A few years ago, Singapore was hit by carpet fever. Carpet shops were conducting free appreciation classes and there were carpet auctions every weekend. The craze has died down somewhat now but Singapore is still one of the best places in Asia to buy hand-woven carpets. Most of these come from Iran, followed closely by their competitors from China, India and Pakistan. Check out the local Straits Times for auction notices in the Classifieds section. Auctions generally take place in hotel meeting rooms.

Carpet sellers tend to be very proud of their art, so they’ll often allow you to take one or two of their treasured items home on spec. Hassan’s (www.hassanscarpets.com) for example, is one of the oldest and most reputable dealers in town and they allow exchanges. Don’t forget to ask for a certificate of authenticity and a detailed invoice if you plan on insuring your purchase.

When choosing a carpet, look at the sharpness and clarity of the motifs, the number of knots per square inch (the more knots the better) and the colour. A new carpet made with synthetic dyes lacks the richness of colour that you’ll find in an old carpet.

For every day use carpets, check out IKEA and local chain retailer Barang Barang. Air and X-tra Living at Park Mall have trendy carpets from about $900 for a 170x240cm cotton rug. Arab Street in the Muslim quarter of town also has a number of shops selling bamboo and rattan mats.