The quad is four New Zealand Merino skins sewn into a rectangle, roughly 67 x 43 in. It is the one to reach for when a single skin looks lost in the room. This is a large sheepskin rug made for the floor, not a cover for a chair.

Where a large sheepskin rug works

• In front of a sofa, as the anchor of a living room
• Under a coffee table, where it fills the space instead of floating in it
• In front of a fireplace
• Down the side of a bed, or across the floor of a nursery or reading corner

At 67 x 43 in it works as a proper sheepskin area rug, covering enough floor to sit under furniture rather than beside it. Each of the four skins came from a different animal, so expect small shifts in tone and curl across the rug. On natural Ivory it is barely visible. On the dyed shades you may catch it in daylight. It is the signature of a real hide.

Which fleece wears better on the floor

For a rug that gets walked on, the curly quad is the more practical choice. The short pile springs back instead of matting along the paths people take, and it comes in Pearl, Taupe, Ivory and Grey.

The longwool quad has a deeper pile of about 2 to 3 in, in six colors, and is the softer of the two underfoot. It suits a spot that is looked at and lounged on more than crossed daily.

Both are $249, so both ship free, since free shipping starts at $99.

Measuring and care

Before ordering a rug this size, cut newspaper to 67 x 43 in and lay it down. It is the quickest way to see whether the space takes it. There is more on that in the size guide. To clean it, shake and air it, and hand wash in cool water when needed, drying it flat and away from heat. Every order has 30 days to come back.