Skip to main content

Used Carpets

to
22,533
89,589
20,745
91,115
42,437
25,441
14,427
12,678
10,873
8,085
7,800
6,698
5,501
3,890
3,547
3,441
2,759
2,732
1,834
1,423
1,412
1,238
1,132
1,125
928
736
588
415
390
357
175
171
133
131
87
84
68
57
47
42
41
39
37
35
20
20
19
17
17
14
13
10
9
6
6
6
5
3
3
2
2
1
1
1
2,199
729
279
234
225
Sort By
Small Geometric Green Carpet or Rug, 1970s
Small Geometric Green Carpet or Rug, 1970s

Small Geometric Green Carpet or Rug, 1970s

Located in Praha, CZ

- 1970s - Good original condition.

Category

1970s Mid-Century Modern Used Carpets

Materials

Textile

Doris Leslie Blau Midcentury Indian Botanic Handmade Wool Carpet
Doris Leslie Blau Midcentury Indian Botanic Handmade Wool Carpet

Doris Leslie Blau Midcentury Indian Botanic Handmade Wool Carpet

Located in New York, NY

Mid-20th Century Indian Botanic Handmade Wool Carpet Size: 13'6" × 18'10" (411 × 574 cm) The beauty

Category

Mid-20th Century Indian Mid-Century Modern Used Carpets

Materials

Wool

Early 20th Century Handmade Turkish Oushak Gallery Carpet
Early 20th Century Handmade Turkish Oushak Gallery Carpet

Early 20th Century Handmade Turkish Oushak Gallery Carpet

Located in New York, NY

An antique Turkish Oushak gallery carpet handmade during the early 20th century. Measures: 7' 0

Category

Early 20th Century Used Carpets

Materials

Wool

Doris Leslie Blau Antique Indian Handmade Wool Carpet
Doris Leslie Blau Antique Indian Handmade Wool Carpet

Doris Leslie Blau Antique Indian Handmade Wool Carpet

Located in New York, NY

Antique Indian handmade wool carpet Size: 10'1" × 19'9" (307 × 601 cm) An early 20th century Indian

Category

Early 20th Century Indian Used Carpets

Materials

Wool

Antique Oushak Carpet, Cream Field and Pastel Accents
Antique Oushak Carpet, Cream Field and Pastel Accents

Antique Oushak Carpet, Cream Field and Pastel Accents

Located in New York, NY

This medium pile and coarsely woven city carpet features a straw field with a virtually tone-on

Category

1930s Turkish Oushak Used Carpets

Materials

Wool

1870's Antique Caucasian Bordjalou Kazak Carpet
1870's Antique Caucasian Bordjalou Kazak Carpet

1870's Antique Caucasian Bordjalou Kazak Carpet

Located in Dallas, TX

70950 Antique Caucasian Bordjalou Kazak Rug, 04'00 x 07'11. Late 19th-century, 1870s hand-knotted wool antique Caucasian Bordjalou Kazak rugs are renowned for their meticulous crafts...

Category

Late 19th Century Caucasian Kazak Used Carpets

Materials

Wool

Mid-20th Century Handmade Turkish Anatolian Gallery Carpet
Mid-20th Century Handmade Turkish Anatolian Gallery Carpet

Mid-20th Century Handmade Turkish Anatolian Gallery Carpet

Located in New York, NY

A vintage Turkish Anatolian gallery carpet handmade during the mid-20th century. Measures: 6' 8

Category

Mid-20th Century Turkish Tribal Used Carpets

Materials

Wool

Antique Turkish Oushak Carpet,  8'3" x 10'0"
Antique Turkish Oushak Carpet,  8'3" x 10'0"

Antique Turkish Oushak Carpet, 8'3" x 10'0"

Located in Evanston, IL

Dimensions: Size: 8'3" x 10'0" - 251cm x 305cm. Origin: Western Anatolia. Period: Early 20th century. Materials: Wool pile, wool warp and weft. Condition: Excellent. Ushak rugs have ...

Category

1890s Turkish Oushak Used Carpets

Materials

Wool

Vintage Turkish Oushak Carpet with Traditional Style
Vintage Turkish Oushak Carpet with Traditional Style

Vintage Turkish Oushak Carpet with Traditional Style

Located in Dallas, TX

51048 Rare Vintage Turkish Oushak Rug, 02'02 x 18'02. Radiating refined elegance and timeless prestige, this hand-knotted wool vintage Turkish Oushak rug runner is a testament to Ana...

