Located in Long Island City, NY
Hand-knotted in wool, circa 1950-1959, this monumental oversized vintage shag rug is a highly tactile addition to Rug & Kilim’s Vintage collection. This oversized 12x19 piece functions as a serene, architectural canvas that honors mid-century Turkish ideals through a deeply organic, textural lens.
On the Design:
Mid-20th-century Turkish shag rugs represent a fascinating intersection of utilitarian craft and avant-garde minimalism. Originally curated in the 1950s for warmth and resilience, these high-pile textiles inadvertently became icons of the mid-century modern movement, celebrated by designers for their unadorned purity and profound texture. This exceptionally rare, oversized example honors that legacy, relying entirely on the raw beauty of its material rather than complex ornamentation.
For contemporary designers and collectors alike, this rug offers a masterclass in tactile minimalism. The expansive, deeply plush field is rendered in a luminous, monochromatic palette of soft beige and cream. It is punctuated by subtle, rhythmic linear stripes—achieved through delicate variations and intentional horizontal and vertical recesses in the pile—that create a quiet, architectural grid across the surface. Braced by flatwoven kilim ends in a warm, contrasting tan, the rug is given a grounded, finished border. Its monumental proportions make it an extraordinary asset for anchoring vast, open-concept living spaces, luxurious bedroom suites, or curated modernist interiors, providing unparalleled acoustic dampening, warmth, and a luminous foundation that supports rather than competes with the surrounding architecture. The accompanying book, Golden Light: The Interior Design of Nickey Kehoe...
Category
East Turkestani Vintage 1910s Rugs and Carpets