The 4 Most Popular Oriental Rugs

Welcome back to another entry in Fine Rug Collection's blog! As each entry has passed, we've covered primarily Interior Design--how colors can Contrast and Sync, how to decorate your home, and how to get the most out of your purchase. We're changing it up this week with a look into some of the most popular Oriental and Persian rugs.

While each and every Oriental or Persian rug possess their own unique qualities, certain brands stand incredibly popular among the masses. This can be due to a number of reasons: street knowledge about the brands, talk between friends, recommendation, history, popularity among the market, etc. This list isn't to deter one from the other fine carpets among the many Oriental and Persian rugs in existence--this list is to offer insight into the most popular brands and the reasoning behind them.

There are four brands that especially stand out in beauty and magnificence among the rug market. Oushak, Peshawar, Serapi and Heriz are the styles that are constantly regarded as great purchases within the carpet world. These four rugs have their own defining qualities that fuel the reasoning behind their appearance on this list. These emboldened aspects cover a wide range of subjects, such as color, texture, design, and even size. Each rug, whether it's Oushak, or Serapi, or Peshawar, or Heriz, has their own traits that differentiate them from the rest--fueling their exposure into the spotlight and, in turn, this article.

Let's dive into depth as to why each of these rugs are the subject of our four most popular Oriental rugs:

Oushak

• Silky
• Grand in size normally
• Lighter tone and colors
• Floral patterns across composition

Originating from the great production center of Oushak, Turkey, the Oushak has been in circulation since the 15th century. Think about it this way: the Oushak rug has been so successful and alluring that it has been able to maintain a constant popularity and existence on the market. When anyone sees an Oushak rug, it's immediately associated with an Oriental rug--it's that distinct, and that defining in its properties.

The details within an Oushak rug are what define its popularity. Its floral designs dance across the carpet's emboldened surface area in a defined, yet not overwhelming regard. In other words, the designs etched into an Oushak are one of kind but not "too much". The artists behind the Oushak provide a balance between characteristic features and open space--no two etchings override the other, giving the rug a defining composition. Emblazoned side by side with the Oushak's smart use of artistry is its color. Hues of ivory and white paired with either light or dark tones of red, blue, or green.

These listed facets are what have made the Oushak such a popular household item since their first creation. If you're seeking a centerpiece that will give any living space that extra edge, the Oushak is the perfect selection of carpet for you.

Peshawar

• Floral patterns
• Uses open space ethically and aesthetically on rug's surface area
• Medallions
• Red, blue, orange, brown

An original piece with a thorough amount of history and age behind its namesake. The Peshawar has some similar qualities to the Oushak, yet still differentiates itself from the brand. One of the shared qualities between these two rugs is their deep roots in history. Similarly to the Oushak, the Peshawar's origins date 400 years back to the 16th century. Initially grafted as a form of expressed luxury and royalty, the Peshawar became an immensely desired possession. 

The Peshawar's design and color scheme are comparable to the Oushak, though the two certainly aren't the same, nor should they be regarded as such. The only shared aspects between each are some of their color schemes and usage of floral patterns. Outside of this, the Peshawar holds its own properties that define its brand. Along with floral patterns, the rug features bold medallions that range from a traditional to a diamond structure that occupy with open space in order to define these features. Furthermore, the colors in a Peshawar normally have ivory or white hues, but can likewise sport a primarily dark red tone paired with blues, orange, brown, and green that can be either light or dark. Both the Oushak and Peshawar's wide range of aesthetics are a hallmark for their continued popularity as the ages have passed.

Serapi

• Curvillinear design
• Medallions, floral, diamonds
• Turquoise, green, orange

At the first glance of a Serapi, it's easy to see why they're such a popular purchase. The Serapi are a one of a kind carpet among the worldwide rug market. Unlike the Oushak or Peshawar, the Serapi carpet has only been on the market since the 19th century. Despite this, think of this fact from this perspective: this rug has only been on the market for the past 200 years, yet it's one of the most popular, most sought after style of Oriental carpets in existence.

If you're wondering why, the appearance of the Serapi should be enough. Differing its approach to design from a usage of open space, Serapi rugs express an insanely characteristic appearance. Each Serapi rug maintains a primary avenue of expression: a centered medallion with hard, striking, linear lines that act as the center for floral and artistic motifs. The Serapi also circumvent colors that are both comfy and welcoming--the common dyes used are deep reds and ivory that are held within a border that can range between blue or red. The level of craft in the Serapi is nearly unmatched--the rug has almost no open space because they're so well designed and distinct. A Serapi rug accomplishes the dream of all Oriental carpets: drawing the eye of any guest or homeowner every time you lay eyes upon it.

Heriz

• Flexible
• Warm colors
• Comfy, welcoming

The last rug on our list is none other than the Heriz. The Heriz rugs adopt their namesake from Heris of northern Iran. Interestingly enough and similarly to the Oushak and Peshawar, Heriz rugs maintain a comparable style to the Serapi, yet not in too much of a regard. Indeed, Heriz rugs have been influenced by the success of the Serapi. Both rugs have been in circulation over the past two centuries, sharing certain distinctive qualities while also living up to their unique brands in their own manner. 

Heriz rugs are thoroughly detailed across their surface area. The designs and colors they incorporate can be compared to the Serapi, though the two can easily be distinguished. For the Heriz, darker colors are more common, along with the designs inscribed being thicker and deeper. The Serapi sports a high degree of detail, but still has some areas of open space. On the other side of this spectrum, the Heriz takes the same route but with complete and utter detail, not utilizing open space at all in its presentation. Another difference is the style of medallion upon the Heriz. Like the Seraphi, every Heriz has a medallion sitting at its center where all color, all design offshoots from. For the Heriz, the medallion features upwards of eight sides on its manifestation, rather than the bold lines of the Seraphi. This Heriz medallion is reminiscent of a star surrounded by orbitting inscriptions such as floral motifs. In each corner of the Heriz is either a diamond or an "angle" that expresses some form of deep design or deep color. 

The thick composition of the Heriz leads the way for its high allure and sought after nature. Though the last on our list, the Heriz shares the same enormous standard of the other three rugs popular selections.

The Oushak, Peshawar, Serapi and Heriz each have their own defining motifs and craft. Their quality is immeasurable mimicked only by their wonderful popularity. For any person considering an Oriental rug purchase, any of these selections would be valiant and sincere. No matter the form, an Oriental or Persian rug will always be the piece that grabs the eye of any beholder of the room it's adorned. 

We hope you've enjoyed another entry into Fine Rug Collection's blog posts. Cheers, and until next time!