Q: What kind of rug should I get for my indoor entryway? It needs to be attractive and able to handle children’s messes, mud and more. Is an outdoor rug tacky, and are there materials or patterns to avoid?

A: Wool rugs are particularly durable for high-traffic areas and playful children. The yarn from the Tibetan sheep is unusually strong and springy and is renowned for being rich in lanolin, a natural stain barrier. If the rug or carpeting is going to be placed in a high-traffic area, I would recommend going with a shorter pile height, which is easier to clean and maintain over time and doesn’t hold on to debris like longer-pile rugs and flooring do. Stairs tend to wear more than corridors, so to make rugs there more durable, we recommend a hand-knotted, hand-tufted or woven jacquard quality.​​​