When the mercury hits 40°C and over (groan), your home’s cool tiled or laminated floors are marvellous. But sometimes it can feel a touch sterile and in need of a little warming up, decoratively speaking – that’s where a classic and colourful rug comes in. Not only do they add a cosy edge to any room, they also serve as a vibrant nod to the Middle East’s culture. The UAE is one of the world’s hotspots for snapping up textiles, but it’s a saturated market. So where to start? We’ve got six suggestions… Here you’ll find every type of rug imaginable, from customary Indian dhurries to high-end designers, such as Alexander McQueen and Vivienne Westwood. The Rug Company imports lots of its pieces from Nepal as part of the Goodweave scheme, a non-profit that guarantees no child labour is used so if ethically-sourced interiors are your thing, definitely check this out. Unit 65, Alserkal Avenue, Dubai, Sat to Thur 10am to 7pm. Tel: (04) 3791217. *10 of the best DSS deals you can get your hands on*

*Here are Dubai’s 5 hidden shopping gems* *You don’t want to miss this pop-up (where naps are totally OK)* If you prefer going a little off the beaten track try Al Madaen, which mostly plies its trade as a carpet cleaning company. Its Satwa store is crammed with Persian rugs of all sizes and prices – and you can pick from both brand-new and vintage at this secret treasure trove. Al Madaen also performs all kinds of craftsmanship magic, so if you later need a spot of refringing or reweaving, these are your guys. 8a-8 Al Hudaiba Street, Satwa, Dubai, Sat to Thur 9am to 5pm. Tel: (04) 3454488. Look, if you just want something to fill a blank space that won’t break the bank, this Swedish interiors giant should be on your list. If you’re not bothered about authenticity, flatwoven runners in multi-coloured threads will set you back as little as Dhs19, while you can get Art Deco-style floral low pile carpets for around Dhs145. Ikea also does a line of Oriental hand-knotted rugs from Dhs900 to Dhs4,800.

Dubai Festival City, Dubai, Sun to Wed 10am to 11pm, Thur to Sat at 10am to midnight. Taxi: Dubai Festival City. If a spot of haggling doesn’t scare you, try Sharjah’s Blue Souk – it’s probably the best place to get a genuine Persian rug without a mall mark-up. There are tens of carpet sellers here, so we recommend starting at Sheba’s – owner Rashad Al Ghazali has been selecting handmade pieces for the store since 1980. You’ll snap up a beauty from here for under Dhs5,000. If you can’t face the drive out to Sharjah, Sheba will bring any piece on their website to you, so you can see what it looks like in your home frst. Sharjah Central Market, Block 4, Sharjah, Mon to Thur 10am to 1pm, 4pm to 10pm, Fri 4pm to 10pm, Sat and Sun 10am to 1pm, 4pm to 10pm. Tel: (06) 5727489. Taxi: Sharjah Central Market. If shopping from the sofa is your thing, you might want to bookmark this online-only interiors store. Contemporary homemakers will be won over by the brand’s extensive range of repurposed Burza rugs – they’re made by neutralising vintage hand-woven Turkish carpets, then over-dying them with a fresh burst of colour.

You get the traditional patterns but with a much more modern palette – think hot pinks, turquoises and marigolds – so if you’re seeking something out of the norm, look no further. When you still can’t find what you’re looking for, why not get something custom-made? This mall-based store works with customers to craft carpets that fit the colour, pattern and size they need, but there’s also plenty of ready-made ones on offer if you need some inspiration. tartan curtains marks and spencerYou’ll find hand-knotted New Zealand wools, finely spun Tibetan silks and an intriguingly different line of matte leather rugs.mylo curtains Mall Of The Emirates, Dubai, Sun to Wed 10am to 10pm, Thur to Sat 10am to midnight. eclipse kent curtain panel

Metro: Mall Of The Emirates. You can easily get a budget chain-brand carpet for around Dhs400, but a quality woollen number from a specialist shop can ring in around Dhs3,000 to Dhs4,000. For a luxurious silk rug, you could be looking at upwards of Dhs50,000. To help you decided what you’re willing to pay, think about what purpose it will serve. Is it going to get a lot of foot traffic? Then don’t bother blowing thousands of dirhams. However, if you want a handcrafted heirloom piece, spend some time familiarising yourself with the different types, and the price tags they attract. 19mm curtain pole bendSilken Iranian rugs, for example, tend to dominate the pricier side of the spectrum, whereas imported Turkish wool rugs are more affordable.curtains 220cm drop Make sure you inspect the tapestries thoroughly before you buy. curtain track system b&q

Turn carpets over to check the knot count – the more the better, and if the pattern is clear on the back then you’ve got a quality rug. – For more about Dubai straight to your newsfeed, follow us on Facebook.Crate and Barrel has everything you could want in your bedding and bed linens—from class to comfort and everything in between. We offer comforters, duvet covers, sheets and pillow cases as well as complete bedding collections. Learn more about the bed linens we offer.epworth curtainsAbout Our Bedding CollectionsOur bedding adds comfort to your bed. Many of our textiles are sourced globally to create a diverse collection with an option for whatever your style. Our textile designs are compiled from manufacturers, professional designers, original artwork and internal inspiration. Color trends from fashion and home design are constantly observed and remapped in our collections to bring you stylish, on-trend bedding options.

Bed Linen MaterialsAs you choose your bedding, you'll find that we have a variety of materials and weaves, including:Percale—Percale is a plain weave in which warp and weft threads of equal thickness cross each other one at a time. It is characterized by a smooth, flat, sturdy, balanced close weave. It is the primary technique for high quality cotton bed linens. A percale weave for bed linens must have a thread count of 180 or higher.Sateen—The beautiful shine of this weave is created by passing four horizontal weft threads over or under one vertical warp thread creating more "yarn face" on the surface of the cotton cloth. Unlike percale, it may not be balanced as threads of unequal thickness are often used to achieve the look. It has a wonderful silky soft hand. Cotton thread used for this weave will often be combed and mercerized to achieve an even smoother look. Mercerization is a process in which the cotton thread is treated in order to prevent it from shrinking and give the final product a lustrous look.

Linen—Designed to get softer with every wash, our linen sheets bring a warm, relaxed feeling to your bed. Linen sheets have unique short fibers with naturally-occurring knots and slubs as well as a comforting weight.Thread Count Considerations for BeddingThread count is the number of threads woven per square inch of fabric. In general, the higher the thread count, the better the quality of the bedding. However, there is a physical limit to the number of threads you can fit into an inch. Bedding experts agree that premium sheeting will have a thread count between 200 and 450 threads per inch. Top layers, such as duvets and comforters, may use a lower thread count because they are not typically used against the skin, but rather to dress the bed. At Crate and Barrel, you'll find bed linens in high thread counts that feel great with every use. All of our bedding is tested for quality of materials, details of careful tailoring and functionality so you can enjoy it for years to come.Find the bedding you need in our selection.