Category

Mid-20th Century Turkish Late Victorian Used Carpets

Materials

Wool

Antique Turkish Oushak Carpet, 10' x 14'
Antique Turkish Oushak Carpet, 10' x 14'

Antique Turkish Oushak Carpet, 10' x 14'

Located in Evanston, IL

Size: 9'11" x 13'11" - 302 cm x 424 cm. Origin: Western Anatolia. Period: circa 1900. Materials: Wool pile, wool warp and weft. Condition: Very good-minor restorations. Oushak rugs h...

Category

Late 19th Century Turkish Oushak Used Carpets

Materials

Wool

Mid-20th Century Handmade Turkish Anatolian Gallery Carpet
Mid-20th Century Handmade Turkish Anatolian Gallery Carpet

Mid-20th Century Handmade Turkish Anatolian Gallery Carpet

Located in New York, NY

A vintage Turkish Anatolian gallery carpet handmade during the mid-20th century. Measures: 5' 1

Category

Mid-20th Century Turkish Tribal Used Carpets

Materials

Wool

Big Indian Style Kilim Rug or Carpet
Big Indian Style Kilim Rug or Carpet

Big Indian Style Kilim Rug or Carpet

$1,315Sale Price|20% Off

Big Indian Style Kilim Rug or Carpet

Located in Praha, CZ

- Czechoslovakia, 1960s - Double-sided - Nice and complete fringes.

Category

1960s Czech Mid-Century Modern Used Carpets

Materials

Wool

1960's Turkish Oushak Carpet with Modern Style
1960's Turkish Oushak Carpet with Modern Style

1960's Turkish Oushak Carpet with Modern Style

Located in Dallas, TX

54001 Vintage Turkish Oushak Rug, 04'06 x 08'06. Woven in the quiet highlands of Western Anatolia, this hand knotted wool precious vintage Turkish Oushak rug tells a timeless story o...

Category

Mid-20th Century Turkish Oushak Used Carpets

Materials

Wool

1960's Turkish Oushak Carpet with Modern Style
1960's Turkish Oushak Carpet with Modern Style

1960's Turkish Oushak Carpet with Modern Style

Located in Dallas, TX

54000 Vintage Turkish Oushak Rug, 04'01 x 07'09. Woven with ancestral artistry in the storied heartlands of Western Anatolia, this hand knotted wool vintage Turkish Oushak rug reveal...

Category

Mid-20th Century Turkish Oushak Used Carpets

Materials

Wool

Big Modernist Geometric Kilim Carpet, A. Kybal
Big Modernist Geometric Kilim Carpet, A. Kybal

Big Modernist Geometric Kilim Carpet, A. Kybal

$3,272Sale Price / item|30% Off

Big Modernist Geometric Kilim Carpet, A. Kybal

By Antonín Kybal 1

Located in Praha, CZ

- 60th´s - Czechoslovakia - designer: Antonín Kybal? - double-sided

Category

1950s Czech Used Carpets

Materials

Wool

Geometric Modernist Kilim Carpet by Antonín Kybal
Geometric Modernist Kilim Carpet by Antonín Kybal

Geometric Modernist Kilim Carpet by Antonín Kybal

By Antonín Kybal 1

Located in Praha, CZ

- 1950s-1960s, Czechoslovakia, original condition, double-sided - design by Antonín Kybal - bought in Krásná Jizba (Prag).

Category

1950s Czech Used Carpets

Materials

Wool

Zabihi Collection Green Room Size Antique Turkish Oushak Carpet
Zabihi Collection Green Room Size Antique Turkish Oushak Carpet

Zabihi Collection Green Room Size Antique Turkish Oushak Carpet

Located in New York, NY

, soft yellow and red Measures: 9 x 11'5" circa 1st quarter 20th century Oushak carpets are Turkish

Category

20th Century Turkish Agra Used Carpets

Materials

Wool

Zabihi Collection Rose Bright Yellow Antique Turkish Oushak Carpet
Zabihi Collection Rose Bright Yellow Antique Turkish Oushak Carpet

Zabihi Collection Rose Bright Yellow Antique Turkish Oushak Carpet

Located in New York, NY

'' Oushak carpets are Turkish carpets that use a particular family of designs, called by convention after

