Rugs

So, most people know that the Middle East is sort of known for rugs. Specially Persian rugs. I had the chance over the weekend to visit my first rug shop and learn a bit about these gorgeous pieces of art. 

First of all, there are rugs from all over the Middle East. In the shop I visited I saw rugs from Iran (Persia), Turkey, Kazakhstan, Afghanistan, and I'm drawing a blank on the rest. Each look and feel different as they use different materials and have different designs specific to the area. For instance, afghanistan rugs are more tribal looking and the ones I saw were made with wool while the Persian rugs made in Iran were brighter, floral patterns made with 100% silk or a silk blend. 

The guys who own the shop were incredibly nice and helpful and were eager to teach us about the rugs and all the different components. They pulled all different styles and let us walk on them to feel how different they felt. They explained that the higher the knots per square inch, the softer and more luxurious a rug will feel. And boy was that absolutely the case! My absolute favorite rug was a Persian beauty made of 100% silk and had over 1,000 knots per square inch. It was absolutely incredible-- it was so so soft and the detail was amazing! It also came with an amazing price tag at 2800BD, which translates to $7420!!! Not happening in this lifetime! 

Up close detail on the rug

The really interesting thing about these rugs is that they are designed and hand knotted by a family. It takes months to finish (and in the cases of high knots per square inch rugs, a year or more) and each member of the family takes turns working on it until it's finished. There is a section for the family signature at the top of a lot of the rugs so you can easily identify who created it. Each family has their own designs and color schemes that are unique to them, so it's not a mass produced type of thing- you're not going to walk into your friends home and see the same rug you've got in your living room decorating their floor. They really are pieces of art. 

It was a cool opportunity to learn some more about the rug making process and sort of get my feet wet as far as figuring out what I like. We'll definitely be bringing a rug or two back with us from this tour... now it just comes down to deciding which one!