How do I clean an antique rug?

Gentle surface brushing and professional specialist washing preserve delicate wool and silk fibres. Avoid harsh chemical immersion or abrasive scrubbing. Regular rotation distributes foot traffic evenly across the pile, preventing localized wear patterns over decades of domestic use.

Where should I place a room-size carpet?

Large formats suit dining spaces and drawing rooms where furniture legs anchor the edges of the textile. Measuring the clearance ensures the central medallion remains visible. Smaller hearth rugs fit entryways, reading corners, and bedside positions where expansive dimensions overwhelm the floor space.

How do I identify Persian workshop origins?

City-made carpets from urban centres like Tabriz, Kashan, and Isfahan display refined floral curves and tight knotting. Village weaves from Bakhtiar, Heriz, and Mahal exhibit bolder geometric interpretations and robust wool. Examining the structural density on the reverse reveals whether the piece emerged from a formal atelier or a regional weaving household.

What is the difference between a rug and a carpet?

Terminology often distinguishes smaller hearth and area formats from expansive room-size floor coverings. Both terms describe hand-knotted pile textiles from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Scale determines the nomenclature used by weavers and dealers rather than any fundamental divergence in construction technique.