Category

20th Century Turkish Adam Style Used Carpets

Materials

Wool

Large 19th Century English Needlepoint Carpet
Large 19th Century English Needlepoint Carpet

Large 19th Century English Needlepoint Carpet

Located in Shipston-On-Stour, GB

 A large decorative late 19th Century needlepoint tapestry carpet, the chequerboard centre with

Category

1870s English Victorian Used Carpets

Materials

Wool

Carpet, France, 1930, Sign, Isolo
Carpet, France, 1930, Sign, Isolo

Carpet, France, 1930, Sign, Isolo

Located in Ciudad Autónoma Buenos Aires, C

Carpet We have specialized in the sale of Art Deco and Art Nouveau and Vintage styles since 1982

Category

1930s French Art Deco Used Carpets

Materials

Wool

Abstract Orange, Yellow and Brown Wool Carpet, 1970s
Abstract Orange, Yellow and Brown Wool Carpet, 1970s

Abstract Orange, Yellow and Brown Wool Carpet, 1970s

Located in Brussels, BE

Abstract orange, yellow and brown wool carpet, 1970s.

Category

1970s Mid-Century Modern Used Carpets

Materials

Wool

Antique Large, Fine Orient Rug, Carpet, Hand Knotted
Antique Large, Fine Orient Rug, Carpet, Hand Knotted

Antique Large, Fine Orient Rug, Carpet, Hand Knotted

Located in Berlin, DE

High quality, large antique orient rug. Carpet. Hand knotted. Strong natural colors. Beautiful

Category

19th Century Used Carpets

Materials

Wool

Antique Large, Fine Orient Rug, Carpet, Hand Knotted
Antique Large, Fine Orient Rug, Carpet, Hand Knotted

Antique Large, Fine Orient Rug, Carpet, Hand Knotted

Located in Berlin, DE

High quality, large antique orient rug. Carpet. Hand knotted. Strong natural colors. Beautiful

Category

20th Century Used Carpets

Materials

Wool

Antique Spanish Carpet, circa 1920s
Antique Spanish Carpet, circa 1920s

Antique Spanish Carpet, circa 1920s

$11,824Sale Price|20% Off

Antique Spanish Carpet, circa 1920s

Located in New York, NY

The sandy beige field shows an all-over one-way textile pattern of pomegranate palmettes enclosed by a lozenge lattice. Zig-zags mark out the main border with its knobby baton orname...

Category

Early 20th Century Spanish Spanish Colonial Used Carpets

Materials

Wool

Wool Carpet by René Fumeron, France, circa 1960
Wool Carpet by René Fumeron, France, circa 1960

Wool Carpet by René Fumeron, France, circa 1960

By Rene Fumeron

Located in Paris, FR

Rene Fumeron (1921-2004) Rectangular carpet in tufted wool, pistachio green background with brown

Category

1950s French Used Carpets

Materials

Wool

Antique Tribal 19th Century Rustic Turkish Angora Oushak Carpet
Antique Tribal 19th Century Rustic Turkish Angora Oushak Carpet

Antique Tribal 19th Century Rustic Turkish Angora Oushak Carpet

Located in New York, NY

The rustic red ground of this antique 19th century Turkish Angora Oushak carpet works have a truly

Category

1910s Turkish Oushak Used Carpets

Materials

Wool

Antique Large, Fine Orient Rug, Carpet, Hand Knotted
Antique Large, Fine Orient Rug, Carpet, Hand Knotted

Antique Large, Fine Orient Rug, Carpet, Hand Knotted

Located in Berlin, DE

High quality, large antique orient rug. Carpet. Hand knotted. Strong natural colors. Beautiful

Category

19th Century Used Carpets

Materials

Wool

Antique Large, Fine Orient Rug, Carpet, Hand Knotted
Antique Large, Fine Orient Rug, Carpet, Hand Knotted

Antique Large, Fine Orient Rug, Carpet, Hand Knotted

Located in Berlin, DE

High quality, large antique orient rug. Carpet. Hand knotted. Strong natural colors. Beautiful

Category

19th Century Used Carpets

Materials

Wool

Antique Large, Fine Orient Rug, Carpet, Hand Knotted
Antique Large, Fine Orient Rug, Carpet, Hand Knotted

