What is a traditional rug?

A “traditional rug” likely refers to a finely woven modern-day rug with ornate patterns. These rugs are inspired by either Oriental or Persian patterns and might feature designs that have origins in Europe and in Victorian-era textiles. Shop a collection of antique and vintage rugs and carpets on 1stDibs.

What is the difference between traditional and contemporary rugs?

The difference between traditional and contemporary rugs comes down primarily to patterning. Traditional area rugs usually show off medallions or other intricate patterns inspired by handmade Persian rugs. Contemporary rugs feature other motifs, such as large, simple geometric shapes, bold floral prints, abstract designs and stripes. On 1stDibs, shop a wide variety of rugs.

Traditional Medallion Rugs

White Ivory Antique Rug

Muted Turkish

Yahyali Carpet

Green Oushak

Vintage Blue Oushak Rug

Gordes Rug

Sage Green Rug

Kashan Medallion

Handmade Carpet Rug Red Wool Oriental Rug, Traditional Medallion Rug

$1,718Sale Price|30% Off

Handmade Carpet Rug Red Wool Oriental Rug, Traditional Medallion Rug

Located in Wembley, GB

This fantastic wool rug was woven by hand in Turkey in the 1950s and features a traditional medallion design.

Category

Mid-20th Century Turkish Kashan Turkish Rugs

Materials

Wool, Cotton, Organic Material

$38,000

Traditional Rug Antique-Inspired Sunburst Medallion Beige "Dawnlight"

By Doris Leslie Blau

Located in New York, NY

This modern Oushak-inspired rug reinterprets the timeless aesthetics of traditional Turkish weaving through a refined contemporary lens. Characterized by a spacious composition and s...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Turkish Oushak Turkish Rugs

Materials

Wool

Inspired Traditional Rug Filigree Medallion Gray by Doris Leslie Blau

$120,000

$38,000

Traditional Rug Antique-Inspired Sunburst Medallion Beige by Doris Leslie Blau

By Doris Leslie Blau

Located in New York, NY

This rug is part of Oushak Rugs collection. This modern Oushak-inspired rug reinterprets the timeless aesthetics of traditional Turkish weaving through a refined contemporary lens. ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Turkish Oushak Rugs

Materials

Wool

Style Traditional Medallion Cream Beige Rug "Seedscape" by Doris Leslie Blau

$51,000

$1,500

Antique Turkish Yahyali Rug with Traditional Medallion Design, Circa 1920

Located in Moreton-In-Marsh, GB

Antique Anatolian Yahyali rug with traditional large medallion design Circa 1920 A good example of this classic Yahyali design with a single large medallion in warm red on a dark in...

Materials

Wool, Organic Material, Natural Fiber, Cotton

Traditional-Style Medallion Gray With Taupe Rug "Reverie" by Doris Leslie Blau

$17,000

$1,916

9x12 Violet Exquisite Navy Traditional Floral Medallion Hand Knotted Wool Rug

Located in New York, NY

Violet Exquisite Navy Hand Knotted Wool Rug, Country of Origin: India. This magnificent piece showcases the enduring skill of weavers from Indian rugs, combining traditional craftsma...

Category

2010s Indian Modern Indian Rugs

Materials

Antique Heriz Carpet with a Traditional Small Medallion Design

Sold

W 73.23 in L 102.37 in

Antique Heriz Carpet with a Traditional Small Medallion Design

Located in Moreton-In-Marsh, GB

Antique Heriz carpet with a traditional small medallion design, classic dark indigo blue border with large leaf design. A good Heriz carpet of very scarce small room size. The carpe...

Antique Hand Knotted Persian Tabriz Rug with Intricate Floral Medallion

Sold

W 135 in L 208 in

Antique Hand Knotted Persian Tabriz Rug with Intricate Floral Medallion

Located in Atlanta, GA

Traditional Medallion Tabriz Antique rug from Persia with Elegant Medallion Floral Geometric Design.

Category

Early 20th Century Persian Tabriz Persian Style Rugs

Materials

Wool

Antique Persian Malayer Gallery Rug with Central Medallion and Allover Botanical

Sold

W 74 in L 242 in

Antique Persian Malayer Gallery Rug with Central Medallion and Allover Botanical

Located in Atlanta, GA

Antique Persian Malayer gallery rug, handwoven Malayer runner, Persian rug with central medallion, vintage Malayer rug blue and rust, elongated Persian hallway rug, Malayer rug with ...

