How to Pick Out Handmade Rugs

The art of rug making is performed by dedicated weavers and designers and dates back 3,000 years or longer. Handmade rugs are some of the most beautiful rugs that quickly become heirlooms. The following are a few suggestions to help you to select a handmade rug.

1. With handmade rugs total perfection is not always possible but a good rule of thumb to follow is that the rug should lie straight and flat. Its wool or fibers should be lustrous and lively and its colors should be balanced and nicely shaded. The rug should have the appearance of elegance and quality.

2. Look for rug dealers that are reputable. The Internet is a wonderful means to connect with reputable, legitimate rug dealers that share their expertise and help guide you through the buying process.

3. Know the measurements of the area that the rug will be covering. Consider the type of rug you would like. You’ll have many styles to choose from which include contemporary and traditional designs.

4. Look for the densities of the knots. Coarse rugs will have a knot density of about 30 knots per inch whereas very fine rugs will have a knot density of 290 knots per inch.

5. Determine if you’d like natural or synthetic dyes. If the rug is an antique rug it is more desirable to have natural dyes. Natural dyes do make the rug more expensive, but they add beauty to the rug.

6. Next you’ll want to choose between a hand spun or machine spun wool. Here, it will be a decision of preference. Both are beautiful, and both have their benefits.

7. Pile is another consideration which does not determine the quality of the rug. The thickness of the rug should not be considered as the quality, as thin rugs can be high quality. However, if the rug is going to be in a high traffic area you will want a thicker pile to ensure the rugs capacity to handle the traffic.

8. You’ll also have the choice of flat weaves, hand tufted or hand knotted. Of the three, hand knotted rugs are typically the higher quality because of the intensive skill and labor required. Flat weave rugs require less labor and are therefore less expensive and hand tufted rugs also involve less labor which makes them less expensive. Rugs of all weaves can be beautiful and again it will boil down to personal choice.

When it comes down to it, rugs are a personal choice and no matter what the quality you might find that you are attracted to a rug that grabs you and calls your name. However, there are considerations you should take into account such as the materials and the construction of the rug.