Rug No. has found its new home.
Every rug we sell is one of a kind, so that piece is gone. Here are others in the same spirit, or tell Rug Finder what you are looking for.
Kerman Rugs
Kerman, in southeastern Persia, made its name on elegance: finely drawn fields, delicate floral work and a refined weave. Each rug here is an original, one of a kind, professionally washed and ready for the floor.
Kerman: fine floral drawing from southeast Persia
Kerman, in the southeast of Persia, produced some of the most refined Persian carpets. The city is famous for a softer palette of ivory, rose and pale gold, but the Kermans we carry lean richer: deep red and navy fields come up most, then cream, terracotta and rose. The drawing is delicate and often floral, with fine curvilinear work and elaborate borders.
The knotting is fine and the wool soft, which lets the drawing carry detail that a coarser weave could not hold.
Most of the Kermans we have are big, oversized and extra large rugs for a large living or dining room, with a few small mats. The fields we see most are deep red, navy and cream, then terracotta and soft rose.
Kerman at a glance
- Palette: deep red and navy fields are most common in ours, followed by cream, terracotta and soft rose.
- Drawing: fine floral work, often with elaborate borders.
- Knotting: fine, on cotton, with a soft and pliable handle.
- Sizes: mostly oversized and extra large, with a few small mats.
Big rooms, formal and otherwise
Because so many of ours are oversized, a Kerman is a natural fit for a large living room or a dining room with a long table. A navy or deep red Kerman gives a big floor real depth, while the cream pieces keep a pale interior light.
They also work with contemporary furniture: the fine floral drawing gives clean lines something to play against, more gently than the bolder geometry found in much Persian weaving.
How a Kerman ages
Age tends to soften a Kerman rather than change it. Reds mellow, navy eases toward slate, and cream warms slightly. The overall effect on a well-used Kerman is closer to a watercolor than to a printed pattern, and the floral detail stays legible because the knotting is so fine.
What people ask about Kerman
Are the cream Kermans practical?
More than a plain pale carpet, certainly. The fine floral drawing breaks up marks well. They are not the rug for a mud room, but for a living room or bedroom they are perfectly livable.
How does Kerman differ from Nain?
Both are finely knotted. Nain is best known for ivory with blue drawing; Kerman uses a wider and warmer range, including deep red, navy and rose, and the drawing is generally a little freer.
Is the soft handle a sign of low quality?
No. Soft, pliable wool on a fine foundation is characteristic of Kerman and is part of why they are prized.
Narrowing down a Kerman
Measure the room first, since most of these are large, then decide whether you want a dark field or a light one. After that, look for a piece where the border and the field are in balance; there is only one of each.
Why so many of ours are room-size, and why blue so often rivals red: the Kerman guide.
The Afshar tribal weavings of the Sirjan area have a shelf of their own: Sirjan rugs.