I’ve been searching for an area rug for Amanda’s living room and was going to go for my go-to vintage colorful Turkish Kilim when I got an email from Medallion rugs offering me a rug from their huge selection. As I was browsing all of their pages searching for the perfect one with the right colors, size and shape I noticed how they carried area rugs from so many places I had never even heard of. It was time to step outta my comfort zone, do a little research and go for something different. There were three styles I was drawn to most:
- Persian Kashan (The orange one is my favorite– I love how almost blurry the colors look).
- Contemporary Turkoman (I like how these all look so sophisticated, but kinda playful too)
- ‘European Style’: Romania/Bulgaria/Albania (these faded pinks and peaches are so pretty, huh?)
Here is what Wikipedia taught me about Persian Kashan: Kashan is internationally famous for manufacturing carpets, silk and other textiles. Kashan today houses most of Iran’s mechanized carpet-weaving factories, and has an active marble and copper mining industry. Kashan and suburbs have a population of 400,000.
The ‘Turkoman’ situation was a bit more confusing. When I looked up ‘Turkoman’ I was given two choices: Iraqi Turkomen OR Turkmen people. After reading entries on both Turkomen and Turkmen I can’t seem to figure out which place/people these rugs come from. Any insights?
The area rugs from Romania/Bulgaria/Albania I had seen before, but none quite like these, that seemed veer stylistically towards the Turkish kilim carpets that I gravitate so much towards. Normally the rugs that I find for that part of the world are more floral style.
We ended up choosing one from the ten pictured above. Wanna take a stab and guess which one we got? (here is a progress photo from her living room to jog your memory). I can’t wait to show you all how it looks in her space next week!
As a total rug fanatic, I love this!! I wish I knew more. I have a basic book, but the complexity of the amazing designs, the regions, and the symbolic significance is too much to digest!! I’d love to travel and see first hand how they’re made. Maybe then I could retain some of the info. I do know a little bit about tribal rugs, the size being dictated by the portable looms. Just gorgeous. XXOO
I believe the one on the middle right is called burahra. I think the style is supposed to look like elephants feet or something. I have one identical to it!