Vintage turkish rugs are an interior designer go-to because of their elegant construction and rich color palettes. They’re also one-of-a-kind, so incorporating a Turkish rug can help create a unique design statement that can effectively tie a room together. Plus, they’re a good investment that’s bound to increase in value over time.
The heirs to the Seljuk and Timurid empires, the Ottomans quite literally seized control of the largest contiguous land empire in history at the end of the fourteenth century. It was then that the weavers of Turkey started to radically transform their craft, keeping many traditional patterns intact while adding new ones. As a result, antique Turkish rugs are revered for their lustrous pastels, sculptural arabesques and monumental botanical designs.
A Turkish rug is defined as any carpet that’s made in Turkey or the former Ottoman empire. The most common weaving techniques include kilim, which is flat-woven using a plain slit tapestry that leaves a gap or “slit” between sections woven with yarns in different colors; sumak, which uses weft wrapping for a more sturdy and knotted style; and cicim, a type of sumak that incorporates extra brocade techniques from the tribes of central Anatolia. The most distinctive decorative motifs include floral, figurative and geometric shapes, which reflect the local culture and history of the area in which they were made.
The Turkish rug’s enduring appeal stems from its illustrious historical legacy. It was among the first wave of Oriental antique rugs to be exported to Europe, and its symbols and patterns inspired such classic paintings as those by Memling, Lotto, Bellini and Hans Holbein. These works of art, paired with the softness and lustrous color of Turkish rugs, helped shape the modern definition of what an artfully designed space should look like.
Antique Turkish rugs are often overdyed, and the process originated in Turkey. Rather than being discarded when they’re no longer in fashion, the older authentic rugs are washed and then sunned to mute their colors, turning them into beautiful, distressed pastels. This technique is popular around the world, but it originated in Turkey, where reusing and re-purposing household items is deeply rooted in the culture.
The process of overdyeing can have a negative impact on the quality of an antique rug if it is done incorrectly. For this reason, it’s best to have a professional clean your rug, as they are well-versed in handling delicately woven rugs and will be able to restore the original color and texture of your rug.
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