Ask the designer: Carpets

Q. The carpet in my hallway is in perfect condition except for the bit inside the front door which has become faded. Is there anything I can do without having to replace the entire carpet?

A. Without a front porch to bear the brunt of grubby footwear, the area inside the front door is the first to suffer. Sunlight will also eventually fade this area too. Ideally you should protect it with some kind of matting from the time the carpet is laid. However, some ideas for concealing the faded area without replacing the carpet include: covering the damaged part of the carpet with a co-ordinating mat or rug, lifting the carpet and relaying it with the faded part in a less visible place, such as under a table, or cutting out the faded section which can then be tiled or replace with a vinyl-backed coir (coconut husk) mat.

Q. I have tiles in my hall continuing into the kitchen, but would love to carpet the hallway. Is it possible to lay carpet over tiles?