History of Persian carpet and how to decorate your home with it

In the last few years, interior design has taken an interesting route nowadays, you don’t need to follow a trend described in a catalog. There is a huge range of solutions that you can choose from: Modern, contemporary, minimalistic, rustic, industrial… and the list goes on. At Kukun, we know that a big part of making a room more visually pleasing is establishing a way to unify all of its components. That piece can be a gorgeous rug, a Persian carpet to be more exact.

These beautiful pieces of art have the ability to completely change the atmosphere of any room, making your bedroom, living room or even foyer renovation an absolute success! You can soften edger styles such as the industrial-based trend, or bring a luxurious flair to a bohemian-inspired design. To own such a piece of home decor is like owning a piece of art. It is not only pleasing to the eye but highly valuable as well.

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But what makes a rug go from something that just covers your cold floor to a genuine artwork?  

In this article, we will cover the origins and history of Persian carpets and how you can incorporate the gorgeous floor coverings to accompany the comfort of your home.

Persian carpets: A piece of History.

The tradition of carpet weaving goes back 2,500 years. Initially, they were looked upon as something practical. Rugs were used by nomadic tribesmen to cover their floors to insulate from both cold and damp. In time the skill of carpet weaving progressed to a point where it became more of a craft than merely a trade. The art was passed down from generation to generation over two millennia, preserving the memories of invasions and war.

An interesting fact is that the carpet design evolved and changed as law changed, too. For a fact, many historians credit Cyrus the Great for introducing the Persian style of carpet we see today. He discovered the craft when he conquered Babylon and was so enchanted by it, that it is said that even his tomb was covered with the intricate pieces.

Undoubtedly the events of the Mongol conquest and control of Persia made the most impact on the whole look of the rug. With the great number of wars that took place, many of the woven creations got destroyed, but the Mongolian ruler Shah Rokh understood the importance of cultural heritage and supported all artistic activities in the region.

However, the designs were simple and geometrically based. The more complicated ones came later with the sitting of Shah Abbas on the throne. He built numerous workshops and hired skilled craftsmen to fashion beautiful and complex carpets. The pieces were made from silk, with gold and silver threads making them even more captivating and valuable.

Speeding up time a bit, in the last quarter of the 19th Century, the art of weaving carpets flourished. The export of rugs to Europe through Istanbul grew their overall popularity. Some European and American companies even based their businesses in Persia and organized production for the western market.

Nowadays, carpet weaving is one of the most developed crafts in Iran. Their richness of color and history, a variety of pattern design and quality makes these carpets a treasured possession for many.

How to incorporate the gorgeous Persian carpet in your home?

There are two basic points that you should keep in mind when picking a Persian carpet – surroundings and functionality.  

1. Surroundings

Make sure that the carpet doesn’t interfere with the overall appeal of the room you are about to use it for. The smart plan is to first choose your carpet and then match your furniture and decor that is going to accompany it. A great idea is to base the color palette of the room to match or go along with both the palette and design of the rug itself. This way it can act as a “foundation” for you to build the entire atmosphere.

Here are a few of the most popular types of Persian rugs:

• Tabriz rugs
  

  Originating from Tabriz, the capital city of Azerbaijan, their design that mainly consists of floral elements, trees, and hunting scenes. Extremely rich in color.

• Heriz rugs
  

  Characterised with bright vibrant colors and patterns make these rugs easy to identify. They feature an oversized medallion in the center, with a double or triple outline and large corner pieces.

• Kashan rugs
  

  The trademark for this carpet is the medallion and corner decoration on an ornately patterned floral field. Usually can be found in combinations of deep blues, rich reds, and ivory with occasional splotches of yellow, green and burnt orange.

• Gabbeh rugs
  

  With a tribal influence, these rugs are easy to recognize, due to their simplicity. They consist of geometric forms in orange, yellow, rust or red. Woven by Qashqai and Luri weavers in the Zagros Mountains.

• Isfahan rugs

  This option is really balanced and symmetrical in composition. Typical the with single indigo, rose or blue medallion surrounded by vines and woven on an ivory background.

