Zakaria Rugs

Emerging in reaction to industrialization and mass production, the Arts and Crafts movement celebrated handcrafted design as a part of daily life. The history of Arts and Crafts furniture has roots in 1860s England with an emphasis on natural motifs and simple flourishes like mosaics and carvings. This work is characterized by plain construction that showcases the hand of the artisan.

The earliest American Arts and Crafts furniture dates back to the start of the 20th century. Designers working in this style in the United States initially looked to ideas put forth by The Craftsman, a magazine published by Wisconsin native Gustav Stickley, a furniture maker and founder of the Craftsman style. Stickley’s furniture was practical and largely free of ornament. His Craftsman style drew on French Art Nouveau as well as the work he encountered on his travels in England. There, the leading designers of the Arts and Crafts movement included William Morris, who revived historical techniques such as embroidery and printed fabrics in his furnishings, and Charles Voysey, whose minimal approach was in contrast to the ornamentation favored in the Victorian era.

American Arts and Crafts work would come to involve a range of influences unified by an elevation of traditional craftsmanship. The furniture was often built from sturdy woods like oak and mahogany while featuring details such as inlaid metal, tooled leather and ceramic tiles. The style in the United States was led by Stickley, whose clean-lined chairs and benches showcased the grain of the wood, and furniture maker Charles Rohlfs, who was informed by international influences like East Asian and French Art Nouveau design.

Hubs in America included several utopian communities such as Rose Valley in Pennsylvania and the Byrdcliffe Arts and Crafts Colony in New York, where craftspeople made furniture that prioritized function over any decoration. Their work would influence designers and architects including Frank Lloyd Wright, who built some of the most elegant and iconic structures in the United States and likewise embraced a thoughtful use of materials in his furniture.

Find antique Arts and Crafts chairs, tables, cabinets and other authentic period furniture on 1stDibs.

Today, there are few elements of decor as consistently beautiful as vibrantly colored, intricately patterned antique rugs. The legacy of fine Indian rugs and carpets dates back to the Mughal Empire, with Jalal-ud-Din Akbar in the 16th century establishing workshops for carpet weaving based on Persian practices. Combined with the aesthetics of Indian art, a new rug tradition was born.

In India, these Persian-inspired rugs and carpets were often made with lush materials, including silk, velvet and pashmina, a type of cashmere. It could take laborers as long as 15 years to weave a single carpet. Many of these rugs and carpets were created for royalty and frequently used inside palaces and mosques, particularly on special occasions.

Though the carpet weaving stemmed from a Persian tradition, Indian rugs and carpets featured designs that predated Persian influences. These complex patterns included floral, geometric, and animal motifs.

Indian rugs remain among the most coveted decorative items today. Browse 1stDibs for a wide variety of vintage, new and antique Indian rugs and carpets to establish a lavish focal point in any room in your home. See our guide to caring for your antique and vintage rugs, and read about how to choose the right area rug for your space.