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Vintage Rare Oversize Mauritanian Sahara Tuareg Leather and Reed Rug
Vintage Rare Oversize Mauritanian Sahara Tuareg Leather and Reed Rug

Vintage Rare Oversize Mauritanian Sahara Tuareg Leather and Reed Rug

Located in Milan, IT

The carpets of the Tuareg, who are cattle herding nomads inhabiting a vast expanse of the Sahara desert, are among the most exciting group of weavings to appear on the market. These ...

Category

Vintage 1930s Mauritanian Tribal Moroccan and North African Rugs

Materials

Leather, Reed

Via Como 'Cornacopia' Wool and Silk Hand Knotted Rug Extra Fine 8 x 10 Ft RARE
Via Como 'Cornacopia' Wool and Silk Hand Knotted Rug Extra Fine 8 x 10 Ft RARE

Via Como 'Cornacopia' Wool and Silk Hand Knotted Rug Extra Fine 8 x 10 Ft RARE

Located in Long Island, NY

Via Como - 'Cornacopia' rug - Size 8' x 10' Material: 70% Wool - 30% Silk Made in the finest New Zealand Wool and Silk.  

Category

Early 2000s Chinese Other More Carpets

Materials

Wool, Silk

Rare V’Soske Architectural Rug – Modernist Art Deco Revival,  C 1986
Rare V’Soske Architectural Rug – Modernist Art Deco Revival,  C 1986

Rare V’Soske Architectural Rug – Modernist Art Deco Revival, C 1986

By V'Soske

Located in Brooklyn, NY

A rare and collectible V’Soske Architectural Rug, designed in 1986, this exceptional piece exemplifies the Modernist Art Deco Revival aesthetic that defined V’Soske’s pioneering appr...

Category

Late 20th Century American Art Deco North and South American Rugs

Materials

Wool

Antique Chinese Rug Ningshia Rare 5 Paw Dragon 1920 6x9 193x274cm
Antique Chinese Rug Ningshia Rare 5 Paw Dragon 1920 6x9 193x274cm

Antique Chinese Rug Ningshia Rare 5 Paw Dragon 1920 6x9 193x274cm

Located in New York, NY

Antique Chinese Rug Ningshia Rare 5 Paw Dragon "This incredible rare Antique piece is a fine example of the art of ancient Chinese.

Category

Vintage 1920s Chinese Chinese and East Asian Rugs

Materials

Wool

Early 20th Century Chinese Nichols Art deco rug 6x9  (RARE SIZE!)
Early 20th Century Chinese Nichols Art deco rug 6x9  (RARE SIZE!)

Early 20th Century Chinese Nichols Art deco rug 6x9 (RARE SIZE!)

By Walter Nichols

Located in Los Angeles, CA

The most recognizable rugs from the 1920s and 1930s are Chinese Rugs made by Walter Nichols. These Nichols rugs, as they came to be known, were primarily made during the Art Deco mov...

Category

Early 20th Century Chinese Art Deco Chinese and East Asian Rugs

Materials

Wool

Early 20th Century Chinese Nichols Art deco rug 6x9  (RARE SIZE!)
Early 20th Century Chinese Nichols Art deco rug 6x9  (RARE SIZE!)

Early 20th Century Chinese Nichols Art deco rug 6x9 (RARE SIZE!)

By Walter Nichols

Located in Los Angeles, CA

The most recognizable rugs from the 1920s and 1930s are Chinese Rugs made by Walter Nichols. These Nichols rugs, as they came to be known, were primarily made during the Art Deco mov...

Category

Early 20th Century Chinese Art Deco Chinese and East Asian Rugs

Materials

Wool

Rare Antique Green Gem Handmade Tibetan Rug with Good Luck Symbols
Rare Antique Green Gem Handmade Tibetan Rug with Good Luck Symbols

Rare Antique Green Gem Handmade Tibetan Rug with Good Luck Symbols

Located in New York, NY

Throughout his travels around the world, Carini has curated a collection of fine and rare vintage textiles and rugs. He is enamored by ancient techniques, natural dyes, and cultural ...

