Rug Guide and Blog | Carpeteria

How to choose the right rug size

A practical guide to measuring a rug for a living room, dining room, bedroom or hallway. Connect the furniture, preserve walkways and avoid an undersized rug.

Hand-knotted vs. machine-made rugs: what is the difference?

They may look similar at first glance, but their construction, reverse, lifespan and repairability are very different. Learn how to identify a hand-knotted rug.

How to identify a quality hand-knotted Persian rug

No single number defines the quality of a Persian rug. Learn how to assess its construction, materials, knots, colours, workmanship and condition — and what to ask the seller.

How to care for a hand-knotted rug so it lasts for generations

Good care does not mean aggressive cleaning. Learn how to vacuum safely, limit light and moisture, respond to spills and recognise when your rug needs a specialist.

Are hand-knotted rugs a good investment?

A hand-knotted rug can be a valuable long-term purchase, but appreciation is never automatic. Learn what shapes collectability and resale value.

What are the most famous types of Persian rugs?

Tabriz, Isfahan, Kashan, Nain, Qom, Kerman and Heriz: discover the best-known Persian rug traditions and their characteristic designs, colours and construction.

How long does it take to make a hand-knotted rug?

A small hand-knotted rug may take weeks or months, a fine room-size rug many months and an exceptionally large piece several years. Knot count, design, materials and the number of weavers all matter.

What materials are used to make hand-knotted rugs?

Wool and silk form the pile and design, while cotton, wool or silk form the warp and weft. Learn how each material affects the appearance, construction, durability and care of a hand-knotted rug.

Are the dyes used in rugs natural or synthetic?

Hand-knotted rugs may use natural or synthetic dyes. Colour quality depends on the raw material, recipe, fixation, washing and care — not simply on whether a dye is described as natural or chemical.

What is the difference between a Persian and an Oriental rug?

A Persian rug comes from Iran, while Oriental rug is a broad label covering several countries and traditions. Here is what those names really tell you — and what they cannot prove.

How can I incorporate a hand-knotted rug into a modern interior?

A hand-knotted rug can soften a modern room, unite its furniture and give it character. Success depends less on matching styles than on scale, considered colour and appropriate placement.

How can I tell whether a Persian rug is genuinely hand-knotted?

No single feature can authenticate a Persian rug. Hand-knotting, Iranian origin, materials, age, repairs and the seller's documentation must be assessed separately.

Why do hand-knotted rugs cost more than machine-made rugs?

The price of a hand-knotted rug reflects human labour, skill, materials, design preparation, finishing and small-scale production. A higher price alone, however, proves neither quality nor fair sourcing.

How does knot density affect rug quality?

Higher knot density allows finer drawing and normally involves more work. By itself, however, it guarantees neither durability, good materials, sound construction nor greater value.

Can I use a hand-knotted rug in a high-traffic room?

Yes — a well-chosen hand-knotted wool rug can serve in a high-traffic room. It must suit the type of use, rest on an appropriate underlay and receive regular gentle care.

The most common materials in hand-knotted rugs: what are you really buying?

Wool, silk and cotton can all appear in one rug, but each performs a different job. This practical guide explains pile and foundation fibres, misleading trade names and the right material for each level of traffic.

How should you care for a hand-knotted rug with silk?

Silk pile needs less mechanical wear, gentle vacuuming and protection from light and moisture. Learn safe routine care, the correct first response to an accident and when to call a specialist.

Is it normal for a hand-knotted rug to shed fibres?

A small quantity of short loose fibre can be normal on a new wool rug. Learn to distinguish initial fluff from broken pile, a protruding yarn, insect damage or a hand-tufted rug mistaken for a hand-knotted one.

How do a rug's colour and pattern affect the atmosphere of a room?

A rug can calm, warm or visually unite a space, or become its main picture. Colour matters, but so do contrast, saturation, pattern scale, light, pile direction and correct dimensions.

Symbols on Persian rugs: what do they really mean?

Medallions, boteh, herati, palmettes, trees and birds can carry cultural associations, but they do not form one universal secret language. Learn to recognise motifs and interpret them without simplistic myths.

A hand-knotted rug on the wall: how can you hang it safely?

A hand-knotted rug can become a large textile artwork on a wall. It must be sound, supported continuously across its width and protected from sunlight, moisture and concentrated stress.

What is a hand-knotted rug and how is it actually made?

A hand-knotted rug grows from rows of individual knots tied onto a tensioned warp. Learn how warp, weft and pile work, how to recognise the structure on the back, and what really determines quality.

Where can I buy a genuine Persian rug without getting misled?

Buy a genuine Persian rug from a seller who lets you verify construction, materials, origin, condition, documentation and return terms. Learn how to spot a trustworthy retailer and the warning signs.

How do I know if a rug is genuinely hand-knotted?

A genuine hand-knotted rug is best identified from the reverse, fringe, sides and construction. Learn how to separate a knotted rug from tufted or machine-made pieces without relying on myths.