Category

Early 20th Century Persian Malayer Persian Style Rugs

Materials

Wool

Angora Oushak Turkish Runner with Traditional Pattern in Green, Light Brown

Sold

Sold

W 44.89 in L 82.68 in

Old Anatolian Yagcibedir Village Rug

Located in Moreton-In-Marsh, GB

Old Anatolian Yagcibedir village rug or traditional medallion design A very good example of this classic design with a with a wide range of different design elements to the field.

Materials

Wool

Rug & Kilim’s Tribal Style Rug in Polychromatic Medallions & Geometric Patterns

$380

$520

W 24 in L 39 in

Rug & Kilim’s Tribal Style Rug with Primitivist Geometric Pattern and Medallions

By Rug & Kilim

Located in Long Island City, NY

Inspired by antique tribal rugs of Turkish and Caucasian provenance, particularly in its love of medallions in the geometric gul style, this 2x3 rug is hand-knotted in wool. On the...

Category

2010s Indian Modern Indian Rugs

Materials

Wool

One of a Kind Hand Knotted Traditional Oriental Red Area Rug

$459

W 51 in L 77 in

One of a Kind Hand Knotted Traditional Oriental Red Area Rug

Located in Norwalk, CT

With understated palettes and allover designs, the rugs in the Mogul Collection will bring timeless sophistication to any room. Influenced by a spectrum of Turkish, Indian, and Persi...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Pakistani Central Asian Rugs

Materials

Wool

Rug & Kilim’s Dhurrie Runner Rug in Colorful Geometric Patterns

$3,300

W 40 in L 141 in

Rug & Kilim’s Dhurrie Runner Rug in Colorful Geometric Patterns

By Rug & Kilim

Located in Long Island City, NY

Made with handwoven wool and silk, this 3x12 dhurrie flat weave runner rug is an exciting new entry in Rug & Kilim’s esteemed collection. On the Design: A masterpiece exempli...

Category

2010s Indian Kilim Indian Rugs

Materials

Wool, Silk

Rug & Kilim’s Caucasian Style Runner Rug with Polychromatic Geometric Patterns

$3,400

W 27 in L 138 in

Rug & Kilim’s Caucasian Style Runner Rug with Polychromatic Geometric Patterns

By Rug & Kilim

Located in Long Island City, NY

Hand-knotted in a special blend of Ghazni wool, this 2x11 runner rug is a bold new addition to Rug & Kilim’s custom-classics Burano Collection—a luxurious new exploration of importan...

Category

2010s Indian Tribal Indian Rugs

Materials

Wool

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By Anthony Redmile London

Located in London, GB

A good scale and form composition marble bust of David mounted on a Black socle. David inscription to base. Very probably by Anthony Redmile London.

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Marie Louise SorbacAthos by Marie Louise Sorbac - Bronze animal sculpture, bull, 2019

$5,090

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$3,750

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Located in Atlanta, GA

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Located in West Hollywood, CA

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Traditional Medallion Rugs For Sale on 1stDibs

At 1stDibs, there are several options of traditional medallion rugs available for sale. Each of these unique traditional medallion rugs was constructed with extraordinary care, often using fabric, wool and cotton. We have 31 antique and vintage traditional medallion rugs in-stock, while there are 5 modern editions to choose from as well. Traditional medallion rugs have been produced for many years, with earlier versions available from the 19th Century and newer variations made as recently as the 21st Century. Mid-Century Modern, Modern and Hollywood Regency traditional medallion rugs are consistently popular styles.

How Much are Traditional Medallion Rugs?

Traditional medallion rugs can differ in price owing to various characteristics — the average selling price at 1stDibs is $2,875, while the lowest priced sells for $159 and the highest can go for as much as $13,800.

Finding the Right Rugs-carpets for You

Good antique rugs and vintage rugs have made their way into homes across the globe, becoming fixtures used for comfort, prayer and self-expression, so choosing the right area rug is officially a universal endeavor.