Category

Antique Late 19th Century Tibetan Tibetan Chinese and East Asian Rugs

Materials

Wool

Clive Christian - 'Rose 1872' Rug 12x12 ft Hand Knotted Wool Museum Rare Carpet
Clive Christian - 'Rose 1872' Rug 12x12 ft Hand Knotted Wool Museum Rare Carpet

Clive Christian - 'Rose 1872' Rug 12x12 ft Hand Knotted Wool Museum Rare Carpet

Located in Long Island, NY

Clive  Christian - 'Rose 1872' Rug Material: 100% Wool Introducing Via Como, the pinnacle of ultra high-end hand-knotted rugs. Renowned for their unrivaled artistry and exclusivity,...

Category

Early 2000s Chinese Modern Central Asian Rugs

Materials

Bentwood

9x12 Exceptional Vintage Chinese Art Deco Rare Art Nouveau Rug Black 275cmx369cm
9x12 Exceptional Vintage Chinese Art Deco Rare Art Nouveau Rug Black 275cmx369cm

9x12 Exceptional Vintage Chinese Art Deco Rare Art Nouveau Rug Black 275cmx369cm

Located in New York, NY

This elegant Chinese Art Deco rug features a rich black field adorned with repeating red and gold medallion motifs, creating a bold and sophisticated visual presence. An intricate sc...

Category

Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese and East Asian Rugs

Materials

Wool

Antique Shirvan Rug - 19th Century Shirvan Rug, Handwoven Rug, Antique Rug
Antique Shirvan Rug - 19th Century Shirvan Rug, Handwoven Rug, Antique Rug

Antique Shirvan Rug - 19th Century Shirvan Rug, Handwoven Rug, Antique Rug

Located in Sultanahmet, 34

Traditional patterns and vibrant colors bring life to every inch of this antique rug. This rare piece, which will decorate the floor of your home or office, is a perfect combination ...

Category

Antique 19th Century Caucasian Caucasian Rugs

Materials

Wool

Antique Ersari Turkmen Rug Of Rare Form, Great Study Item, Circa 1850 Or Earlier
Antique Ersari Turkmen Rug Of Rare Form, Great Study Item, Circa 1850 Or Earlier

Antique Ersari Turkmen Rug Of Rare Form, Great Study Item, Circa 1850 Or Earlier

Located in Moreton-In-Marsh, GB

Antique Ersari Turkmen rug of scarce design Circa 1850 or earlier The rug is very similar to one published by George O'Bannon, in 'Turkoman rugs' page 21, the rug is described as be...

Category

Antique 19th Century Afghan Central Asian Rugs

Bohemian Royalty: A Rare Vintage Boucherouite Moroccan Rug of Tribal Expression
Bohemian Royalty: A Rare Vintage Boucherouite Moroccan Rug of Tribal Expression

Bohemian Royalty: A Rare Vintage Boucherouite Moroccan Rug of Tribal Expression

By Berber Tribes of Morocco

Located in Dallas, TX

21591 Vintage Berber Boucherouite Moroccan Rug, 02'10 x 06'05. Radiating unfiltered creative spirit and soulful authenticity, this hand-knotted vintage Berber Boucherouite rug is a r...

Category

Late 20th Century Moroccan Bohemian Moroccan and North African Rugs

Materials

Wool, Cotton

Via Como 'Vonier' Wool and Silk Hand Knotted Rug Size 8 x 10 ft RARE Extra Fine
Via Como 'Vonier' Wool and Silk Hand Knotted Rug Size 8 x 10 ft RARE Extra Fine

Via Como 'Vonier' Wool and Silk Hand Knotted Rug Size 8 x 10 ft RARE Extra Fine

Located in Long Island, NY

Via Como - 'Vonier' Rug - Size 8' x 10' Material: 50% Wool - 50% Silk Made in the finest New Zealand wool and silk.

Category

Early 2000s Chinese Baroque More Carpets

Materials

Wool, Silk

Pakistan Extra Fine Rug, Rare 1930s-1940s 7'1" x 4' 6" ft Hand Knotted
Pakistan Extra Fine Rug, Rare 1930s-1940s 7'1" x 4' 6" ft Hand Knotted

Pakistan Extra Fine Rug, Rare 1930s-1940s 7'1" x 4' 6" ft Hand Knotted

Located in Long Island, NY

Via Como - Pakistan extra fine rug 215 x 138 cm or 7'1" x 4' 6" ft - rare, 1930-40s This rug was from a private collection Never used - looks brand new Approximately 70-80 year...

