Where should I place a runner?

These textiles find their natural home in long hallways, narrow landings, and staircases where foot traffic is frequent. Their elongated dimensions help define circulation routes while softening hard wooden or tiled floors. In larger rooms, they can also serve to bridge separate seating areas or frame a long gallery space, bringing pattern and texture to neglected pathways.

How do I care for wool textiles?

Regular gentle vacuuming without a rotating brush roll prevents dust from settling deep into the wool pile. Turning the piece periodically ensures even wear across high-traffic zones. Professional cleaning should be undertaken sparingly and entrusted to specialists familiar with historic textiles and traditional dyes.

What distinguishes Persian from Caucasian styles?

Persian pieces often incorporate fluid floral elements, Herati patterns, or medallion layouts reflecting established village and town workshops. Their colour palettes frequently rely on deep indigos, madder reds, and earthy tones. Caucasian examples tend toward starker geometric precision, featuring hooked polygons, sharp stars, and diagonal lattice arrangements with contrasting primary colours.

How can I date an older textile?

Dating relies on assessing the structural materials, the chemical composition of the dyes, and the stylistic vocabulary of the design. Hand-spun wool and natural dye palettes generally point toward nineteenth-century or early twentieth-century origins. Slight irregularities in the weave and minor wear patterns often confirm age and hand production over later machine-made replicas.