How to care for a hand-knotted rug in everyday use

A hand-knotted rug does not need aggressive home cleaning, but regular gentle care. Learn how to vacuum safely, respond to spills, protect colour and know when to call a specialist.

Are hand-knotted rugs suitable for children and pets?

Yes, when you choose the right material, pile height and placement. A good wool hand-knotted rug with firm construction, a suitable underlay and a clear care plan can work very well in family life.

Can I order a custom-made hand-knotted rug?

Yes. A custom rug makes sense when you need an exact size, a particular colour direction or a pattern designed around your interior. With a hand-knotted piece, it is important to allow for production time, handmade tolerances and careful approval of the design.

How long does a hand-knotted rug last?

With sound construction and sensible care, a wool hand-knotted rug can serve for decades and sometimes for several generations. Its lifespan is shaped by material, use, light, moisture, underlay, cleaning and timely repairs.

What is a Persian rug?

A Persian rug is, in the usual trade sense, a hand-knotted rug made in Iran. It is not one single pattern or an automatic guarantee of quality; origin, material, construction, condition and honest description all matter.

What is the difference between a hand-knotted and a hand-woven carpet?

A hand-knotted rug has individual knots and pile, while a hand-woven rug in the narrower trade sense is often a flatweave without pile. You can see the difference in the reverse, thickness, fringe, surface and practical use.

Are hand-knotted carpets hypoallergenic?

A hand-knotted rug is not automatically hypoallergenic. For an allergy-sensitive home, it can still be a good choice when the material, pile height, construction and cleaning routine are suitable.

How can I tell if a rug is made of wool or silk?

Wool and silk differ in sheen, touch, resilience and detail, but no simple home test is completely reliable. For a valuable rug, always ask for a written description of the pile, warp and weft materials.

Are the colours on hand-knotted carpets stable?

A quality hand-knotted rug can have very well-fixed colours, but no textile is immune to sunlight, UV radiation, moisture, unsuitable cleaning or wear. Colour stability depends on fibre, dye, workmanship and care.

How often should I have my rug professionally cleaned?

There is no single fixed interval for every hand-knotted rug. A quiet wool rug may need specialist cleaning after several years, while a rug in heavy use, with children, pets or a spill may need assessment much sooner.

Can I put a hand-knotted rug on underfloor heating?

Yes, a hand-knotted rug can often work well on underfloor heating. It should not insulate too much, overheat a sensitive floor or sit on the wrong type of underlay. The key factors are the heating system, floor finish, temperature, rug thickness and how the room is used.

What are the most common designs on Persian rugs?

A Persian rug may feature a bold central medallion, a calm all-over repeat, angular geometry or a compartmented garden. Learn how to distinguish the overall layout, individual motifs and borders – and what a pattern cannot tell you about origin or quality.

Should you use a rug pad under a hand-knotted rug?

In most cases, yes. The right rug pad limits slipping, stabilises a hand-knotted rug and protects both the textile and the floor. It must, however, suit the floor finish, rug construction, underfloor heating and the way the room is used.

How can I find out the value of an old hand-knotted rug?

The value of an old hand-knotted rug is not determined by age or knot count alone. Origin, materials, artistic quality, rarity, size, condition, restoration, documented history and the purpose of the valuation all matter.

Where to buy a genuine hand-knotted Persian rug in Prague?

Buy a genuine hand-knotted Persian rug from a seller who can state the country of origin, explain the construction, show the full reverse and describe materials and condition openly. In Prague, you can compare rugs at the Carpeteria showroom in Smíchov.

The largest hand-knotted carpet shop in the Czech Republic

Looking for the largest hand-knotted rug shop in the Czech Republic?

What should you expect when searching for the largest hand-knotted rug shop? Step inside the real Carpeteria showroom and judge the breadth of its selection by what you can actually see and compare.

Prices of hand-knotted Persian rugs in the Czech Republic

How much does an authentic Persian rug cost, and why can two similarly sized pieces have completely different prices? A guide to price bands, materials, quality, origin and condition.

How to tell a genuine Persian rug from an imitation

A practical guide to checking a Persian rug's origin, hand-knotting, reverse, fringe, materials and condition — without misleading shortcuts or damaging home tests.

Maintenance and cleaning of hand-knotted carpets

How to vacuum a hand-knotted rug safely, what to do immediately after a spill, which home methods to avoid and when wool, silk or an older piece needs professional care.

Modern vs. traditional designs in hand-knotted rugs

Medallion, repeating ornament, abstraction or a quiet field? Compare modern and traditional hand-knotted rugs by composition, colour, pattern scale and the room around them.

How to match a hand-knotted rug with your interior

A practical process from measuring the room and arranging furniture to choosing colour, pattern and fibre and comparing real rugs in the right light.

How to choose a quality hand-knotted rug for your home

Quality is more than knot count. Learn to assess construction, wool or silk, workmanship, colour, condition, documentation and suitability for your particular home.

What is a carpet or rug? Types, construction and materials

A carpet is more than a soft layer on the floor. Learn how hand-knotted pile, kilim flatweave, hand-tufting, machine weaving and fitted carpet genuinely differ.