@Emmaline. ..just to assure you that whoever mentioned fuzzy toilet seats mistated this. No, they are not actually put on the SEAT. These are not so popular, I don't think, as they were 30 years ago but what they are is a matching rug toilet LID cover. I remember there used to be tank covers but my memory is vague on that. The tank thing might have been the tank LID also. In old days, bathroom sets had the bath mat, the mat with a cut out to allow it to fit around the toilet on the floor, the seat LID cover. They got picked up and washed regularly with the bath mat. I'm not sure if that wasn't better than stepping in male drippings. Better? Worse? We had no males in our household so it was nice to keep feet warm up in winter. My mom was a really good housekeeper so...anyway that was a looong time ago and it was the lid, not the seat itself. I could see how that would be so wrong on every level.

What a beautiful staircase! It is stunning! Project Home UK suggested a stair runner going down the middle of the steps would perhaps be more effective than a fully fitted carpet. We supply carpets and floorcoverings throughout the UK and Ireland and can also offer a bespoke stair runner service where you choose any one of our floorings or carpets (as long as suitable for stairs of course) and pick a border to go around the edge. We have some beautiful examples of customers 'in-situ' runners in our 'in-situ' ideabook which may give you some inspiration? We recently did a photoshoot in a location with a similar staircase to yours, photo below, where we used a bold striped runner in 100% wool, with a simple whipped edge. The second photo is of a grand central staircases in one of our retailer showrooms which has the new Quirky B Fair Isle Reiko by Margo Selby running down the centre - beautiful! Take a look at our website, www.alternativeflooring.com, to see our full collection of floorcoverings and have a play with flooring and border combinations using our 'Make me a rug' designer. Have fun!

A room will naturally feel warmer when the floor is carpeted and your feet will enjoy sinking into a nice velvet or shagpile especially in the bedroom, also your downstairs neighbours will appreciate it, but nothing quite compares to the look and feel of a beautifully stained or varnished solid wood floor and a well laid and maintained floor will always add value to a home.

Your best bet is to buy an 80% wool and 20% nylon carpet, otherwise known as 80/20. There are many manufacturers around but when you look at the samples it is the density of pile, otherwise known as the pile weight, that you need to look at. A cheap carpet will have a smaller pile weight and will not look as good, feel as good under foot or last as long. I would also strongly advise that you use an underlay! Not the cheap and nasty options that are generally offered in carpet shops, but something like that manufactured by Duralay - https://www.interfloor.com/duralay/choose-perfect-underlay/ Interestingly enough they offer product via Screwfix these days. My preference when carrying out residential projects was for either the 7mm or 10mm Durafit product and using the modern method of installation combined with the carpet. When I say modern i should say that the technique that is used commercially and in hotels but for reason is not used by residential floor layers. The technique is to directly stick your carpet to the underlay. This increase the longevity of the carpet by a significant amount and does not need perimeter carpet grippers. What is more it never needs stretching and the weight of the carpet combined with the underlay holds it in place. It never fails to surprise me why residential carpet layers are not using this option as often as they should bacause it is good for them and for the customer!