Persian Rugs -Different Ways of Display

By: John Thackeray

Rugs can be used for a variety of purposes - ranging from the traditional floor covering, to bed coverings, wall hangings, table coverings or even stored away for investment purposes.

Where the rug is used will to a large extent decide its lifetime, since a rug used for floor covering in a heavy traffic area will obviously be subjected to more wear and tear than a rug that is used as a wall hanging.

Let's take a look at the various uses that your oriental rug might be put to:

1. Using your Oriental carpet as a floor covering

This is the most common usage and it is important to choose the right rug for the right circumstances. A rug with a heavier pile would be more suited to areas where it will be subjected to frequent foot traffic. The size of the rug is also important. When a rug is bought to be used on the floor, ideally it should not cover the entire floor to ensure it will be framed by the open area of the surrounding floor so make sure that at least a couple of inches, if not a feet or two, are showing around the carpet.

Rugs on the floor can be used in hallways, where they form a colorful welcome to owners as well as guests. A ground floor hall rug receives a lot of traffic and should therefore be selected for durability. Research shows that rugs such as the Hamadan, Meshkin or Ardebil will last very well. Rugs that will be used in hallways must be turned and cleaned regularly.

Stair rugs must also be chosen carefully since they also receive a lot of traffic. Stair rugs must be fastened securely in place - but never use glue or nails to keep the rug in position! This will ruin the rug and devalue it immediately. Rather use something such as wooden or metal stair rods.

Oriental rugs can also be used on the floor in living rooms and other rooms and once again, depending on the amount of traffic that is expected, a hard-wearing cotton rug should be used for heavy traffic areas, while a more delicate silk or antique rug can be used for areas that are not frequented that often.

2. Rugs as wall hangings

Rugs can also be displayed to their full splendour on the wall. If a rug is too heavy though, it should rather not be used as wall hanging since its weight might strain the weave. Old rugs (antique rugs) that have seen a lot of wear can be used for wall hangings, as well as rugs such as pictorial rugs and silk rugs which display well in reflected light. Silk rugs such as Qum, Ishafan and Tabriz will work well as wall hangings.

3. Rugs as bed or table covers

Flat-weave kilims would work well for this purpose, as will smaller antique rugs that have a thinner pile. Remember that if a rug is used as a table covering, if heavy ornaments are placed on it, it might crush the weave and the ornamet should be moved regularly so as not to leave a permanent indentation. Vases containing flowers should also be used with caution as they can be dangerous due to water leakage and spillage.