The Warmth and Beauty of Turkish Rugs

Nothing gives a warm rich look to a room like a Turkish or Oriental rug. The varieties and color combinations are endless, so whatever your color scheme, there are many Turkish rugs that fit right in. If you like to haggle when you shop, you might want to try your luck at purchasing one of these lovely originals, which are made not only in Turkey but also in many Middle Eastern countries and northern Africa.

If you travel to northern Africa or the Middle East to do your shopping, expect to spend a lot of time in every shop you visit. The shop owners enjoy the back and forth of negotiating, and some are even surprised if you don't try to get a lower price. They may misinterpret your reticence as unfriendliness. Bartering is also not unheard of...my husband and I once bought some rugs in Morocco and sealed the deal with a Mets' cap and a couple of packs of Marlboros thrown in. If you use a local guide, be aware that he will be getting a percentage from the shop owner. You may want to go on your own, though many people use reputable guides and expect to pay a bit more for the rug as part of the service.

Hand made Turkish rugs are true works of art and are passed down for generations in families just like other valuable antiques. The prices can vary greatly...you can pay a couple of hundred dollars, or several thousand depending on the quality of the carpet. While most are hand made from wool, or a combination of silk and wool, some cheaper rugs may be made from cotton and are not very durable as compared to the wool, or silk/wool varieties.

When looking at rugs be aware that the coloring can look different depending on which end of the rug you are standing at. This is due to the nap in the wool that creates what is known as the "light" side" and the "dark" side which simply means the rug looks lighter or darker depending on the side you are viewing it from. Some rugs show this effect to great brilliance while with others you would hardly notice it. Lighting also affects the look of a rug so be sure to consider this when making a decision.

One way to tell if a rug is a genuine 100 percent hand made wool rug is to examine the weave by turning the rug over. If the weave is very tight and perfect, it is machine made, not hand woven. Check out the fringes at the edges...the fringes should be part of the rug (made from the same wool), not added on. There are many machine made rugs that are based on a common design or pattern and these will cost a lot less, often in the neighborhood of $40 to less than $300.

Turkish rugs have their own personalities. Some are sunny and bright; some are warm and calm; still others are deep and rich, bordering on somber. Sometimes, if you look carefully at a rug, you will notice a deliberate oddity in a pattern where it can appear to be a mistake. This is because Turkish rugs are made by Muslims who believe that because only Allah is perfect, anything made by man needs to have a small mistake. The weaver deliberately makes this small "mistake" which is all but invisible to the casual examination, and adds to the rug's uniqueness and charm. You will also notice that rugs made by Muslims never have animals in them because it is forbidden by their religion.

Turkish rugs not only hold their value, they can actually increase in value if well cared for. So you might think of it as an investment, one whose dividends you can enjoy every day. If you ever want to sell it, you can be sure to do quite well. But it would be like selling a member of the family, a loved member of the family. It won't be so easy to part with it.

Sources:

*Turkish Rug & Kilims, OrientalRugsandkilims.com

*Burak Sansal, Carpets and Kilims, AllAboutTurkey.com

*Machine Made Rugs Catalog, rugsonsale.com