Persian rugs are generally considered hand knotted rugs woven in Iran which used to be called Persia. Persian rugs are often called Oriental rugs and the only difference is the place they were created. Although the definition varies, Persian rugs are world renowned for their unique, intricate designs, thick pile and rich colors.

Persian rugs are usually classified according to the following categories:

Antique:  Rugs that are 100 years+

Semi-antique:  Rugs that are 50-100 years old

Old:  Rugs that are less than 50 years old

Although these are the traditional categories, some dealers will classify newer rugs as antique. Therefore, make sure to inquire about the age of a rug before you make a purchase.

You should sweep or vacuum your rug on a regular basis, taking care to avoid the fringes and continuing in the direction of the pile.

You should have your rug professionally cleaned every 2-3 years since they can remove ground in dirt and dust. Make sure to take it to a company that specializes in cleaning handmade rugs because the chemicals and techniques used by regular carpet cleaning carpets may damage your Persian rug.

If you experience a common stain such as alcohol or a soft drink, you should pour baking soda or salt on the area as soon as possible. Leave it for a few minutes so it can absorb the color before vacuuming the spot.  You can also use a damp towel or cloth moistened with water or carbonated water. Gently wipe the spot going with the direction of the pile.  Do not scrub your rug or you may damage the fibers.

This is very common because your rug may be rolled up to ensure safe transport to your home.  If the edges of your rug are curled, place a heavy object such as a stack of magazines or books on the area.  Your rug should remain flat within a few days.  Regular crease lines will be removed in very little time once you walk on your carpet.

Rotating your rug by 180 degrees will help to extend its lifespan and keep it looking great. Doing so every few months will ensure that the pile wears evenly on all sides. This will also prevent one area from receiving more sun or light exposure than the others.  This prevents the colors in your rug from fading unevenly.

Most Persian rugs are hand woven on a loom so it is impossible for the weaver to create perfect symmetry of the designs or even the size.  No two hand woven rugs are exactly alike which makes them so unique. These slight imperfections are expected. In fact, they can actually increase the value of your rug.

The field is the main section of the rug containing the motifs and corners with background colors such as beige, blue, red or yellow. 

The border is the rug’s outer section that surrounds the field.  Rugs contain internal and external borders and common colors include yellow, beige, red, green and blue.

Wool Persian rugs contain one of three principal layouts:  all-over, one-sided or medallion.  The layout refers to the manner in which the motifs or designs are arranged and woven into each rug.

All-over layouts contain motifs that appear throughout the rug with no central or dominant design.  The motifs may be separate or connected and any size.

One-sided layouts contain designs that are all woven in the same direction so they will only appear proper when viewed from one side.

Medallion layouts contain a large piece called a medallion or toranj which constitutes the main focus of the design. This layout is the most common one used in handmade rugs worldwide.

This term refers to knots per square inch and it signifies the exact number of knots that are contained in each square inch of your rug.  Rugs hand woven in the city tend to be made from a finer wool. Consequently, they often contain a higher KPSI with increased detail than tribal rugs woven in smaller villages.

This number varies greatly according to each rug.  Some rugs contain as low as 60 knots per square inch, whereas more detailed rugs may contain as many as 1400 KPSI!  This depends on the skill of the actual person weaving the rug.  You can expect to pay more for wool rugs with a higher knot count because they take much more skill and time to weave.

We recommend including under-padding because it will prevent slipping and add cushioning which makes it more comfortable on which to walk and easier to vacuum.  Under-padding also helps protect your rug from sharp items such as high heels. This will reduce crushing of the rug’s pile and increase its lifespan.