Antique Large, Fine Orient Rug, Carpet, Hand Knotted

Located in Berlin, DE

High quality, large antique orient rug. Carpet. Hand knotted. Strong natural colors. Beautiful

Category

20th Century Used Carpets

Materials

Wool

Large, Antique fine Orient Rug, Carpet, Hand Knotted
Large, Antique fine Orient Rug, Carpet, Hand Knotted

Large, Antique fine Orient Rug, Carpet, Hand Knotted

Located in Berlin, DE

High quality, large antique orient rug. Carpet. Hand knotted. Strong natural colors. Beautiful

Category

19th Century Used Carpets

Materials

Wool

Large Antique, Fine Orient Rug, Carpet, Hand Knotted
Large Antique, Fine Orient Rug, Carpet, Hand Knotted

Large Antique, Fine Orient Rug, Carpet, Hand Knotted

Located in Berlin, DE

High quality, large antique orient rug. Carpet. Hand knotted. Strong natural colors. Beautiful

Category

19th Century Used Carpets

Materials

Wool

Large, Antique fine Orient Rug, Carpet, Hand Knotted
Large, Antique fine Orient Rug, Carpet, Hand Knotted

Large, Antique fine Orient Rug, Carpet, Hand Knotted

Located in Berlin, DE

High quality, large antique orient rug. Carpet. Hand knotted. Strong natural colors. Beautiful

Category

19th Century Used Carpets

Materials

Wool

Vintage Rug Handmade Carpet Runner Paisley Stair Runner
Vintage Rug Handmade Carpet Runner Paisley Stair Runner

Vintage Rug Handmade Carpet Runner Paisley Stair Runner

Located in Wembley, GB

carpets look beautiful and stand out as living room rugs, bedroom rugs, dining room rugs or as entrance

Category

1960s Caucasian Hollywood Regency Used Carpets

Materials

Wool, Cotton, Organic Material

1980's Romanian Serapi Carpet
1980's Romanian Serapi Carpet

1980's Romanian Serapi Carpet

Located in Dallas, TX

handwoven carpets originating from Romania, renowned for their vibrant colors, geometric patterns, and

Category

Late 20th Century Romanian Serapi Used Carpets

Materials

Wool

Doris Leslie Blau Oversized Vintage Turkish Oushak Carpet
Doris Leslie Blau Oversized Vintage Turkish Oushak Carpet

Doris Leslie Blau Oversized Vintage Turkish Oushak Carpet

Located in New York, NY

Oversized Vintage Turkish Oushak carpet Size: 16'10" × 24'8" (513 × 751 cm) A grand and majestic

Category

Early 20th Century Turkish Oushak Used Carpets

Materials

Wool

Mid-20th Century Vintage Kilim Composition Carpet
Mid-20th Century Vintage Kilim Composition Carpet

Mid-20th Century Vintage Kilim Composition Carpet

Located in New York, NY

Vintage kilim composition. Based on a Swedish design.Turkish Panels.

Category

Mid-20th Century Turkish Kilim Used Carpets

Materials

Wool

Early 20th Century Vintage Kilim Composition Carpet
Early 20th Century Vintage Kilim Composition Carpet

Early 20th Century Vintage Kilim Composition Carpet

Located in New York, NY

Vintage Kilim composition - Langley design.

Category

Early 20th Century Turkish Kilim Used Carpets

Materials

Wool

Mid-20th Century Vintage Kilim Composition Carpet
Mid-20th Century Vintage Kilim Composition Carpet

Mid-20th Century Vintage Kilim Composition Carpet

Located in New York, NY

Vintage Kilim composition - Spinning star design.Turkish panels: white (100% cotton, textured), white and blue (linen & cotton)

Category

Mid-20th Century Turkish Kilim Used Carpets

Mid-20th Century Vintage Kilim Composition Carpet
Mid-20th Century Vintage Kilim Composition Carpet

Mid-20th Century Vintage Kilim Composition Carpet

Located in New York, NY

Vintage kilim composition - Modernistic design.

Category

Mid-20th Century Moroccan Kilim Used Carpets

Materials

Wool

Mid-20th Century Vintage Kilim Composition Carpet
Mid-20th Century Vintage Kilim Composition Carpet

Mid-20th Century Vintage Kilim Composition Carpet

Located in New York, NY

Vintage kilim composition - Art Deco design. Turkish Panels.