Category

Vintage 1930s Pakistani Central Asian Rugs

Materials

Wool

Rare and Unusual Mid-Century Modern Beni Ouarain Wool Berber Rug
Rare and Unusual Mid-Century Modern Beni Ouarain Wool Berber Rug

Rare and Unusual Mid-Century Modern Beni Ouarain Wool Berber Rug

Located in Milan, IT

The pattern is typically composed of an all-over grid of lozenges with little or no variation. This rug belongs to a specific rare subgroup, which is also my favourite, distinguished...

Category

Vintage 1940s Moroccan Mid-Century Modern Moroccan and North African Rugs

Materials

Wool

VIA COMO 'Chinoiserie' Rug Chinese Art Deco Carpet 10' x 13' ft RARE Wool Silk
VIA COMO 'Chinoiserie' Rug Chinese Art Deco Carpet 10' x 13' ft RARE Wool Silk

VIA COMO 'Chinoiserie' Rug Chinese Art Deco Carpet 10' x 13' ft RARE Wool Silk

Located in Long Island, NY

Via Como - 'Chinoiserie' Rug - Size 10' x 13' Ft Material: 70% Wool - 30% Silk This Chinoiserie rug is a one-of-a-kind rug and a rare piece.

Category

Early 2000s Chinese Art Deco Central Asian Rugs

Materials

Wool, Silk

Fine and Rare Antique Saharan Mauritanian Tuareg Reed and Leather Rug
Fine and Rare Antique Saharan Mauritanian Tuareg Reed and Leather Rug

Fine and Rare Antique Saharan Mauritanian Tuareg Reed and Leather Rug

Located in Milan, IT

The carpets of the Tuareg, who are cattle herding nomads inhabiting a vast expanse of the Sahara desert, are among the most exciting group of weavings to appear on the market. These ...

Category

Early 20th Century Mauritanian Tribal Moroccan and North African Rugs

Materials

Leather, Reed

Nazmiyal Collection Antique Rare Room Size American Hooked Rug 9'6" x 11'7"
Nazmiyal Collection Antique Rare Room Size American Hooked Rug 9'6" x 11'7"

Nazmiyal Collection Antique Rare Room Size American Hooked Rug 9'6" x 11'7"

Located in New York, NY

Hooked Rug, American, Early 20th Century – Size: 9 ft 6 in x 11 ft 7 in (2.9 m x 3.53 m) This sophisticated vintage American rug features a handsome allover pattern that incorpora...

Category

Early 20th Century American American Classical North and South American ...

Materials

Wool

9X12 Rare Antique Chinese Peking Rug Art Deco 274cm x 353cm Circa 1890
9X12 Rare Antique Chinese Peking Rug Art Deco 274cm x 353cm Circa 1890

9X12 Rare Antique Chinese Peking Rug Art Deco 274cm x 353cm Circa 1890

Located in New York, NY

This rare antique Chinese Peking rug, woven circa 1890, showcases an elegant allover floral lattice design framed by a beautifully detailed sky-blue border.

Category

Antique Late 19th Century Chinese Chinese and East Asian Rugs

Materials

Wool

Late 19th Century Rare Antique Gold Oval Peking Chinese Area Rug
Late 19th Century Rare Antique Gold Oval Peking Chinese Area Rug

Late 19th Century Rare Antique Gold Oval Peking Chinese Area Rug

Located in New York, NY

This is a lovely Late 19th Century Antique Gold Oval Peking Chinese Area Rug c. 1880-1900 measuring 9.7 x 8.1 ft.

Category

Antique Late 19th Century Chinese Art Deco Chinese and East Asian Rugs

Materials

Cotton

Navajo Indian  Weaving Runner Rug
Navajo Indian  Weaving Runner Rug

Navajo Indian Weaving Runner Rug

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Early Navajo weaving runner rug . Interesting geometric pattern rug.Very rare

Category

Vintage 1920s American Adirondack Rugs

Materials

Wool

Clive Christian - 'CC X' Rug 12 x 12 ft Rare Hand Knotted Wool Carpet
Clive Christian - 'CC X' Rug 12 x 12 ft Rare Hand Knotted Wool Carpet

Clive Christian - 'CC X' Rug 12 x 12 ft Rare Hand Knotted Wool Carpet

Located in Long Island, NY

Clive Christian - 'CC X' Rug Material: 100% Wool Introducing Via Como, the pinnacle of ultra high-end hand-knotted rugs. Renowned for their unrivaled artistry and exclusivity, Via ...

