Rustic Rugs

Decorating Rustic Interiors With Rustic Rugs

If you have been anywhere on the Internet in the past ten years, you have probably noticed the popularity of rustic, tribal, and shabby chic carpets that are featured almost everywhere. Many of the antique Tribal rugs have a rustic quality that was unknown to much of the world until the last 150 years. Today, we are fortunate to have access to captivating rustic rugs and to be able to use them in new and innovative ways in modern design.

Antique Rustic Rugs

These beautiful handcrafted carpets create an impact in modern design styles such as Scandinavian modern, Bohemian, eclectic, coastal, Moroccan, shabby chic, French country and any other rustic decor. Let’s see how rustic rugs are used to add a certain charm to contemporary interiors.

Rustic Cabin Interior Design

When most people think of the word “rustic”, they think of a secluded cabin in the woods or countryside. A place that is in a far away rural setting.

When people think of a rustic item, they tend to think of items that have rough, irregular surfaces, show signs of age and characteristics of what you would expect people in secluded locations would create.

Antique Persian Sultanabad Rustic Rug

So with that in mind, below we will discuss what people think of rustic rugs and / or rustic interiors.

What Are Rustic Rugs?

The Golden age of the Safavid Empire in the 1500’s marks the beginning of the production of rugs that were intentionally designed to be formal and sophisticated. These are the rugs with which many are familiar, and these designs are often copied by modern manufacturers. While none can deny the beauty of these splendid creations, in the rural communities and traditional tribal cultures a different form of the art was being carried out. These remote cultures were producing rug designs based on thousands of years of tradition.

Rustic Antique Tribal Persian Bakhtiari Shabby Chic Rug

Carpets made by remote tribes have their own beauty and charm that makes them stand out in the world of fine rugs. However, these treasures have only become a part of the World Heritage in the last 150 years. The game changer occurred when transportation to remote areas of the world allowed them to be seen by outsiders for the first time. The world quickly fell in love with them.

The term “tribal” is used to describe any rug that is not produced in the carpet centers of the Near East and the Orient. The pieces produced in remote areas are unique and one of a kind. They often lack the control and precision of carpets produced in cities where the formal weaving schools were located.

Antique Rustic Persian Sultanabad Rug

They are easily recognized by their use of brilliant color, abundant use of ancient symbols, geometric figures, and handcrafted appeal.

Rustic Rugs Offer A Glimpse into the Ancient Past

Tribal rustic rugs come from places such as Morocco, Bokara, Kazak, Khotan, and the tribes of the Caucasus Mountains. In many of these places, the rugs are still produced using the traditional methods that were used thousands of years ago. The materials used for tribal rugs are often less standardized and are dependent upon the local sheep or plants that are available. The colors often reflect the landscape and can vary from season to season.

Rustic Antique Caucasian Kazak Rug

Some of the tribes that produce these antique rugs are nomadic, and continue to live somewhat of the same lifestyle they have lived for thousands of years. One example of this is the desert tribes of Morocco. The Berber tribes are the original inhabitants of Morocco and have made tremendous contributions in shaping the country as it is today. They can be found in Algeria, Tunisia, Mauritian, Mali, and throughout the Atlas Mountains. The Berbers arrived in what is now Morocco about second or third century BCE and many of the symbols found in their rugs are also found in cave paintings in the area.

Rustic Antique Persian Khorassan Carpet

This is only one example of the many tribes that are located in remote areas throughout the globe and that continue to produce some of the most beautiful works of art in the world. Tribal rugs are the perfect way to incorporate the ancient traditions and add a primitive element to the room decor. The addition of a tribal rustic rug gives the rug a worldly, and well-traveled atmosphere.

Bringing Rustic Charm to Rustic Interiors

Tribal rugs have been featured in interior design on popular channels such as Apartment Therapy and Houzz. They are often found in spaces that include abundant plants, rich textures, the incorporation of hardwoods, and abundant color. It is not unusual to find them beside the occasional macrame wall hanging or plant hanger. They add a bit of surprise and drama to a stark interior design, such as industrial or minimalist interior.

Rustic Interior With Shabby Chic Rug

If you are fan of shabby chic, rustic rugs will be sure to spark your interest, but you also can expand your horizons through choosing a rug that shows its age. A rug that is faded from years of use and love adds personality to the room that a better-preserved one does not. It adds a timeless character that cannot be mimicked through modern technology.

Rustic Shabby Chic Vintage Sivas Turkish Rug

However, it may be noted that now several modern manufacturers are intentionally producing new modern rugs that try to look old and faded, but why settle for a fake that will never look like a true old piece when you can have the real thing?

Large Rustic Antique Persian Serapi Rug

A shabby chic rug can tone down the formality of a country kitchen or living room, making it feel warm and inviting. The rich textures highlight features such as hardwoods, hand thrown pottery, and look perfectly at home with a bit of twig furniture or rustic antiques. A shabby chic or tribal rug can make the room look a little less stuffy and a lot more like home.

Rustic Cabin Living Room Interior

There are many reasons to choose a rug that is a little rough around the edges, or that shows the individuality of the weavers in a tribal creation. These rustic antique rugs are versatile and their use to make a room warm and cozy is only limited by your imagination. Incorporating one into a design adds an element of surprise and gives the space a rustic appeal like no other piece can do.

Feel free to look around our selection of well-loved masterpieces and find that one that will give your space the perfect shabby chic rustic look that you love.