A carpet’s essence must appeal to both the eyes and the heart. The effort and quality put into the design of a carpet brings beauty to a piece often overlooked. We will explore all things color, material, and design.
Materials
The quality of the materials is the foundation of a great carpet. Depending on the quality of the silk, wool, cashmere, or mohair can affect the feeling of the carpet. Sourcing highest quality of Chinese and Indian silk will produce more body, softness, and luster throughout the carpet. The quality of the wool matters in how forgiving and sumptuous it is. Himalayan wool has high lanolin content, making it extremely durable and resilient. The lanolin naturally develops a rich patina over the years. The quality of a carpet can easily be felt in knots per square inch. It can start at 40 knots to 100 knots. Increasing the knot count increases the luxurious feel of the carpet.
Technique
There are many techniques, but the results depend upon the execution of those techniques. To make a great carpet, nothing should be rushed, and shortcuts should not be taken. In modern carpet making, sometimes there has been time and labor-saving techniques made to increase the profit for the manufacturer. But really great carpets are made by adhering to all the best practices and standards. A sensitive person can see the difference, given the opportunity to compare.
Size
Discovering the size of your carpet will help you actualize your concept of the room. The size can play a role in either highlighting something or connecting the separate parts of a room together. Do you want to make your space feel grand and spacious or cozy and subdued? Each moment created will require the precise size that fits the space. If it is too big, it can make your space feel smaller and unproportioned. If it is too small, then it makes the space seem cluttered or like you couldn’t afford the proper size. The ultimate decision will depend on your furniture placement and the size of the room. Does everything fit and feel comfortable? Don’t be afraid to show your floors if they are beautiful.
Design
The choice of a design is completely subjective. But some factors to take into consideration would be does the design complements the architecture, furniture style. Does the design reflect the level of elegance or formality or casualness you are trying to establish in the room. Ultimately, there are no hard and fast rules. It is really about what you like. Some of these are considerations.
An interior’s mood can be echoed or amplified through the design of the carpet. The patterns, artwork, and simplicity of a rug speak to the room it is placed in. A playful room could be entertained with a rug of geometric, abstract, or animal print pattern. A chic room could be charmed with a neutral, creamy, high-low pile rug. While a serious room could be styled with an ornate or moody pattern. The design is the voice of the rug.
Color
Again, subjective. Here are some considerations or ways to think about color. If the floors in a room are warm colored, you might want to consider complimenting them with a cool rug, vise verse. Color is going to create the mood and affect the temperature. A certain space might require a lighter rug to throw energy back into the room. A moody room would need a carpet that has deeper, more saturated color. An example of that may be, a library with lots of oak and dark warm colors would be looking for something like that. Another way to think about the colors in terms of seasons or elements. If you have a room with a lot of water, you might want to light a little fire. For an earthy room, you might want to bring in elements of the sky. Often these create interest and balance.
Ethics
Was the carpet made ethically? Was the environment in good condition for the people that made it? If that is not the case, then you might be buying a carpet that has some heavy vibes attached to it. Making sure that there are artisanal conditions, the artisans are well paid, and are known to be happy will reflect in the carpet even though you cannot see it, you can feel it.
