Magic carpets

Going bespoke can be the key to a stylish space

- Eleanor Doughty

WHEN considering how to put a room together, where should you begin? To misquote Maria von Trapp, the floor is a very good place to start. You might think bespoke carpets are the preserve of historic piles and luxury hotels—after all, that’s where you’ll likely have seen them before, everywhere from Chatsworth to The Goring. However, ‘if you want something really beautiful and you can afford it, then why not?’ says Adam Gilchrist, a former Sotheby’s carpet specialist and founder of Veedon Fleece. Although the company has made carpets for heads of state and rock stars, Mr Gilchrist ‘also makes pieces for families in more modest settings’.