Flooring trends do not move as quickly as other parts of the home, but when they do, they can lead to seismic shifts in how a room looks.

Part of the reason for this is practicality. Whilst shifts in layouts, furnishings and colour schemes can be easily realised by a homeowner or small team without too much waste, replacing carpet that can last many years involves ripping up an entire room and starting over.

However, whether you have chosen not to replace a worn-out carpet, are sick of maintenance in high-traffic areas or have a different vision in mind for your home or office space, there are a lot of alternatives a flooring specialist can recommend to you.

The most common replacement is with hardwood flooring, especially if you live in an old house that has flooring that can easily be restored, or have access to reclaimed wood.

Otherwise, you have the option of solid hardwood, engineered wood and esoteric long-lasting alternatives such as bamboo. A specialist can let you know what will work best for your needs.

If you like the styling options of carpet but do not like the long-term commitment that can come with wall-to-wall carpet rolls, then the rising trend is in larger rugs, stair runners and carpets that do not fill the entirety of the space.

Part of this is for practical reasons since it is much easier to clean and alter your interior design, but it also allows natural colours and textures such as that found with wooden flooring to shine.

They also retain the same comfort and cosiness that makes a carpet so desirable but do not dominate the space as some carpets have historically been accused of.

In larger, open-plan spaces, a large rug can also create partitioned spaces, which can be more pleasant to the eye and helps to divide the different functional aspects of wider rooms, such as a living area from a dining space.