1. How to spot a real handmade Persian carpet
Some shops call any rug with a Persian pattern a "Persian carpet", no matter where it was made. Here are four quick ways to check.
Turn it over
This is the best test. On a handmade rug you can see the pattern on the back almost as clearly as on the front, and the knots are all slightly different. A machine-made rug usually looks too perfect on the back, or has a cloth glued over it.
Check the fringe
On a handmade rug the fringe is part of the rug itself. It's the ends of the threads that run through the whole rug. If you see stitching where the fringe joins the rug, it was sewn on later.
Small flaws are a good sign
A pattern that's slightly off, edges that aren't perfectly straight or small colour changes between dye batches all show the rug was made by hand. A rug that's perfect down to the millimetre was made by a machine.
Ask what it's made of
Most handmade Persian carpets are wool, sometimes mixed with silk. Real wool burns to ash and smells like burnt hair, while synthetic fibre melts into a hard little ball. Ask the shop to test a loose thread for you, and never try it yourself on a rug you haven't bought.
Machine-made carpets are a great choice too
A good machine-made rug lasts well and costs a lot less. Just ask the shop if a rug is handmade or machine-made, and only compare prices between rugs of the same type.
2. Handmade or machine-made?
It depends if you want a rug for everyday use or one to keep for a lifetime.
| Handmade | Machine-made | |
|---|---|---|
| Time to make | Months, sometimes years | A few hours |
| Each rug | No two are the same | Can be made again exactly |
| How long it lasts | Many decades with care | About 10–20 years |
| Value over time | Keeps its value | Loses value like other furniture |
| Best for | Main living room, special gifts | Busy rooms, homes with kids or pets |
| Price | Several times more | Much lower |
Our advice is simple. For busy rooms, or if you have small kids or pets, start with a good machine-made rug. Save your budget for a handmade rug in the room you want to enjoy for the next thirty years.
3. Getting the size right
Buying the wrong size is the most common mistake. A rug that's too small makes the whole room look smaller.
Living room
- The front legs of your sofa and armchairs should sit on the rug. This is the most important rule.
- The rug should stick out 30–60 cm past each end of the sofa.
- Leave about 20–45 cm of floor between the rug and the walls.
- A condo living room usually fits a 200 × 300 cm rug, and a house usually needs 250 × 350 cm or bigger.
Under a dining table
- The rug should stick out at least 60–75 cm past the table on every side.
- That way the chairs stay on the rug when you pull them out. If chair legs keep catching the edge, the rug wears out fast.
Bedroom
- Under a bed, the rug should stick out 45–60 cm on each side so your feet land on it when you get up.
- A cheaper option is a long narrow rug on each side of the bed.
A simple trick
Mark the size of the rug on your floor with masking tape and leave it there for a day. You'll quickly see if it's too big or too small.
4. Why two carpets of the same size can cost so differently
From the biggest effect on price to the smallest.
- Number of knots. More knots means many more hours of weaving and a sharper pattern. This affects the price the most.
- Material. Good wool costs more than synthetic fibre, and rugs with silk cost even more.
- Size. The price doesn't just go up with the size. Very large rugs need a special loom and several weavers.
- Pattern. Detailed curved patterns in many colours take much longer to weave than simple geometric ones.
- Dyes. Natural dyes cost more, but they age nicely instead of fading unevenly.
- Where it's made. Rugs from cities known for fine weaving cost more because of their name.
When you compare prices between shops, make sure you're comparing rugs of the same type, number of knots and material.
5. Looking after your carpet
Every week or month
- Vacuum it often. Dirt deep in the rug is what wears it out. On handmade rugs, turn off the spinning brush and don't vacuum the fringe.
- Turn it around every six months so sunlight and footsteps wear it evenly.
- Put a rug pad underneath to stop it slipping and to protect the back.
If something spills
- Press it dry straight away with a clean white cloth. Press, don't rub.
- Start from the outside of the spill and work in.
- Use as little water as you can and dry it completely, or it can go mouldy.
Never
- Put it in a washing machine or use a pressure washer.
- Use bleach or strong chemicals.
- Dry it in strong sun or leave it in direct sun all day.
Every three to five years, have it cleaned by a rug specialist. Normal carpet cleaners often use hot water machines that can make the colours run.