone rug must last years. Maintenance: a kitchen or dining room rug must be cleaned frequently.

Wool. The noble material par excellence. Soft underfoot, durable, naturally stain-resistant, thermal and acoustic insulation. Favour under the sofa, in bedrooms, reading corners. High cost. Reference brands: Toulemonde Bochart, Beni Ouarain artisan rugs, The Rug Company.

Boucle. A wool variant with tight loops giving a particularly soft feel. Ideal in bedrooms and calm living rooms. Visually and tactilely warmer than flat wool.

Jute. Raw vegetable fibre, rough, robust. Ideal in transit zones: entrance, hallway, under a more fragile rug (see professional variations below). Moderate cost. References: IKEA, Caravane.

Sisal. Cousin to jute, harder and more resistant. Ideal for hallways, staircases, very high-traffic zones. Less pleasant underfoot than jute, but ultra durable.

Viscose or rayon. Artificial silk, very bright, visually beautiful. But fragile (stains quickly, difficult to clean). Reserve for very calm zones, under a sofa or in an adult bedroom. Not in a home with children or pets.

Modern synthetics (polypropylene, polyamide). Often looked down on, but they have improved enormously. Very convincing wool imitations, ultra resistant, washable, stain-proof. Very suitable for family homes, covered terraces, kitchen zones. References: washable machine-friendly brands like Lorena Canals.

Pierre Yovanovitch often works rug-on-rug layering: a large jute or sisal rug on the floor (protective and structural), and a smaller wool or kilim rug laid on top in the conversation zone. The two materials dialogue, one protects the other.

Beni Ouarain Berber rugs are absolute classics in interior design since the 1960s. Thick wool, geometric black motifs on cream background, artisan Moroccan production. Authentic effect guaranteed.

Lorena Canals revolutionised rugs by offering 100% cotton machine-washable designs. Very suitable for children's rooms and family homes, without sacrificing aesthetics.