TRIED AND TESTED: The carpet shopping home trial

October 4, 2016

 

 

 

I’m not a fan of a mall trawl at the best of times, but add in a toddler who is determined to walk instead of going in her stroller (thus turning a ten-minute stroll into an hour-long ultra marathon) and frankly, I’d rather stay home. No matter how urgent the shopping trip.

 

We have lived in our villa for two years now, and have just signed up for another year, which means a) we REALLY need to sort out the garden and b) I should admit that we’re grown ups who shouldn’t buy home décor from Dragon Mart…

 

My philosophy on the expat home is this: going to be here a year? Buy second-hand. Planning a longer stint? Buy pieces that you’d be happy to take back to your home country. With this in mind, our Dragon Mart rugs have to go (though they were so cheap that I didn’t wince too much during the more stressful days of puppy training).

 

A friend recommended Carpet Centre to me recently after hearing my complaints about not being sure what size we need, where to go, or what to buy. This store on Umm Suqeim – just past Creative Minds – is full of modern and traditional rugs, tapping into the owner’s family’s long-standing history of working with carpets. But it was online that I was interested in.

 

 

Specifically, the home trial service. This means customers can go to the website, choose the carpets you like the most (I chose four, but asked for a few sizes as I wasn’t sure how they would work in the space) then the team brings them to your house for you to try. There’s no payment until you’ve found the one that fits the room perfectly. Love it.

 

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I picked out a selection of styles then two days later the team showed up to try them out, bringing a card machine in case I wanted to purchase one (note: there was zero pushiness, and while I found a rug I wanted, I would have felt comfortable saying that I needed more time or more options).

 

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I’m really into faded patterns at the moment, so was keen to see what the Bianca (starting from Dhs1,650) would look like in our home, and also loved the Pandora for its patchwork look. Basically, if it won’t show kid/dog/life stains, then I’m game. Forgiving is the aim of the game.

 

 

It’s one thing to have measurements and fabric swatches in your hand when you walk into a shop, but to have the actual product in your home (especially a big item that can change the whole look of a room) is hugely helpful. Especially if you don’t have to pay first!

 

Plus, no shopping with a toddler.

 

For more information and to browse the collection visit Carpet Centre’s website here, or visit the store on Umm Suqeim Road.

 


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