Guides - Decorating

As with most elements of home decor, you probably cannot explain exactly what it is you like or are looking for. You just will know it when you see it!

Whether you prefer bright primary colors or muted earth tones, busy patterns or simple designs, you'll find an Oriental or Persian area rug that does exactly what you want.

The most common patterns found in Oriental and Persian area rugs are traditional floral or curvilinear, arabesque motifs, palmettes, vines, flowers, vases, arches and gardens. There will be a medallion with spandrels and borders, or an open field with borders. Tribal rugs are often plain, or have some traditional geometric design. 

You will also find some which are directional, like prayer mats, or with an illustration, like a painting.

The great thing about Oriental and Persian area rugs is that they look natural in almost every room of the house. The most usual places to find them are the living room, dining room and master bedroom. We have countless stories of clients who begin by buying for their main rooms, and then just cannot stop! Rugs in foyers, family rooms and studies, runners in corridors and on steps, and smaller mats in bathrooms are just a start. Then, after they fill their homes, they do their offices!

Since handmade area rugs are proven to be superior to machine-made carpeting, they last longer even in high traffic areas such as corridors and elevators.

There are no rules that state where to place a particular style or pattern of rug, although carpets that have an open field are usually preferred in situations where a dining or coffee table would sit right over the medallion. In these rugs most of the visual interest is in the borders.

The color scheme of an area rug is usually the most important factor in choosing where to place it. The colors of the rug need not be exactly the same as the curtains or upholstery, they should just echo them in some manner, and be in the same range of primaries or earth tones. For example, if your drapes are rust, your rug does not have to be rust. But small accents of that color would complement the drapes.

The most important thing to remember is that there are no rules, other than that you should be pleased with the look and quality of the area rug you choose.