Traditionally, oriental rugs were thought
of as expensive luxury items affordable only to a select few, but
now area rugs have become affordable additions as common to homes
as sofas and dining tables. No longer considered expensive
accessory pieces, Persian design oriental rugs are now sold as
part of the overall decor. Consumers who buy a new dining room or
living room set will more than likely purchase oriental rug to
complement their selections.
It is important to understand what
factors most affect when purchasing an oriental area rug.
However, hand-made Persian design oriental rugs have the unique
ability to pull an entire room together by offering nothing more
than a way to accentuate the furniture itself.
What every rug buyer should
know
Oriental rugs can be an intimidating
subject to discuss. There are literally thousands of books,
brochures, and pamphlets on hand-woven oriental rugs design and
construction, so building solid oriental rug knowledge is a life
long undertaking. Fortunately every area rug falls into a general
design category, a specific type of construction, and contains
only a limited number of fibers. If you can develop a good
understanding of these basic aspects you can confidently make a
decision in purchasing a hand-made Persian design oriental
rugs.
Color
Color can set the entire mood for a space
and is usually the first criteria on any one's list when
purchasing an oriental rug. Each shade sets a different tone and
adds intensity to a space. For example, an area rug can open up
and brighten a space by using lighter shades, or in contrast,
darker shades close in a space and help create a more intimate
atmosphere.
Additionally, people who may be looking
for an area rug to compliment fabrics or wall treatments. For
this customer; the color pallet is specific and may offer
limitations; however, oriental rugs are offered in a diverse
array of hues. The need for a broad coloration ranges is
universally recognized, and hand-made oriental rugs offers a
limitless color varieties. This unmatched capability ensures the
right color match for any decor.
Designs
Over the past several years the floor
covering industry has seen an impressive increase in the
installations of hard surface flooring. The durability of these
hard surface floors combined with the inexpensive costs of most
hand-made oriental area rugs allow homeowners to change the decor
of space much more often than in times past. Now, more than ever,
design and style play a pivotal role in flooring decisions.
Traditional, contemporary and everything in between.
With some of the most fashion forward
rugs in the market, today there are designs to fit any
lifestyle.
1) Traditional.
Traditional area rugs are typically
modern day representations of time
honored European and Asian designs
reminiscent of either oriental or
Persian motifs. It is also important to
understand when it is referred to
traditional area oriental rugs with
Persian designs that we are speaking
about that; the design. True Oriental and
Persian rugs are all individually hand knotted of natural fibers
made only in the Middle East and far East regions of the world
and are priced accordingly.
Traditional designs are sometimes
geometric using an allover pattern with lineal components.
Traditional geometric patterns are very simplistic and unlike
most traditional designs usually have no discernable flow. On the
other hand, traditional; designs can be pictorial illustrating
elements from nature or from life in general. Floral patterns are
also very common traditional designs, utilizing a center
medallion of an all over technique. Most floral designs will be
framed with a border of some kind and are usually recognized as
more Persian Rug than Orientals. Traditional floral designs are
also typically considered more formal than most.
Modern day traditional designs rugs
utilize color pallets that reflect modern day fashions; however,
many still simulate authentic oriental Persian design motifs and
utilize natural fibers that provide an antique reproduction
appearance.
2) Contemporary.
At the other end of the design spectrum
you will find the contemporary
classifications. When describing
contemporary area rugs terms such as asymmetrical, architectural,
and free form are common. Basically, contemporary designs are
characterized by stark contrasts, bold use of color, and often
geometric design elements.
One classification with the Contemporary
genre is Modern. Modern designs tend to be more architectural in
feeling. Many Art-Deco designs fall into this category. They
utilize pure geometric design elements along with dazzling
variation of primary colors such as blues, greens, and reds.
Modern designs tend to be assertive and bold offering a strong
statement to a decor. While on the other hand, Retro designs
hearken back to styles that were first popular in the 60's and
early 70's. They take advantage of the free form concept rarely
having any rhyme or reason to the flow of the
design.
3) Transitional.
In a nutshell, transitional designs are a
blend of contemporary with traditional. Also, sometimes referred
to as casual, they tend to be more popular with people looking
for the elegance of a traditional design without the formality
they often project. Transitional are the broadest classification
of area rug design and often the most difficult to recognize
simply because they can contain so many elements found in both
traditional and contemporary area rugs.
However, most transitional designs are
characterized through the use of open spaces containing a sparse
assortment of design components; sometimes traditional and
sometimes contemporary. You will often, but not always, find a
border in transitional rugs allowing for a more traditional
element to what would otherwise be a contemporary design. Floral
and leaf patterns often fall into this
classification.
4) Tribal.
Unlike transitional, tribal designs area
rugs are probably the easiest classification of oriental rugs.
