vintage rugs

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STYLING WITH ANTIQUE RUGS
Antique rugs can serve many purposes, from being
purely aesthetically pleasing, to providing a
soft, warm feeling beneath your feet! When
thinking about buying an antique rug, consider
what purpose the rug will serve.
Will you be using the antique rug or carpet to
enhance your interiors, either as a wall hanging
or a floor rug? If it's being used as a floor
rug, consider if it will be used in a high
traffic area such as a hallway. Will it need to
be darker more vibrant colours instead of light?
Could you consider several smaller oriental rugs
rather than one large area rug?
HAND WOVEN RUGS Weaving was a skill traditionally
passed down through generations and was very
important in family life. Oriental rugs were
woven by hand on a loom, which is a frame that
allows the weaver to work with the wool under
tension. They can be horizontal or vertical.
Horizontal looms were mainly used at home and
were easily moved, thus easier to live with. Many
weavers before the mid 19th century were limited
to colour choices that were available to them in
nature. Natural dyes were used and made from
plant life and vegetation that were in their
locality, or that were brought to them from other
parts of the country. These natural dyes age
wonderfully, and are of the many reasons that
antique rugs have such appeal still.
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LAYERING RUGS A gorgeous way to make your antique
rug really stand out, is to layer it with a
lighter coloured rug. Choose a slightly larger
rug to place directly on the floor, the most
effective way of layering is to choose lighter
tones, or a plain design. It works well in most
rooms, including in the hallway using vintage
runners. Don't neglect your kitchen and dining
room, these areas can often benefit from warm
colours being added in. We love this look by
Anita Yokota. She has chosen a woven rug to place
under a vintage rug - all in earthy tones to
pull the look of this bedroom together.
USING RUGS AS WALL HANGINGS Rugs don't have to be
used just as floor coverings. Pieces of art in
their own right, they are just as deserving of
hanging on your wall as a beautiful vintage
picture! There a few ways to hang rugs on the
wall. A simple option for a lightweight rug is to
use velcro stitched onto the back of the rug,
which makes the rug hang flush to the wall.
Alternatively, you can use a rod attached to the
wall, and use carpet or rug clamps to hang the
rug from the rod. We love this look by Emily
Katz. Using a vintage rug in this neutral toned
room provides a striking focus right above the
bed.
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THE POPULAR KILIM RUG / FLAT WEAVE RUG Kilim and
Flat weave rugs are one of the earliest known
types of rug. Antique kilims have been made
throughout the world for many centuries, and have
been made in many different designs, patterns and
motifs. Their structure and geometry vary
greatly from country to country, and the motifs
are filled with tradition and folklore. Kilims
were used as door flaps, food covers, prayer
rugs, donkey bags, tent walls, as well as floor
rugs. Some of our Vintage and Antique Rugs for
sale - Visit our Soft Furnishings Collection