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Expert: Jahann and Sons Persian Rugs - 10/24/2009
Question
Hi. I have a large machine made living room rug by Karastan that I have had for about 15? years. It is reds and blues and diamond shapes- a darker rug. My floors are lighter oak color.
I am looking at mostly Persian carpets from the 20s to 30s to replace this one. I love the look of lighter rugs but am a little nervous about staining the rug- I am having a new baby in a couple of months and have a 6 year old as well. (The Karastan rug has had countless glasses of wine knocked over on it and baby spit up and etc and so on.) I also don't know if a lighter rug makes a room look larger or smaller.
So my question is what is the general advice about lighter Oriental carpets versus darker carpets?
This carpet would be the main carpet in my apartment- a 9x12 size. (And as an addendum- I am a definite type B person- and am looking at rugs on ebay in the 3K-4K range.)
Thank you so much
chf
Answer
Hi Camilla,
Thank you so much for your question. You are very good to do your research before rug purchasing, as rugs last forever, so you never want to feel "stuck" with one.
I think that you should consider looking at antique reproductions (a/k/a "new") rugs to replace your Karastan. I also think you should buy your rugs at a brick and mortar shop if possible, as rug buying online is very tricky and you rarely see color damage and dry rot in photos. 1920s and 1930s pieces in soft, light colors are very in right now, and they are also very expensive (like $8-15K). If you happen to find one on eBay in your price range, it is most likely that the rug is either in very poor condition (something not conducive to family life) or it is misrepresented in the listing (something not fair to you). With your budget, you could get a fabulous, high quality, hand-knotted rug that will wear very well. If you are looking at Persian rugs (those made in Iran), you are going to find a hard time getting a 9x12. These types of rugs come in 8.5x11 and 10x13. Rugs made in India, Pakistan, China, etc. will come in 9x12. I think if you google "Peshawar," you may come across some rugs styles that you like.
Now, to get to your actual question of light vs. dark rugs. If you live in an area with access to good Oriental rug cleaners (DC, NYC, Chicago, LA, etc.), then I would say that it doesn't matter what kind of rug you get, a great rug guy can get any stain out. If you don't have access to good rug people, then I would suggest you go with something darker or busier because most customers and most at-home cleaning products are not that good at getting dye-based stains out like wine, tea, coffee, kool-aid, etc. We blame the kids, but really, it is the adults that make the toughest stains.
I'd be happy to help you in your rug search. If you're in the DC area, you should feel free to stop by our shop. If not, then feel free to email me links and such. I'd be happy to give you my opinion on rugs.
Best,
Katie
Jahann and Sons Persian Rugs
4210 Howard Ave
Kensington, MD 20895
301-530-6660
ruglady@jahannandsons.com
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