Category

Early 2000s Chinese Modern Central Asian Rugs

Materials

Wool

Antique Rare Ait Bou Ichaouen Diamond Violet Moroccan Wool Midcentury Area Rug
Antique Rare Ait Bou Ichaouen Diamond Violet Moroccan Wool Midcentury Area Rug

Antique Rare Ait Bou Ichaouen Diamond Violet Moroccan Wool Midcentury Area Rug

Located in New York, NY

Collectible antique vintage Moroccan shag rug in excellent condition. This is a rare and unique example due to its unusual tribal design.

Category

Mid-20th Century Moroccan Mid-Century Modern Moroccan and North African ...

Materials

Wool

Rare Antique Kansu Rug with Tiger Pelt Pattern and Confronting Dragons
Rare Antique Kansu Rug with Tiger Pelt Pattern and Confronting Dragons

Rare Antique Kansu Rug with Tiger Pelt Pattern and Confronting Dragons

Located in Milan, IT

This rug belongs to a small group of weavings recently defined as RKO because of their distinctive design, consisting of a sequence of bands with strokes and dashes that are reminisc...

Category

Antique Early 19th Century East Turkestani Ming Chinese and East Asian Rugs

Materials

Wool

Imperial Whimsy: Rare Antique Chinese Art Deco Rug Inspired by Walter Nichols
Imperial Whimsy: Rare Antique Chinese Art Deco Rug Inspired by Walter Nichols

Imperial Whimsy: Rare Antique Chinese Art Deco Rug Inspired by Walter Nichols

Located in Dallas, TX

Every element is charged with meaning — prosperity, joy, peace, wisdom — forming a silent symphony of good fortune. Art Deco Chinese rugs of this caliber, particularly those created...

Category

Early 20th Century Chinese Art Deco Chinese and East Asian Rugs

Materials

Wool

Early, Rare and Unusual Geometric Design Beni Ouarain Moroccan Berber Rug
Early, Rare and Unusual Geometric Design Beni Ouarain Moroccan Berber Rug

Early, Rare and Unusual Geometric Design Beni Ouarain Moroccan Berber Rug

Located in Milan, IT

The Beni Ouarain confederation is composed of seventeen tribes inhabiting the high mountain region of the northeastern Middle Atlas. Their rugs differ from other Berber weavings in t...

Category

Vintage 1930s Moroccan Tribal Moroccan and North African Rugs

Materials

Wool

Rare Rose-Pink Background & Floral Design Antique Chinese Rug by Nichols Worksho
Rare Rose-Pink Background & Floral Design Antique Chinese Rug by Nichols Worksho

Rare Rose-Pink Background & Floral Design Antique Chinese Rug by Nichols Worksho

Located in New York, NY

Antique circa 1920 Chinese Art Deco hand-knotted wool rug, 8'9" x 11'4" (105 x 136 in), in pink and rose tones. Condition: good, repaired. Wear consistent with age and use. Overall G...

Category

Vintage 1920s Chinese Art Deco Chinese and East Asian Rugs

Materials

Wool

Mid-19th Century Persian Tribal Bidjar Rug
Mid-19th Century Persian Tribal Bidjar Rug

Mid-19th Century Persian Tribal Bidjar Rug

Located in Los Angeles, US

Examples of weavings from Bidjar include small-format rugs as well as long corridor carpets. However, large-format pieces are relatively rare.

Category

Antique 19th Century Tribal Russian and Scandinavian Rugs

Materials

Wool, Cotton

8X10 Rare Antique Art Deco Chinese Rug Bird Tree of Life Yellow 246cmx295cm
8X10 Rare Antique Art Deco Chinese Rug Bird Tree of Life Yellow 246cmx295cm

8X10 Rare Antique Art Deco Chinese Rug Bird Tree of Life Yellow 246cmx295cm

Located in New York, NY

This exceptional Antique Chinese Art Deco rug, woven circa 1920, showcases a striking golden-yellow field depicting elegant birds among flowering branches, dramatic rock formations, ...