They are characterized by those design elements common to a
specific culture or ethnic group. They utilize earth tone colors
such as yellow, gold, red, and brown. Tribal designs oriental
rugs combine these elements in very exacting and structured
designs offering their own interpretation. They lend themselves
well to decor that take on specific themes, offering a way to tie
the common elements of a particular space together.
Construction
The construction of oriental area rugs,
though technical, is a key element in making decision when
purchasing a rug. Many people who are looking to purchase an
oriental rug are interested in the quality of the rug they are
about to purchase. It is important not to become overwhelmed with
these facts; however, explaining how a rug came to be and its
role in the quality and design adds to the story of the rug and
creates confidence in the product.
There is no need to know everything about
each construction process but having a general understanding is
imperative.
A) Hand-Knotting (or
Hand-Weaving).
Hand-knotting is achieved when the
craftsman ties of knots pile yarns around woven backing fibers
(warp and weft). The resulting face of the rugs is then sheered
to a pre-determined height to give the pile uniformity. In
general the value of a hand-knotted rug depends on the number of
knots per square inch. The more knots per square inch the more
valuable the rug.
B) Hand-Tufted.
Hand-tufted rugs utilize a hand held
tufting tool called, simply, a tufting gun. The craftsman will
use the gun to fire pile yarns through a primary backing material
known as a scrim. This process forms a looped pile. If these
loops are left intact the rug is referred to as hand-hooked rug
whereas if the loops are sheered off to create a cut pile look,
you then have a hand-tufted rug. A secondary backing is then
applied to the area rug securing the pile yarn in place and
adding extra stability.
Of course, hand made oriental rugs take
quite a bit more effort to produce and are made from natural
fibers; therefor, they tend to be more valuable. However, the
natural beauty and subtle imperfections that make each rug unique
outweigh any increased expense.
Fiber
There are dozens of materials used in the
construction of area rugs. All of which have unique
characteristics that offer its own advantages.
1) Wool
Wool is noted for luxury and softness,
wool has a high build and is available in many
colors.
- Wool can absorb up to 1/3 of its weight
in moisture through cuticle pores and has an ouster membrane that
repels water. It can be stretched to 30% without
breaking.
- Wool rugs have excellent resistance to
compression due to the physical nature of wool fiber. It has a
natural crimp with millions of coiled molecules, rather than the
artificially induced waves found in man-made fibers.
2) Silk
Silk is used either on its own or in
combination with wool. Silk is reasonably hard wearing but it
lacks the springiness and suppleness of wool; consequently, silk
tend to retain any creases or scuffing in the pile, and far
greater care is needed to protect them damage.
Its physical beauty is unsurpassed and
silk rugs are normally used as
decorative, rather than functional
examples of textiles art, either as wall hangings, or floor
covering in rooms that rarely see practical use. Silk is also
used as a foundation material; it is extremely strong, keep its
shape, and can be spun into very fine strands; however, it is
only used when exceptionally fine knotting is
required.
Understanding basic design concepts is
very helpful in selecting an oriental rug. A few basic principles
in design coordination include:
Rugs create mood.
Rugs more specifically their shades, add
intensity and relevance to a space. For example, an area rug can
open up and brighten a space by using lighter shades or in
contrast, darker shades close it in and make it more
intimate.
Never try to match the main fabric color.
Find a rug that uses its main color the same family of colors
found in the swatch you are coordinating. For example, it would
be impossible to match the exact red found in a pillow. Rather
look to see what second or third colors are used in the pillow
and match families of colors not specific colors.
Another factor you certainly want to
consider is size. From small scatter rugs to palatial carpets,
both the actual room size and specific decorating scheme are
critical in determining the size of the rug best suited to your
needs. Dining room rugs need to be sized for placement of the
chairs and the table as well as for the absolute measurements of
the room. Take into account how much of the pattern will be
hidden or obscured under the table. Obviously a center medallion
design would not be the ideal choice for this
purpose.
Living rooms can have a wide array of
layouts and elements. Sofas, chairs, occasional tables, and
lighting fixtures can be arranged in a single unified
configuration or in separate seating or "conversation" areas. In
either case your rugs should play a key role in focusing and
enhancing the placement of your other furnishings. In effect,
they should function as the "foundation" of your design plan for
any area in which they are used. The possibilities of decorating
with rugs are endless, and with the Persian design oriental rug
collection from the rug weaving capitals of the world, you can be
assured of the very best in colors, design from Bijan, and
quality for every room in your home.
Traffic makes a difference. One critical
element in selecting and area rug that is commonly overlooked is
traffic. Understanding how much traffic an area rug will be
subjected to is not only important in selecting an appropriate
design that can hide dirt but also in selecting a rug that can
hold up its appearance.
Copyright 2005 Bijan Aziz
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