The selection and purchasing of an area rug for your home can be one of
the most-daunting parts of the home-decorating process. Just ask
me,.....fifteen years ago, I had little knowledge, if any, on the way
antique rugs (or reproductions, for that matter) were made,.....why some
were priced in the hundreds of dollars, others, in the thousands.
In the past 15 years, I've tried to learn as much as I can about how
rugs are made, where they are made, and what they are made from. I ask a
lot of questions, especially to those who make area-rugs their
business. I take notes, lots of notes. I attend seminars. I read
books.
Sometimes I get lucky at Estate Sales. This is an Heriz rug from the
late-1900s. It's about 9x12; right now, it's at my rug dealer, getting
professionally-cleaned. He appraised it between $5000-6000. I'm
selling it for $2500
If there were an "Associates Degree" in Antique Rugs, I would probably
have one at this point in my career. Rug dealers at ADAC and Scott
Antique Market have personally expressed to me my "extensive knowledge,"
sometimes saying, "Mark, you know more about antique rugs than any
Interior Designer I deal with."
When you hear this as a decorator, it validates the years of LEARNING
the PRODUCT-KNOWLEDGE that is SO important in proposing and selling to
one's clients. "KNOW what you SELL" is something I remember from
years-back at Beverly Hall Furniture Galleries, where I worked for over
14 years. As I learned the differences of quality-made furniture, I
learned that there are MANY differences in the way area rugs are made. A
rug " is not a rug is not a rug" to 'butcher-paraphrase' Gertrude
Stein.
In a blog, I cannot begin to explain this complicated-Industry. For
centuries, rugs have been made in the Middle-East, in India, and in
China. Some are HAND-KNOTTED,... others,....."HAND-LOOMED" or
machine-made. Some are knotted on a wool-ground; others on a
cotton-ground. Some rugs get their colour from natural, vegetable-dyed
threads; others use synthetic dyes. Some rugs take over a YEAR to make;
others can be loomed in a few days.
(1) This is a Sarouk Ferahan, my absolute FAVOURITE type of antique rugs, period. As they were only produced for about 15 years in the late 1800s, they are rare and highly collectible. I own one like this one; it has definitely increased in value since I purchased it.
(2) Here's a peek of my own Sarouk Ferahan, now in my Home Studio under my 10' stainless steel industrial kitchen work-table.
Get the picture? ........and I haven't even mentioned the ETHICS (or
lack-thereof) involved in the Rug Industry. Suffice it to say, many of
you reading this have probably at one time or another been ABSOLUTELY
INTIMIDATED by the whole process, and end-up getting a sisal or seagrass
area rug if any rug at all.
This is a great example of a NEW rug (an original Oushak made in Oushak, Turkey).
Vegetable dyes are used and they LOOK old, but are a fraction of the price of an antique Oushak.
One of my favourite clients bought this antique Tabriz years ago.
Hiring an Interior Designer that you TRUST can be one of the
most-rewarding experiences of your lifetime. As I mention in
Spectacular Homes of Georgia, "The difference between a GOOD designer
and a GREAT designer is this: a good designer makes your house look
pretty; a GREAT designer does so WHILE SAVING YOU MONEY".
Hundreds,....then thousands of dollars over the years.
Rug purchasing alone, whether it's that one perfect rug for your dining
room, or replacing your existing-rugs (relocating them in secondary
places, if possible) and trading-up to rugs that perfectly-compliment
your home and furniture, can provide a "finishing-touch" to any
home,....and, if done correctly through research and knowledge, can
become a very rewarding and pleasurable experience. Saving money should
be part of the Process. Just remember:
Cheers!
Mark.
