Where should I place a hallway runner?

Runners suit long, narrow architectural spaces such as corridors, entrance halls and passageways. They protect flooring while introducing colour and pattern to transitional areas. Ensure you measure the passage width and length carefully before selecting a piece. Leave an even margin of exposed floorboards or stone around the edges of the textile.

How do I care for an antique wool rug?

Vacuum the piece gently with a suction-only attachment, avoiding beater bars that can damage delicate knotted pile or historic edges. Rotate the textile periodically to distribute foot traffic evenly. Address accidental spills immediately by blotting with a clean, dry cloth. Avoid rubbing the fibres or applying harsh chemical detergents to natural wool and silk.

What is the difference between a rug and a carpet?

Historically, terms overlap, but carpets generally denote larger format floor coverings intended for principal rooms. Rugs cover smaller or more specific dimensions. Narrow formats designed explicitly for corridors are typically designated as runners or long rugs. Construction methods and materials remain consistent across these categories.

How do I identify regional rug designs?

Regional attribution relies on specific combinations of palette, border arrangement, and floral or geometric motif structures. Workshops in centres like Kashan, Tabriz or Saroukh developed distinct local vocabularies. Village and tribal pieces from areas such as Hamadan, Heriz or the Caucasus often display bolder, more rectilinear interpretations of floral and lattice patterns.