In modern usage, “carpet” typically denotes a wall-to-wall floor cushioning that is fixed to the floor. Rugs, on the other hand, are designed to cover a specific area and can easily be moved to new locations. However, the terms are interchangeable in many parts of the world, and, in the end, it won’t matter what you decide to call it.

It’s well known that a timeless Persian rug or vintage Turkish rug can warm any interior, but there are lots of other styles of antique rugs to choose from when you're endeavoring to introduce fresh colors and textures to a bedroom or living room.

Moroccan Berber rugs are not all about pattern. In fact, some of the most striking examples are nearly monochrome. But what these rugs lack in complexity, they make up for in brilliant color and subtle variation. Moroccan-style interiors can be mesmerizing — a sitting room of this type might feature a Moroccan rug, carved wooden screens and a tapestry hung behind the sofa.

Handwoven kilim rugs, known for their wealth of rich colors and unique weaving tradition, are pileless: Whereas the Beni Ourain rugs of Morocco can be described as dense with a thick surface or pile, an authentic kilim rug is thin and flat. (The term “kilim” is Turkish in origin, but this type of textile artistry is practiced all across the Balkans, throughout the Arab world and elsewhere.)

When it comes to eye-catching floor coverings, the distinctive “medallion” pattern of Oushak rugs has two types of rounded shapes alternating against a rich red or blue background created with natural dyes, while the elaborate “star” pattern involves large eight-pointed shapes in diagonal rows alternating with diamonds.

If you’re looking for something unexpected, find a runner rug that pops in your hallway or on your stairs. Dig for dazzling geometric patterns in our inventory of mid-century modern rugs and carpets, which includes works designed by the likes of Swedish textile masters Märta Måås-Fjetterström, Marianne Richter and other artisans.

Carpets and rugs have been around for thousands of years. Prehistoric humans turned to animal skin, wool and fur to craft simple fabrics to soften hard terrain. A 2016 study suggests that "cave lions" were hunted for exactly this purpose, and that decorating your cave with their pelts may have conferred strength and prestige. Although many of these early textiles are still in existence, tracing their precise origins is difficult. Carpets quickly became such a valuable trade commodity that the weavings could easily travel far from their places of origin.

The oldest known carpet was found in southern Siberia. (It may have traveled there from Persepolis in Iran.) For the flat-weave floor rugs crafted by Native Americans, cotton was the primary material before sheep’s wool was introduced in the 16th century. In Europe, carpet-making was fundamental to folk art, and Asian carpets imported to European countries were at one time considered a precious luxury and not intended to remain permanently on the floor.

With the variety of area rugs and carpets rolled out for you on 1stDibs — a collection that includes traditional, modern, minimalist rugs and other coverings of all kinds — things will be looking up whenever you’re looking down.

Questions About Traditional Medallion Rugs

What is a traditional rug?
1 Answer
1stDibs ExpertOctober 26, 2021
A “traditional rug” likely refers to a finely woven modern-day rug with ornate patterns. These rugs are inspired by either Oriental or Persian patterns and might feature designs that have origins in Europe and in Victorian-era textiles. Shop a collection of antique and vintage rugs and carpets on 1stDibs.
What is the difference between traditional and contemporary rugs?
1 Answer
1stDibs ExpertOctober 7, 2024
The difference between traditional and contemporary rugs comes down primarily to patterning. Traditional area rugs usually show off medallions or other intricate patterns inspired by handmade Persian rugs. Contemporary rugs feature other motifs, such as large, simple geometric shapes, bold floral prints, abstract designs and stripes. On 1stDibs, shop a wide variety of rugs.

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Hechizoo’s Original Sin Rug Tempts with Shimmering Copper, Tin and Bronze

Embroidered with snakes, turtles, birds and vines, it celebrates a dazzling natural world before the arrival of Adam and Eve.

Splashy Blooms Bud and Wilt in Artist Santi Moix’s Floral Rug

The colorful design captures the natural splendor of a backyard garden.

In South Africa, Rich Mnisi Is Taking Biomorphic Design to the Next Level

The rising fashion star is having his first solo show of furniture designs, at Southern Guild in Cape Town, and his far-out, snaking forms are like nothing you've ever seen.

The Artists and Designers behind Today’s Coolest Rug Collaborations

Top carpet companies are expanding the arena of artful floor coverings, seeking out creatives from other media and marrying their talents to textiles.