The Mystery of the Persian Carpet

The Mystery of the Persian CarpetWhat carpets are consideredthe best? Of course, Persian ones, they are hand-made in small workshops in what is now Iran. Persian carpets are not only fantastically beautiful, but also have a history that is as old as modern civilization. Carpets are woven in many places in Iran - from Tabriz to Isfahan, from Nain to Kerman, but the "capital of silk carpets" is considered to be Qom, a holy city for Muslims, located 150 km south of Tehran. The art of carpet weaving here flourished in the 1930s thanks to the efforts of Shah Reza Pahlavi, a zealous supporter of national customs.How to determine the quality of a carpet?The most common indicator is density, it depends on the number of knots per square meter. The denser the carpet, the stronger and at the same time lighter it is. Carpets with a density of more than 1.5 million knots are rare and very expensive. I only once saw a carpet with 2.4 million knots per square meter (the master made it for four and a half years). This carpet was as thin as a silk scarf. In addition to density, there are many characteristics that determine the quality and price of a carpet. For example, the type of pattern, its clarity, the number of colors, the size. And even how many people wove it. It is better if it is one person, then there is a guarantee that the pattern will be conveyed without errors. Another important point: the base of a silk carpet must be woven from silk, not cotton. How much can a good carpet cost? In Moscow, a silk carpet three by two meters, a real kum (carpets are usually named after the place of their production), costs up to $60 thousand. Moscow prices are quite high, on the other hand, they are constantly growing, and buying a carpet can be a good investment. Over the past seven years, Iranian carpets have risen in price by 200%, and this is not the limit.How to choose a carpet for a finished interior?It is better to do it differently. First buy a carpet, and then choose furniture to go with it. Judge for yourself: how much can a sofa cost? Maximum ten, twenty thousand. A Persian silk carpet is an order of magnitude higher. The second option is to look for a carpet during the interior design process, taking into account its character and overall color scheme. This is how many Moscow designers, architects, and decorators with whom I work work. How long can an oriental carpet last? The oldest carpet in the world, which is kept in the Hermitage, is two and a half thousand years old. It was found in 1949 during excavations in the Altai Mountains, in the burial place of a leader, and is still in good condition. Your carpet can last just as long if you treat it with care. There is one secret that not everyone knows: for a Persian carpet to survive, it is very important that it is walked on. The more, the better!5 tips for the buyer

Choose a carpet not only by price and quality, but also by the inner feeling. Perhaps it is very good in itself, but not at all "your thing".

Before you decide to buy, take the rug home for a day or two and see how it looks in a particular room at different times of the day.

Think in advance about where exactly the carpet will be placed - it may turn out that the furniture will cover the most expressive part of its design.

To understand whether a silk carpet has added cotton thread, hold it in your hands (silk is very soft to the touch) and look at it from different sides: silk should shimmer, changing color, but cotton should not.

Remember that a good carpet determines the character of the interior, so you shouldn’t skimp on it!

3 enemies of the Persian carpet

Sharp heels. Silk carpet they can cause quite serious damage, which depends on the shape of the heels and the weight of their possessor. The same danger is represented by furniture with sharp legs.

Red wine.If you or your guests carelessly spill wine on a Persian rug, it will have to be returned to Iran, where it will be thoroughly washed and then dried for several weeks. Regular dry cleaning is strictly excluded.

Boiling water. An overturned cup of tea or hot water will most likely leave a noticeable stain. The recipe for "treatment" is the same: send the carpet to a repair shop for restoration.

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