Category

Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese and East Asian Rugs

Materials

Wool

Rare Mid-Century Modern Monochrome Indigo Blue Moroccan Berber Beni Mguild Rug
Rare Mid-Century Modern Monochrome Indigo Blue Moroccan Berber Beni Mguild Rug

Rare Mid-Century Modern Monochrome Indigo Blue Moroccan Berber Beni Mguild Rug

Located in Milan, IT

This example is woven in indigo-dyed wool, which is rare to find and is indicative of the rug's age as well as quality, since indigo dying was exclusively done by Jewish craftsmen un...

Category

Mid-20th Century Moroccan Minimalist Moroccan and North African Rugs

Materials

Wool

Vintage Moroccan Berber Beni Ouarain Rug in White/Mocha and Rare Size
Vintage Moroccan Berber Beni Ouarain Rug in White/Mocha and Rare Size

Vintage Moroccan Berber Beni Ouarain Rug in White/Mocha and Rare Size

Located in Milan, IT

The rugs of the Beni Ouarain tribal confederacy differ from other Berber weavings in that they are woven almost exclusively on an ivory background and decorated with abstract geometr...

Category

Vintage 1960s Moroccan Mid-Century Modern Moroccan and North African Rugs

Materials

Wool

Rare and Unusual Vintage Geometric Beni Ouarain Moroccan Berber White/Mocha Rug
Rare and Unusual Vintage Geometric Beni Ouarain Moroccan Berber White/Mocha Rug

Rare and Unusual Vintage Geometric Beni Ouarain Moroccan Berber White/Mocha Rug

Located in Milan, IT

The result looks like a knotted rendition of cracked ice, as the half lozenges don't match each other precisely in symmetry. A rare and unusual piece in excellent condition that is b...

Category

Mid-20th Century Moroccan Mid-Century Modern Moroccan and North African ...

Materials

Wool

Vintage Mid-Century Modern Beni Ouarain Moroccan Berber Rug in Rare Small Size
Vintage Mid-Century Modern Beni Ouarain Moroccan Berber Rug in Rare Small Size

Vintage Mid-Century Modern Beni Ouarain Moroccan Berber Rug in Rare Small Size

Located in Milan, IT

This dated vintage example, which comes in a very rare small format, is characterised by a neat honeycomb arrangement of diamonds, creating a network of empty lozenges.

Category

Vintage 1970s Moroccan Mid-Century Modern Moroccan and North African Rugs

Materials

Wool

Rare Antique Native American Navajo Weaving Grey Ivory Rug, circa 1920s-1930s
Rare Antique Native American Navajo Weaving Grey Ivory Rug, circa 1920s-1930s

Rare Antique Native American Navajo Weaving Grey Ivory Rug, circa 1920s-1930s

Located in New York, NY

This a large, and therefore rare, antique Native American Navajo Geometric rug, circa 1920s-1930s in grey and ivory and measures 7.7 x 10.8 ft.

Category

Vintage 1920s North American Navajo North and South American Rugs

Materials

Wool

4x4 Antique Art Deco Chinese Rug Rare Ship Tapestry 107cm x 112cm Circa 1930
4x4 Antique Art Deco Chinese Rug Rare Ship Tapestry 107cm x 112cm Circa 1930

4x4 Antique Art Deco Chinese Rug Rare Ship Tapestry 107cm x 112cm Circa 1930

Located in New York, NY

This rare antique Chinese Art Deco rug, circa 1930, features a striking pictorial sailing ship rendered in soft ivory and tan against a dramatic black field.

Category

Early 20th Century Chinese Art Deco Chinese and East Asian Rugs

Materials

Wool

Milas Antique Rugs, Turkish Rug Yellow Handmade Carpet Oriental Rugs
Milas Antique Rugs, Turkish Rug Yellow Handmade Carpet Oriental Rugs

Milas Antique Rugs, Turkish Rug Yellow Handmade Carpet Oriental Rugs

Located in Wembley, GB

A rare find. This antique rug yellow is a beautiful old gold ground handmade carpet runner in excellent condition. luxury rug with full pile everywhere, finely woven and full of charm.

