Tips On Buying An Oriental Rug

Persian & Oriental Rugs are an ancient traditional art. Oriental Rug making dates back to more than 3,000 years ago. Rugs are an important factor to consider in any room or home. Deciding to buy an oriental rug can be a very daunting task, with so many choices. Although very exciting when you know you've found "the One".

Here are some tips that we've compiled, and things you should think about and consider before making a quality Oriental rug purchase.  Hopefully, this will make your rug buying journey a little easier and more enjoyable!

2. Finding an Oriental Rug dealer that you feel is trustworthy is also very important to consider. A good rug dealer is knowledgeable about rugs and passionate about their love of oriental rugs. They want nothing more than to share their enthusiasm and experience about them. Most often a reputable rug dealer will allow you to take a rug home on approval without any obligation. This gesture is very beneficial when trying to decide on a rug for your home. Of course, always trust your gut instinct if you feel pressured or uncomfortable in any way, move on to find another dealer.

3. It's also advisable to measure the area you want the rug to cover. Keep in mind to leave a space of the floor border around your rug, be sure to include this consideration in your measurement. Decide what style you like most and what you think suits your room, and the purpose of your room. Most likely you will gravitate towards either traditional or contemporary. If your decision becomes overwhelming you could consider hiring an interior decorator to make your choices a little easier. While they will guide you in your decorating process, they are most likely to focus on the "look" over function. A rug dealer will always focus more on quality. It's always wise to consider the opinions of others, but in the end, it should be a rug that you love.

4. Besides all the above considerations mentioned, there are many other technical things to consider. For example, are finely knotted rugs better? Rugs come in so many densities and can greatly range from 30 knots per square inch(very coarse) to as many as 300 or more knots per square inch( very fine). Of course, the knots on a rug will greatly impact the overall design and feel. Some people find that a finely knotted rug is more appealing, while other people like a thicker denser feel. This is a matter of taste, however, a finer knotted rug will allow for a smoother and graceful look and can achieve a greater level of detail in the design. If you have found a traditional Persian rug or a tribal rug design, you might consider finding an antique rug dealer. You could also nowadays, find a newer rug that is made to look old. Contemporary rugs are very widely available and many are based on old world styles and techniques.

5. Hand knotted, hand tufted or flat weave?  If you choose a hand-knotted rug they tend to be the most expensive and are higher in quality. The cost that comes in is because of the intensive labour that is required for these rugs to be made. A hand tufted rug may sell for a little less, this is when a stencil is used on the back of the rug, the threads used in these are usually less expensive. A flat weave rug requires much less work and is therefore usually the least expensive.

Natural or synthetic dyes?

6. When dealing with antique rugs, natural dyes are more desirable. They seem to harmonize the colours in a rug and look more balanced than their synthetic counterparts. If natural dyes are used they will add more to the cost of a rug. However, synthetic dyes can offer you an infinite array of colour and shade choices, and if you like super saturated and intense colour, you may very well love synthetic dyes on a rug. Synthetic dyes hold their colour over time and do not fade.

7. Handspun or machine spun wool? This is another important aspect of rugs. Most people who are collectors of rugs, value the effect that is produced by handspun wool. When handspun wool is used, the yarn absorbs more of the dye and it produces more variegation in the colours of a rug. A machine spun wool rug, will have no irregularities in the wool and produces much less texture in a rug, also makes for a more flat looking design.

8. The height of a rug pile also impacts a rug. An inexperienced rug buyer usually thinks that a thicker, high pile rug means higher quality, when in fact, the finest rugs and most expensive are more often than not, those with a thin pile. However, if a rug will be in a very high traffic area, it should have a pile with somebody. Somewhere in the middle is a good compromise.

There are so many things to keep in mind when buying a rug for your home. This is an investment that will bring you beauty and joy for generations to come.