For many, the New Year marks the start of the home improvement season and thanks to the new ‘home interior' culture we no longer just decorate, we give a room a complete facelift. And nothing transforms it more than swapping a tired old carpet for one in a fashionable new shade.

Luxurious carpet piles, divine colours, indulgent textures, and super soft fabrics are calling.

"Carpets can take a hammering," says David Cormack, marketing director at Cormar Carpets. "Many of us associate New Year with a new you, but we say start the New Year with a new carpet! Floorcoverings have become an essential fashion ingredient with the colour and texture chosen able to make or break the mood of a room."

With flooring setting the tone of a room, here are some tips for choosing the right carpet for 2018:

Grey to Stay: Whether you like it or not, grey is here to stay. Easy on the eye, it has become a staple in many interior design schemes. And with a cult status, shades such as lead, stone and silver will continue to grace the home when mixed with complementary hues such as blush pinks, sunny yellows, icy blues or even layered with other shades of grey. Look out for Cormar's Soft Focus in Starlight, Sensation in Basalt or Home Counties Silver Cloud.

Luxe Looks: Carpets still have a ‘soft spot' amongst homeowners as they continue to seek out sumptuous comfort underfoot. Indulgence is still key in the home interior world, so expect to see more carpets that scream luxe but keep it elegant and restrain the colour palette. Cormar's Sensation is made from 100% Luxelle, a ground breaking, super-soft, silk-like polypropylene fibre that offers all the practical living benefits of regular polypropylene - dirt and stain resistant and bleach cleanable - in a host of stylish shades.

Scandi-Style: Whether you're still hankering after Hygge or loving Lagom, there's no doubting that Scandi-style has crept its way into every corner of the home. Create the laid-back Nordic look with a cosy feel carpet such as Cormar's Highland Saxony. Combine muted shades such as greys, creams, whites or pale blues with lots of natural materials and textures - think rustic wood, glass, linen, chunky knits etc - and limit clutter and ornaments.

Feeling Blue: Still a colour crush in flooring, inky blues or denim tones create a mood of mystery and glamour. Contrast Primo Excellence carpet in Pontiac Blue with statement accessories in hues of mustard or gold for a classic winning look.

W: For Dorset stockists see www.cormarcarpets.co.uk