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Styles
While
most people associate oriental rugs with traditional pile rugs, there are
actually many styles of rugs that are
produced and sold as oriental rugs. The style of rug generally refers to
the type of construction that is employed to make the rug. One broad
distinction is flat-weave rugs versus pile rugs. Within these two
categories, there are several further divisions. (In fact, there are many,
many small variations, but we will focus only on some of the major
categories.) When selecting a rug, keep in mind that flat-weave rugs tend
to be thinner, while pile rugs are usually thicker and lusher.
Aubussons
first produced during the 17th century in France, Aubussons are
flat-weave rugs, similar to kilims. The colors are usually soft and
delicate with detailed floral and architectural designs. While antique
Aubussons are quite rare and expensive, manufacturers today create
beautiful Aubussons using the same techniques developed by their
predecessors.
Hooked rug is a cross between a needlepoint and a pile rug. The
weaver starts with a piece of burlap fabric and sews the design through
the material, leaving a short loop on the finished side. By varying the
height of the loops, a sculptured effect can be produced.
Kilims are flat-weave rugs originally produced in a village or
tribal environment. The designs tend to be geometric, often incorporating
various symbolic motifs. A prominent characteristic of kilim rugs is the
slits along the warp of the rug wherever there is a change of color. Since
older kilims were usually woven on smaller, portable looms, it is
difficult to find them in large sizes. Today, new kilims are produced in a
full range of sizes at very affordable prices.
Needlepoint rug is a flat-weave rug produced by sewing the design
into a large piece of fabric. Various stitches can be used to produce
different patterns and appearances. When the artisan changes thread color,
the excess is left hanging long on the back side.
Sumak
rugs are produced
using a flat-weave technique where the weft (horizontal) threads are
wrapped on the warp (vertical) threads, creating a chain stitch brocade
look. This process creates a rug which is reversible and which has no dark
or light side. The Sumak name is taken from
the Caucasian rugs that were made using this technique. Today numerous
designs have been copied from original Caucasian rugs and are produced
with a worn or antique look.
Tapestry is a flat-weave rug or wall hanging that generally
incorporates a very detailed design or picture. Many different colored
threads are woven into the piece requiring an inordinate amount of time
and skill. A light fabric backing is often sewn to the back of a tapestry
to cover the loose ends of the threads.
Traditional pile
rugs are produced by tying
the pile to the warp threads and then trimming the final rug to produce an
even surface. As each knot must be hand tied, these rugs take a lot of
time and effort to produce. Some rug designs, such as a Hereke, utilize
very fine wool or silk pile, and contain hundreds of knots per square
inch. Tribal or village pile rugs may employ thicker yarn and fewer knots,
but still have a charm all their own.
Tufted rug is a pile rug where the pile yarn is wrapped around the
warp threads, but is not tied. Rather, the pile is secured in place by
coating the back of the rug with a latex type adhesive. This greatly
reduces the time and expense of creating a rug that often looks very
similar to a traditional knotted rug.
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