Category

Mid-20th Century Turkish Kilim Used Carpets

Mid-20th Century Vintage Kilim Composition Carpet
Mid-20th Century Vintage Kilim Composition Carpet

Mid-20th Century Vintage Kilim Composition Carpet

Located in New York, NY

Vintage Kilim composition - Brada design. Mix of Turkish and Persian panels.

Category

Mid-20th Century Turkish Kilim Used Carpets

Mid-20th Century Vintage Kilim Composition Carpet
Mid-20th Century Vintage Kilim Composition Carpet

Mid-20th Century Vintage Kilim Composition Carpet

Located in New York, NY

Vintage Kilim composition. Turkish wool, hemp, linen and cotton panels. Bronze wire stitching.

Category

Mid-20th Century Turkish Kilim Used Carpets

Mid-20th Century Vintage Kilim Composition Carpet
Mid-20th Century Vintage Kilim Composition Carpet

Mid-20th Century Vintage Kilim Composition Carpet

Located in New York, NY

Vintage Kilim composition - Deco Fan design. Turkish linen and cotton panels with basic Herringbone stitching in natural linen.

Category

Mid-20th Century Turkish Kilim Used Carpets

Mid-20th Century Vintage Kilim Composition Carpet
Mid-20th Century Vintage Kilim Composition Carpet

Mid-20th Century Vintage Kilim Composition Carpet

Located in New York, NY

Vintage Kilim composition. Mix of Turkish and Persian Panels.

Category

Mid-20th Century Turkish Kilim Used Carpets

Doris Leslie Blau Vintage Indian Handmade Wool Carpet
Doris Leslie Blau Vintage Indian Handmade Wool Carpet

Doris Leslie Blau Vintage Indian Handmade Wool Carpet

Located in New York, NY

Vintage indigo blue, beige Indian handmade wool carpet Size: 10'4" × 19'9" (314 × 601 cm) An early

Category

Early 20th Century Indian Used Carpets

Materials

Wool

Turkish Oushak Vintage Carpet with Tri Medallion Design
Turkish Oushak Vintage Carpet with Tri Medallion Design

Turkish Oushak Vintage Carpet with Tri Medallion Design

Located in Atlanta, GA

Turkish Oushak Vintage Carpet from Turkey a variety of blue, salmon, beige and natural tones. Rug

Category

Mid-20th Century Turkish Oushak Used Carpets

Materials

Wool

1900's Turkish Oushak Carpet with Modern Style
1900's Turkish Oushak Carpet with Modern Style

1900's Turkish Oushak Carpet with Modern Style

Located in Dallas, TX

72193 Antique Pastel Turkish Oushak Rug, 06'07 x 09'08. Ethereal and gracefully timeworn, this hand-knotted wool antique Turkish Oushak rug emerges as a faded manuscript of Anatolian...

Category

Early 20th Century Turkish Colonial Revival Used Carpets

Materials

Wool

Antique, Fine, Caucasian Carpet, Rug, Kazak, Hand Knotted
Antique, Fine, Caucasian Carpet, Rug, Kazak, Hand Knotted

Antique, Fine, Caucasian Carpet, Rug, Kazak, Hand Knotted

Located in Berlin, DE

Hand knotted. Strong natural colors. Beautiful pattern. The carpet is in an age-related (good

Category

20th Century Caucasian Used Carpets

Materials

Wool

1960's Turkish Oushak Carpet with Traditional Style
1960's Turkish Oushak Carpet with Traditional Style

1960's Turkish Oushak Carpet with Traditional Style

Located in Dallas, TX

74095 Vintage Turkish Oushak Rug, 06'07 x 10'08. Like the warm embrace of twilight over Anatolia’s rolling hills, this hand-knotted wool vintage Turkish Oushak rug exudes a timeless ...

Category

Mid-20th Century Turkish Oushak Used Carpets

Materials

Wool

1930's Turkish Oushak Carpet with Traditional Style
1930's Turkish Oushak Carpet with Traditional Style

1930's Turkish Oushak Carpet with Traditional Style

Located in Dallas, TX

72323 Vintage Turkish Oushak Rug, 07'06 x 09'06. In the heart of Anatolia, where the whispers of the past dance with the winds, this hand-knotted wool vintage Turkish Oushak rug unfu...

