Looking For the Perfect Vintage Rug On Pinterest? Here's What To Search For!

Posted by Kolina Cicero on December 15, 2022

We know it can be overwhelming searching for anything on Pinterest, and yet, as the go-to site for all things beautiful, many of us continue to use Pinterest as a search engine to help us find what we're looking for.

To help whittle down the miles-long list of terms to search for, we've pulled together some keywords that will help you narrow down your Pinterest search for the perfect vintage rug.

Handmade

This is a non-negotiable. When searching for a vintage rug, you want to make sure you add "handmade" into the title, lest you end up with a machine-made rug that you will have to replace in five years. The hand-knotted nature of vintage rugs is what gives them their unique, one-of-a-kind looks, plus it makes them durable enough to last for generations.

Style

There are dozens of different styles of rugs, but here are some of the most common types:

Oushak - Named for the region in Turkey in which these rugs are made, Oushaks are hand-knotted rugs that often feature motifs like florals or birds.

60-year-old Turkish Oushak

Tabriz - Tabriz rugs come from the northwestern region of Iran, one of the oldest weaving centers in the world, and often feature a medallion in the center of the rug.

50-year-old Persian Tabriz

Malayer - Malayer rugs are woven with symmetrical knots and are named after the city in which they originated in Western Iran. Floral motifs are common in these beauties.

90-year-old Persian Malayer

Bidjar - These rugs are woven by Kurdish craftsmen and women in Bijar, Iran. Just like how a sparkling wine from anywhere other than Champagne, France, cannot be considered champagne, a rug is only considered a bidjar if it's woven there. These rugs are very tightly knotted, resulting in a robust, durable piece.

80-year-old Persian Bidjar

Kilim - Kilim refers to the flat weaving style popular in Afghanistan. These thin rugs are often quite light and feel more like a heavy blanket than a rug (which makes cleaning very easy!)

80-year-old Afghan Kilim

Mahal - These are intricate rugs tied with asymmetrical Persian knots. The wool used in these rugs is often hand-died with vegetables, which gives them their vibrant colors.

90-year-old Persian Mahal

Coloring

Another way to search for the rug you envision is to search for colors (though we do urge you to be open-minded when it comes to this!) If you like the super popular beiges and oatmeals, search for "muted" or "subtle" tones. If you like vibrant colors, include "terracotta" or "denim" in your search.

Here are popular color terms to use:

Oatmeal
Camel
Espresso
Terracotta
Cinnamon
Saffron
Denim
Olive
Rust
Ivory
Sage
Khaki
Mint
Blush
Cranberry
Pumpkin
Taupe
Charcoal
Mauve
Emerald
Dusty (pink, green, blue, etc.)
Watermelon

Vintage or Antique

Finally, when searching for a vintage rug, you'll want to classify if you prefer vintage, which is considered around 30-80 years old, or antique, which is in the 80+ range. This is a hotly debated subject in the rug world, but the difference is basically old and really old. And if the specific age doesn't matter to you, we recommend simply searching for a handmade vintage rug.

Narrowing down your search with these terms (something like "handmade vintage kilim rug cranberry") will be a great help if you take to Pinterest to find your perfect rug!

As always, reach out to us if you have questions about anything rug related.

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