Habitat Grandstand rug

Now, what I really wanted to write about was Habitat's amazing new rugs, which I've seen instore, and which my husband went bananas over. They're circular and small, and they feature integral lights, so they look like a cratered moon when they're switched on, and I bet they'd make a delightful and reassuring alternative to a nightlight, paving the path to the nursery door.

But Habitat continue to plough their perplexing furrow when it comes to their expensive, Flash-laden website, from which you cannot purchase, and which does not showcase all of their products. Someone's head needs to roll in Habitat central office, if you ask me.

Anyway, instead, I'll show you this second-best product, which is a carpet with its own built-in car-racing track. It comes with a grandstand, cars and chicanes and it was designed by Damon Hill, who presumably spent his own childhood zooming cars around on the floor before going on to make a living out of the full-sized versions, and thus knows a little of what car-mad kids like to play with.

Whatever their website is like, I do have to salute Habitat's idea of inviting VIPs to design kids' stuff. Some of it has resulted in truly remarkable products that professional designers would never have thought up. Like those lit-up rugs. Now, who are they designed by...? I guess I'll never know.