The Storied Rugs Blog

Guides, stories & care.

Practical advice on choosing, placing and caring for a vintage rug, written by the people who source and restore them.

Latest

More from the blog.

Vintage Persian rug with naturally aged dyes — article cover Materials

Natural Dyes: Why Vintage Colors Age So Beautifully

The colors in a vintage rug come from plants, minerals and insects, madder root for red, indigo f...

Materials · 5 min read
A vintage rug anchoring seating in an open-plan living space Styling

Placing a Rug in an Open-Plan Living Space

Open-plan rooms work best when rugs are used to define zones. A large rug under the seating area ...

Styling · 6 min read
Vintage Persian Heriz rug geometry — article cover Origins

The Story of Heriz: Geometry from North-West Persia

Heriz rugs come from the mountainous region east of Tabriz, where the local wool is unusually har...

Origins · 6 min read
Rolled vintage rugs and runners ready to ship Buying Guide

Runners: Choosing the Right Length for Halls and Kitchens

A runner should leave a margin of floor on all sides, aim for roughly 10 to 15 cm between the rug...

Buying Guide · 5 min read
Back of a hand-knotted vintage rug — article cover Materials

Why Hand-Knotted Rugs Outlast Machine-Made Ones

Every knot in a hand-knotted rug is tied individually around the warp threads, locking the pile i...

Materials · 6 min read
Vintage rug layered over carpet in a living room Styling

Layering Rugs Over Carpet and Hardwood

Layering a vintage rug over a larger, plainer base, a natural jute or a neutral broadloom, is one...

Styling · 5 min read
Inspecting the corner of a vintage rug by hand Origins

Reading a Rug: Motifs and What They Mean

The patterns in a Persian rug are rarely decorative alone. The boteh, the paisley-like teardrop, ...

Origins · 6 min read