In the 1950s, a bestselling carpet – 2,000 miles of it – was produced by Kidderminster and was called “Skaters’ Trail”. It consisted of squiggly lines in vivid red and grey accompanied by a sprinkling of stars, replacing the brown linoleum and austerity floor coverings of wartime Britain and rationing.
Open up any interior design magazine today, say Livingetc or House and Gardens – or browse on the website of Lulu “golden-wallpaper-at-£840-a-roll” Lytle – and the patterned carpet is very definitely back, apparently the choice of anyone under 50 who likes to be on trend. If, of course, they can first afford a roof over their heads.
