How To Purchase An Oriental or Persian Area Rug

Hand-knotted area rugs can be an investment – and with good reason. Many have aesthetic, functional, historical, and investment potential, which means that time and care must be taken in selecting a rug for your home. In addition, the rug’s durability needs to be taken into consideration (you wouldn’t want a silk rug in a heavy traffic area). The rug will maintain its value and looks not only by the quality of the textile materials but by its location in the home and the number of people who will be walking across it.

The key factors that determine the quality (and thus the price) of a handmade rug are:

  • Size – Large rugs not only contain more material and require more labor but are more challenging to handle and transport, increasing the cost.
  • Workmanship – the most skilled weavers work in workshops in the major cities; there is a value placed on their experience and training, reflected in higher wages and the cost of running a commercial workshop.
  • Country of origin – while beautiful hand-knotted rugs are woven in many countries, more monetary value is placed on rugs from Persia due to the known quality of these rugs.
  • Materials used (both the type of fiber and the dye) – as with any product, a higher cost for inputs is reflected in a higher final product price. In this instance, rugs made with silk command a higher price than those made with wool, and rugs made with wool shorn from spring lambs will be more expensive than wool from an older animal that has been slaughtered for food. Likewise, natural dyes are more time-consuming to produce, so naturally dyed yarn will be more expensive than synthetically dyed yarn.
  • The number of knots – to create more detailed and intricate rugs, the weaver needs to use a greater number of knots per square inch. This level of detail takes more time, adding to the cost of the rug. Knot count can start from 50 KSPI (Knots Per Square Inch) and go beyond 1000.
  • Know the ideal price of a hand-knotted rug – Prices of quality hand-knotted rugs are higher due to their investment potential. These rugs are also aesthetically pleasing and durable. Additionally, the time required to produce these rugs makes them more costly. Ideally, these rugs combine function and form perfectly, making them more expensive than synthetic rugs.  If you are interested in a particular rug, obtain an independent valuation/appraisal. Oriental Rug Salon performs hundreds of appraisals annually for interior designers and rug collectors on Oriental, Persian, Turkish, and all other wool and silk rugs PRIOR to their purchase.  Why pay $15,000 for an area rug that is only worth $5000.00?  For less than $150.00 for the price of an appraisal, you can save thousands.

Conclusion

If you are looking for a rug that will genuinely last and retain its value, here are the essential tips to consider:

  • Go to a specialist oriental carpet shop; their range has been carefully selected and sourced by experts
  • Use the information on our website (videos, FAQ’s and Blog) to guide the questions you should ask and help you understand how different factors impact value
  • Ensure that you are buying from a source that offers after-sales service and a guarantee. Check out their Better Business Bureau and Angie’s List Rating.
  • Ask for a home approval period, allowing you to try the rug in your own home; this will give you a chance to see whether the carpet’s size, design, and color scheme works well in your home

Hand-Knotted Rugs Will Last A Life Time IF Properly Taken Care Of

One of the worst things a rug owner can do is to allow a carpet cleaning company the opportunity to “clean” their cherished area rug.  Carpet cleaning companies specialize in cleaning synthetic and nylon carpeting, NOT wool and silk.

Hand-knotted rugs can not be steam cleaned.  They must be dusted and washed in cool water with the appropriate industry-approved cleaning solutions.

Oriental Rug Salon is a Certified Partner with the prestigious Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) and the International Carpet & Rug Institute (CRI).  We are a WoolSafe Approved Service Provider, A+ rated by the Better Business Bureau, and an eight-year-in-a-row-winner of the coveted Angie’s List Super Service Award.

Oriental Rug Salon washes each area rug by hand, and your cherished textile never leaves the watchful eye of our Rug Master during the cleaning process.  Area rugs are dried on an air table, not hung, and we are the “cleaner of choice” to many rug retailers, collectors, restoration and insurance companies, and rug owners who want what’s best for their cherished textile.

Hand-knotted area rugs are beautiful and have a story to tell if you know their history. We’ve seen rugs passed down from generation to generation in excellent condition because they have been well maintained. We’ve also seen cherished area rugs ruined due to improper cleaning by uneducated cleaning companies or rug owners relying on concoctions found on the internet to remove stains.

For more information about wool and silk area rugs, Oriental, Persian, Turkish, and all other hand-knotted textiles, please visit Oriental Rug Salon online at www.OrientalRugSalon.com or give us a call any time at 239-424-8171.

We offer online appraisals, area rug cleaning, repairs, fringe replacement, and secure, climate-controlled storage.