The issue with that was that carpeting were used not only to show oppulence but they were hand-crafted. You'd be destroying an art piece by ripping it up - they paid a huge amount to commission pieces like that and destroying them by cutting them up was not only spitting in the face of the artist themselves (a guaranteed way of not getting any more pieces of the like, especially considering the amount of skill and time it took to make them) but would also show the doer of such a thing to be an uncouth, unsophisticated lout. Even a King had to be careful to appear better than everyone around him else suffer back-stabbing and loss of trusty courtiers and support of the Lords and Ladies of the court. Even the worst Kings had to have their support in order to rule properly. Wasting the Royal coffers on such decadence only to destroy it is unfathomable.
Add to that that carpeting served more than one purpose. It not only drew attention to the throne, it also made it hard for people to approach the throne without being seen or - more importantly - heard. Yes, the King could see ahead of him just fine, but bare floors also allowed for the sound of footsteps to carry and be heard - thus serving as a warning of someone approaching. Carpeting behind the throne would be a very unwise move - the King would not be able to hear if someone approached from behind. If one of his loyal guards turned traitor and tried to take him out from behind? Bye, bye Your Majesty. A runner could also be pulled to stop frontal attacks - sending any rushing the throne tumbling to their doom.
Not to mention that it was a luxury. Only the most important people had throw rugs in their rooms to allow for warm footsies - it was a sign of prestige.
Cleaning - no vacuums back then, I'm afraid. Rugs would be taken out and beaten to get rid of the dust, while stone floors were swept clean. The larger a carpet, the more effort and time was required for cleaning and with an already-large room like a throne room - one that was often the public place for the King to see supplicants and needed to look in tip top shape whenever in use - it made little sense to have a ton of carpeting. In fact, usually the only carpet was the runner so that it could be easily replaced with another if the room was needed in short notice. Just roll it up and unroll the new one. Viola~
Lastly, stone floors were very often pieces of art themselves. They were commissioned and carefully placed, keeping in mind where runners would go and added to the over-all decoration and eminence of a room. Often they were made of large stones, slabs of marble and rare minerals, shipped from rare locales and cost just as much -if not more than- any carpets. Covering them was practically a crime!
...I know too much about this subject.
Now, if you want to show self-importance, here's a few tips:
- A one-of-a-kind carpet. Even if it's a recolour don't use it anywhere else. Rarity = oppulance.
- Banners. Banners and sigils were the advertising posters of the medieval era. Want to claim something? Whack a banner on it. Want to make sure everyone gets the message that you rule the land and are of the most importance? Banners. Banners everywhere. And sigils. House sigils. Even bigger points if you work it into the stone floor or wall somehow.
- Speaking of, wall friezes. Carved into stone or wooden walls, they often depicted a story from the King's youth - a hunt that gained him a large prize animal, a battle where he out-did everyone, a competition where he wiped the floor with his challengers.
- Columns. People don't often realise that columns had more than one reason for existing. Firstly, they look grand as Frick. Secondly, they provide good cover for if enemies stormed the throne room. They could be pulled down and block the way to the throne as well as provide cover for the King. They could be used to block off the doors. They cost a mint when crafted out of certain stones and carved.
- Wall hangings. Carpets for walls. The more, the better. They often told stories of great heroes, as well as providing the important task of keeping the chill from the stone walls from seeping into everyone's lungs. Also, they cost a mint and a half and the more you had, the richer and more artistically inclined you appeared, especially if they were imported from other lands and were brightly coloured (key tip - blues, greens and oranges/bright reds/yellow/gold were rare because more often than not they needed to be imported in.)
- Art. It keeps coming back to it, but being able to spend money on frivolity like art showed not only that you were intelligent and classy, but also that you had a ****ton of money to throw around. Statues, fountains, portraits, landscapes, stained glass windows, chandeliers and even the cutlery and plates were ways of showing off your prestige.