Category

Mid-20th Century Turkish Oushak Used Carpets

Materials

Wool

1910's Turkish Oushak Carpet with Modern Style
1910's Turkish Oushak Carpet with Modern Style

1910's Turkish Oushak Carpet with Modern Style

Located in Dallas, TX

72327 Antique Turkish Oushak Rug, 08'01 x 11'00. Woven from the heart of Anatolia’s golden age, this hand-knotted wool rare antique Turkish Oushak rug whispers tales of bygone splend...

Category

Early 20th Century Turkish Oushak Used Carpets

Materials

Wool

1940's Turkish Oushak Carpet with Modern Style
1940's Turkish Oushak Carpet with Modern Style

1940's Turkish Oushak Carpet with Modern Style

Located in Dallas, TX

73774 Vintage Red Turkish Oushak Rug, 06'07 x 10'03. Like a crimson dawn stretched across the Anatolian plains, this hand-knotted wool vintage Turkish Oushak rug radiates warmth and ...

Category

Mid-20th Century Turkish Oushak Used Carpets

Materials

Wool

1930's Turkish Oushak Carpet with Traditional Style
1930's Turkish Oushak Carpet with Traditional Style

1930's Turkish Oushak Carpet with Traditional Style

Located in Dallas, TX

51454 Vintage Earth-Tone Turkish Oushak Rug, 07'00 x 11'03. Like an ancient parchment softened by centuries, this hand-knotted wool vintage Turkish Oushak rug reveals its secrets in ...

Category

Early 20th Century Turkish Oushak Used Carpets

Materials

Wool

1960's Turkish Oushak Carpet with Modern Style
1960's Turkish Oushak Carpet with Modern Style

1960's Turkish Oushak Carpet with Modern Style

Located in Dallas, TX

50448 Vintage Earth-Tone Turkish Oushak Rug, 06'08 x 10'08. Bathed in a golden warmth, this hand-knotted wool vintage Turkish Oushak rug unfurls like an ancient manuscript, its every...

Category

Mid-20th Century Turkish Oushak Used Carpets

Materials

Wool

1950’s Turkish Bergama Carpet with Traditional Style
1950’s Turkish Bergama Carpet with Traditional Style

1950’s Turkish Bergama Carpet with Traditional Style

Located in Dallas, TX

79178 Vintage Turkish Bergama Rug, 02'01 x 03'09. A radiant relic of Anatolian heritage, this hand-knotted wool vintage Turkish Bergama rug evokes the bold spirit and tribal mastery ...

Category

Mid-20th Century Turkish Aesthetic Movement Used Carpets

Materials

Wool

1960s Wool Kilim Carpet, Czechoslovakia
1960s Wool Kilim Carpet, Czechoslovakia

1960s Wool Kilim Carpet, Czechoslovakia

By Rug & Kilim

Located in Praha, CZ

- Good original condition with minor signs of use.

Category

1960s Czech Mid-Century Modern Used Carpets

Materials

Wool

Arts & Crafts Donegal Oushak Design Carpet
Arts & Crafts Donegal Oushak Design Carpet

Arts & Crafts Donegal Oushak Design Carpet

Located in London, GB

An Arts & Crafts Donegal Oushak design carpet, Irish c.1900, the design generally attributed to

Category

Early 20th Century Irish Arts and Crafts Used Carpets

Materials

Wool

  • 1
  • ...
Get Updated with New Arrivals
Save "Used Carpets", and we’ll notify you when there are new listings in this category.

Used Carpets For Sale on 1stDibs

Find a variety of used carpets available on 1stDibs. The range of distinct used carpets — often made from fabric, wool and cotton — can elevate any home. Used carpets have been made for many years, and versions that date back to the 18th Century alongside those produced as recently as the 21st Century. Mid-Century Modern, Art Deco and Modern used carpets are consistently popular styles. There have been many well-made used carpets over the years, but those made by Berber Tribes of Morocco, Mehraban Rugs and Märta Måås-Fjetterström are often thought to be among the most beautiful.

How Much are Used Carpets?

Prices for used carpets can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — at 1stDibs, used carpets begin at $1 and can go as high as $3,200,000, while the average can fetch as much as $4,239.

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 Used Carpets
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    Carpet balls were used to play the game Parlour ball. This Victorian-era indoor game is related to bocce ball or lawn bowling. On 1stDibs, find a variety of antique carpet balls from top sellers around the world.