Category

Vintage 1950s Turkish Other Turkish Rugs

Materials

Wool, Organic Material, Cotton

Campion Platt - Big Catch Rug 6' x 9' Hand Knotted Wool Silk Carpet RARE Carpet
Campion Platt - Big Catch Rug 6' x 9' Hand Knotted Wool Silk Carpet RARE Carpet

Campion Platt - Big Catch Rug 6' x 9' Hand Knotted Wool Silk Carpet RARE Carpet

Located in Long Island, NY

Campion Platt - 'Big Catch' Rug 6' x 9' Material: 90% Wool and 10% Silk "The Mariner Collection designed by Campion Platt, introduces a distinctly fresh and personal approach to th...

Category

Early 2000s Nepalese Modern Central Asian Rugs

Materials

Wool, Silk

Rare 9X12 Antique Chinese Art Deco Rug Exotic Floral Walter Nichols Blue C.1920
Rare 9X12 Antique Chinese Art Deco Rug Exotic Floral Walter Nichols Blue C.1920

Rare 9X12 Antique Chinese Art Deco Rug Exotic Floral Walter Nichols Blue C.1920

Located in New York, NY

This exceptional Antique Chinese Art Deco rug, designed in the celebrated Walter Nichols style and woven circa 1920, features a dramatic sapphire-blue field framed by an elegant flow...

Category

Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese and East Asian Rugs

Materials

Silk

Rare Caucasian Sumak Runner, 19th Century
Rare Caucasian Sumak Runner, 19th Century

Rare Caucasian Sumak Runner, 19th Century

Located in Dublin, NH

Rare Caucasian Sumak Runner, 19th Century (4th Quarter) This crisp Sumak runner was woven in the villages of the southern Caucasus about 125 years ago.

Category

Antique 19th Century Caucasian Caucasian Rugs

Materials

Wool

Rare Oversized Chinese Nichols Art Deco Rug circa 1920 Mint Condition 12x23.6
Rare Oversized Chinese Nichols Art Deco Rug circa 1920 Mint Condition 12x23.6

Rare Oversized Chinese Nichols Art Deco Rug circa 1920 Mint Condition 12x23.6

Located in Los Angeles, CA

One of a kind ! Art deco Chinese Nichols rug Made in the early 1920s from high quality Chinese wool found along the ancient "Silk route". This piece is in excellent condition and is...

Category

Vintage 1920s Chinese Art Deco Chinese and East Asian Rugs

Materials

Wool

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Rare Rug For Sale on 1stDibs

With a vast inventory of beautiful furniture at 1stDibs, we’ve got just the rare rug you’re looking for. Frequently made of fabric, wool and cotton, every rare rug was constructed with great care. If you’re shopping for a rare rug, we have 465 options in-stock, while there are 1 modern editions to choose from as well. You’ve searched high and low for the perfect rare rug — we have versions that date back to the 18th Century alongside those produced as recently as the 21st Century are available. When you’re browsing for the right rare rug, those designed in Mid-Century Modern, Art Deco and Folk Art styles are of considerable interest. Antonín Kybal, Ingegerd Silow and Jacques Borker each produced at least one beautiful rare rug that is worth considering.

How Much is a Rare Rug?

Prices for a rare rug start at $450 and top out at $320,000 with the average selling for $7,085.

Finding the Right Rugs And 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. 

Read More

This Graphic Donegal Rug Is a Remarkable Example of the British Arts and Crafts Aesthetic

In the late 1890s, the firm of Alexander Morton & Co. set out to introduce a new category of crafts to the British Isles: hand-knotted rugs.

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.

Tantuvi’s New Rugs Were Inspired by the Travertine Quarries of India and the Spanish Steps of Rome

The New York–based rug designers employ earthy colors and time-honored artistry in their creations.

We’re Going Gaga for the New Sasha Bikoff Rugs

The New York interior designer found inspiration in disco culture and astrology for her debut home collection.

Paradise Is Found Underfoot in These Majestic Persian Textiles

Persian garden carpets, with their timeless beauty and unmatched craftsmanship, have an enduring appeal.