Considerations to Finding the Right Area Rugs to Buy
You’ve come to this rug shopping guide because you’ve been weighing a
decision for some time, but now you’ve made up your mind. You’ve
analyzed it from every angle, and now you’ve finally made the decision,
the big decision: you’ve decided that you want to go shopping for an
area rug for your home.
After all, there are precious few things
better at tying an entire room together than a beautiful rug –
especially if you are considering to buy an antique rug. However, you
find that rather than excitement, you are feeling overwhelmed and lack
certainty. Especially if this will be your first time buying an antique
or vintage area rug.
First, it is important that you look after your own needs and your own
personal taste. In fact, if you approach the process of purchasing an
antique rug with just this one idea in mind, you will soon be on the
track to finding the right rug for you.
I want to buy an antique rug but I am unsure on how to begin shopping for one.
One
of the most asked questions we receive is: “I want to buy an antique
oriental rug but don’t know where to start and what to look for”. So
with that in mind we have decided to tackle this question head on!
First
of all, one needs to understand that antique rugs and carpets are
collectible items. They are sought after by collectors, dealers,
interior designers and private clients. They are magnificent works of
art and as the years go by they are becoming rarer.
So let’s start
with the basics – in order for a rug to be considered “antique” it
needs to be at least 80 years old. This is contrast to paintings or
furniture which need to be over 100 years old.
What do I need to consider before beginning the physical search for the perfect rug?
Here are a few points that you would need to consider before embarking on your quest to find the perfect antique oriental rugs:
Budget: Where
you buy and from whom are equally important factors. Antique rugs range
tremendously in price – some of the reasons for this are as follows:
Quality
– It takes longer to weave a new rug if it has more kpsi (knots per
square inch) so naturally the finer a new rug is, the more expensive it
will cost. Antique rugs are different as the KPSI will only impact the
price if you are comparing the quality of two pieces that are pretty
much identical in every other way (the finer rug MIGHT cost more in that
instance).
Size – With new rugs – the cost / price
is directly proportionate to the size. The bigger the rug is, the more
expensive it will be (as long as you are comparing to pieces from the
same exact production line). With antique rugs.
Condition
– Please note that some repair and restoration should be expected when
looking at antique rugs, but the general rule is that if the rug is in
good condition it will cost more than if it were in poor condition.
Age
– As a general rule – older pieces are generally more expense. The age
of a rug is not the major factor when pricing a rug unless one is
considering an early piece (from the 1800’s and earlier) and even then
there are other factors that need to be taken into account.
Current Interior Design Trends
– While beauty might be in the eyes of the beholder, there are trends,
looks, colors and patterns that will determine if a rug is considered
“hot” or “not”. America for example is a decorative market – this means
that “we” in the USA are driven by colors and pattern more so than by
quality or “how good” the piece is in its essence. While the Europeans
demand is for somewhat opposite since they want an honest to goodness
good piece and the colors / pattern are less of a factor. One example
that exemplifies this point is the fact that antique carpets in America
(not in Europe) a rug that has a central medallion motif will cost much
less than the rug that has an allover designed.
5/9/2022