• Nain rugs
  

  This carpet has very intricate patterns and usually consists of blue or green intertwined branches with tiny flowers woven on a white or light ivory background.

• Mashad rugs
  

  This style usually incorporates a lone, oversized Shah Abbasi medallion in the center on an elaborate background filled with floral motifs.

Now that we have covered things color and form-wise, let’s talk about how your home can benefit from them aesthetically.

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If your interior is based on hard and sharp lines, like the ones found in many of the modern concepts for interior design, you could go for a richly patterned rug like the Heriz or Kashan. You will take off the edge and coldness of the room, leaving a warm, bohemian touch.

Simpler designs like those of Isfahan and Gabbeh carpets go well with complex or just fancier interior like art deco. They can make the overall appearance of the room look a bit more down to earth and friendly, taking the snob feeling out of the equation.

Like described earlier, a good approach is to match the components of your interior not by style, but by color, especially when you have bought the rug after you have furnished the room. Pick just one a few shades and focus on decor to match them. You don’t have to renovate your entire house, because of that. Maybe pillows, a floor lamp or curtains? It’s all up to you. This way the woven beauty can still tie with everything in the space while continuing to act as an accent.

2. Functionality

Besides being eye-pleasing, the carpets need to be functional, as well. After all, they not a cheap item to buy. If your floor is damaged in any way, scratched or just a bit worn on the outside, you can you use the rug to cover those areas. On the other hand, if you have a new hardwood floor and want to keep it looking nice as long as possible, these types of carpets are perfect for protection because of their sturdiness. Sound isolation is another perk that you can benefit from.

Keep in mind that Persian carpets are a bit hard to maintain. If you have bought a genuine handmade one, you need to pay extra attention when cleaning it, because of its material. Natural fibers like wool, silk or cotton are easily damaged if not treated with the right detergents. You can risk colour bleeding, creating spots and even taking it. We advise that you use a professional carpet cleaning service to make sure that the state of the carpet is preserved.

How to clean and preserve a Persian rug?

As with any other type of carpeting, immediate reaction after an accident is essential. When a stain or spill happens on your Persian rug, the Fantastic Experts advice to follow these simple steps:

1. Blot the surface with paper towels or a white towel or cloth. Avoid using colored towels when removing liquid stains because the color can transfer to your rug through the towel.
2. Pick up as much of the matter as possible using a spoon. However, do not press down on the carpet as this can damage the fibers.
3. If you are using a stain removal product, always test it on an inconspicuous area of your rug. Don’t forget to read the label and simply follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

Be cautious about the following:

• Avoid using knives to scoop particles off your item because this could damage the pile of the rug.
• Never, by any means, scrub stains out of your piece. This could cause structural damage and increases the risk of dyes running.

Storage

The safest way to store Persian rugs is to roll them into a cylinder. To do this properly, begin the roll from the side which is opposite the direction of the pile. Use ropes or ribbons to secure it, but make sure you’ve distributed them evenly across rug’s surface to avoid harming the fibers. For a better protection, place the rolled rug into a plastic air-tight bag along with several mothballs to prevent pest infestation. Finally, always store Persian rugs in a dry place with no direct sunlight.

Read more: 8 Things That Ruin Your Carpets And Rugs

Final remarks

As you can see, the history of the Persian carpet is as colorful and complicated as the actual thing. Having the ability to be both beautiful and practical makes them a homeowners dream. We hope this article has helped you understand better the cultural significance of the art piece and how your home can benefit from its purchase.

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Written by Dmitri Kara. September 19, 2018

Started as a regular jack of all trades back in early 2012, Dmitri Kara is currently a well-stablished expert in a wide range of domestic and commercial trades. Running the "Home & Love" community, Dmitri has appeared for quite a few reputable outlets such as Today.com, Metro.News, Telegraph.co.uk, Rd.com, Quote.com, Reviews.com, Plus.net, IkeaHackers.net and many more. You can reach him at @dmitrikara.