Your new carpet will be a great investment, adding style, elegance and luxury to your home for years to come. These tips will help you get it right at every stage.

Suitability - how much wear will your carpet receive? Your hall stairs and landing will need a heavier wearing carpet than your bedroom.

Longevity - how long do you reasonably expect your carpet to last?

Budget - how much can you afford. Don't forget the cost of fitting and underlay.

Decoration - are you matching the carpet to a particular scheme (?), and what are your future decorating plans. Remember to choose your carpet first and install it last.

Style and design - do you want a plain carpet, patterned carpet, one with texture or a border? You have a large choice - experiment with colour and design.

Having answered these questions, you are ready to buy.

Always remember to:
Get your room professionally measured. If you do it yourself you risk accidentally ordering too much or too little.

Ask your retailer for a sample - take it home to see how it looks in your own environment with your own natural light.

Buy new underlay - this is vital for a new carpet to ensure it sits properly and will also prolong the life of your carpet by up to 40 per cent.

Always have your carpet fitted professionally - preferably by a member of the NICF - the National Institute of Carpet and Floor Layers.

Always buy from a reputable retailer - and keep any surplus carpets, you never know when it will come in handy.

Buy the best carpet you can afford - as with everything else, you only get what you pay for.