‘I bought this £60 rug instead of a £350 designer version

My partner and I bought our first home last year, and since then it's been a slow process buying all the furniture and homeware we need to fill it – and who knew things like rugs were so expensive...

? However, I've just found a brilliant bargain that stopped me from splashing out on an expensive designer item. I was looking for a rug for our open-plan living room, and had my heart set on one of Nordic Knots' simple but stylish jute designs , but prices start from £245, and go up to over £1,000 for the size I'd need. So before biting the bullet and splashing out I had a browse around some of the high street retailers, and chanced upon this Dunelm design for a fraction of the cost – and I'm thrilled with how it looks.

READ MORE: Shoppers rush to buy viral Ninja Creami with £50 off in early Black Friday deal READ MORE: Fortnum & Mason just unveiled adorable Paddington Bear hamper that’s perfect for Christmas Pros Hardwearing and practical Quick delivery Reversible A great price Lots of sizes to choose from Cons You'll probably need to buy a separate anti-slip mat to put underneath Not 'perfect' – has a few marks and loose threads Dunelm sells lots of different jute rugs but I choose the Jute Design Woven Rug , which is made from natural fibres, comes in a beige colour and has a simple square design. Cleverly, it's also reversible, looking exactly the same on both sides, so over time you can simply flip it over if it gets worn or grubby It's available to buy in four different sizes , starting from £35 for the smallest and going up to £179 for the largest 200cm x 290xm size (the one I bought). Dunelm's next size up is £59, whereas as similar size one from Nordic Knots is £345.

I also bought one of Dunelm's non-slip mats to put underneath, which I'd highly recommend if you have wooden floors like I do. Delivery was quick and easy , with it arriving in a matter of days (which definitely isn't always the case with home furnishing), and the rug was really easy to roll out and put in place; it didn't even need any time to let the corners unfurl. This Dunelm rug is missing some of the chic design features that I loved in the more expensive version but it's made a huge difference to our home, not just in how it looks but also how warm the floors feel underfoot.

We also have two cats and even though they have tested their claws out on if briefly, there's no sign of any plucks or loose threads. All in all, I'm thrilled with my new home purchase – and how much money I saved. If you're after more size options, we also considered the Dunelm Blair Jute Rug , which starts from £25.

I also love this scallop-edged one from Oliver Bonas . And if you need a rug that's easy to clean, nothing beats Ruggable's washable designs; I have the Jonathan Adler Inkdrop Black & Ivory Rug in another room in my house, which starts from £119..