Vintage and Antique Rug and Carpet Buyers Guide

Your carpet may be the most important ingredient in the color scheme of your décor.  It can unify and harmonize the rest of the room. The colors in your walls, window treatments, furniture and accessories can all be emphasized by the tones in your rug or carpet. A minimally furnished room can feel comfortable if it contains a beautiful rug.

Floor treatments can define areas for seating, working, and playing. Rugs and carpets make a room feel warm, comfortable and secure. Therefore the rugs you choose can influence your whole living space and how you feel there. Choose carpets that you love and build around them to enhance the enjoyment you experience in your home.

The rugs presented in this collection date from the 1920’s to the present.  All have been previously owned and are in varied conditions.  

The conditions vary from “Mint” (like new) to “Fair” (showing lots of wear or some specific damage.)  We try to be diligent about informing you, the customer, by detailed photos and descriptions of actual wear.  We originally selected each rug for some element of merit—aesthetic appeal, uniqueness, or economic value. Prices vary with condition and unusualness.

Most of our rugs have been commercially cleaned, and are otherwise sold  in “As Is” condition (which is described and photographed). 

The photos sometimes show the large rugs with a horizontal line across the center.  This is only a reflection of the way they have been hung on bars at our store.  These lines can be steamed out, or will flatten when rolled out. Unless we mention this area of the rug in our detailed description of condition, you can assume it is only temporary. 

As with any textile, the fibers can become dry over time as they are exposed to heat, and may be less pliable or stiff and require careful handling during transport.

Notwithstanding the conditions of their individual histories, vintage rugs are desirable for collectors or imaginative homeowners because of their subtle reflections of the decor from previous eras, designs often unavailable today.

Carpet Styles

The various rug types we offer can suggest different living styles, from dramatic to artistically subtle to tastefully traditional.

Wiltons are understated, although sometimes quite exotic. Their low pile and muted colors make a quiet yet distinctive statement. Chinese rugs on the other hand are often bold and dynamic, with rich thick pile and splashy color combinations. They nevertheless often have delicate motifs of the natural world, and at other times dramatic creatures of imagination. Both Wilton and Chinese rugs are used in many varied decors, especially those with an Art Deco flavor. Karastans recapture traditional patterns of antique oriental rugs, but tend to be thicker wool and more uniform because of their machine manufacture. Although of very high quality, their domestic availability and reproduction allow them to remain affordable, especially if no longer brand new.

For more information on each style continue to Rug & Carpet Styles.