My dining room is a noisy place. Thanks to a lack of furnishings or wall hangings, sound bounces around like it's a ball in a Squash court. Dinner parties sound like they're being held in London's Royal Albert Hall. I need some thick, sound-thirsty wall hangings...so I'm following in the footsteps of the Moors.

Jarapas, they're called - Andalucian cotton rugs, hand made on wooden looms in Spain since the 17th Century. With the growth of the recycled cotton industry, jarapas are making a big comeback. They can be woven to any thickness, they have a texture that's like an offspring of terry toweling and mohair, softening even the richest color - and I reckon they're just great for absorbing noise.

They're also another example of the built-in artistry of recycling. When the raw material is different every time, so will the recycled product. The range by Orce Serrano Hams conforms to a few broad patterns and shades, but expect plenty of variation; at Andalucian Rugs, there's so much variety that the items on display are the exact - and completely exclusive - items you will receive.

Now all I have to do for my dining room makeover is choose the right color scheme. (Nothing too loud).

Image: Orce Serrano Hams

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