In late 1996 I ended up selling my fine antique Persian rugs to a dealer. With a new baby in the house having that high-end, high-quality, collectible piece was not going to work. My home had become kid central with toys, spilled formula, food and toddlers running amok and would only progress into a mud track, toy filled, kid accessible home. A fine Persian rug did not fit in with that lifestyle. So it went.

I still miss those Persian rugs. Now that “the kid” is older and somewhat better behaved, I am starting to look around for another quality rug. Finding that perfect area rug isn’t always easy. It's a tough market and doing your homework is essential to knowing when you’re looking at a great deal.

Quality is important when purchasing a rug. Too low in quality and price and you’ll have to replace the rug too quickly. Too high in price or quality and you’ll feel guilty about using your expensive rug like I did. I, like many of you, want quality I could use daily.

There are machine made and handmade rugs. Obviously handmade is more expensive. Machine made rugs can still be high quality, but won’t have the fine artisan feel to it. Often these machine made rugs will copy well-known patterns from Persian, Indian, Israeli and Turkish rugs and be considered reproductions. They are far more affordable than the “one of a kind” antique rugs.

The materials that make up area rugs determine its value and longevity. Common materials include wool, cotton, silk, and nylon. You also want to consider the density. How many knots per square meter or square inch. A cheap rug won’t be as dense. The more dense a rug is usually the softer it is and the quality tends to be higher.

Wool area rugs: Wool is the key element of high-quality pile area rugs. Wool area rugs have greater durability than synthetics and naturally resist dust mites that can promote allergies. The quality of the wool determines the area rug's resistance to wear and tear.

Cotton area rugs: Area rug makers often use cotton in conjunction with wool. Cotton-wool area rugs have a nice “foot feel” and typically cost less than all-wool rugs. However, cotton tends to wear more quickly than wool.

Silk area rugs: Higher-quality rugs, such as Persian rugs often include silk for luster and shine. Handle silk area rugs with special care and only have them cleaned by professionals.

Nylon area rugs: Synthetic nylon area rugs have excellent uniformity, strength, and stain resistance. They usually cost less than rugs made of natural materials, but do not hold their value like quality wool area rugs and silk area rugs.

In general, finely knotted rugs command a higher price than coarsely knotted ones. But, the knot density is by no means the sole criteria for quality. It’s the combination of workmanship, density, dyes and materials used etc.

There is as yet no fully agreed terminology for knot density. But this is a good guide:
Up to 500 knots per sq.dm. (30 per sq inch)= very coarse
500-1,000 knots per sq.dm (30-60 per sq inch) = coarse
1000-2000 knots per sq. dm (60-130 per sq. inch)= medium fine
2000-2500 knots per sq. dm (130-160 per sq. inch) = fine
2500-4500 knots per sq. dm (160-290 per sq inch) = very fine
Over 4500 knots per sq dm (290 per sq inch plus) = extremely fine

Most of us can’t be experts on patterns from different regions, but this plays an important role if you are purchasing a rug from the Middle East. But whether you’re buying a basic pile rug or an imported piece of art, you should work with a reputable dealer who can share their knowledge with you. If they don’t know what they are selling or can’t share important facts about the rug, you should walk.

Before you shop for a rug, consider the size you need. The most common area rug sizes are 4-by-6 and 6-by-9 feet. They work well under a coffee table, in front of a sofa etc. An 8-by-10-foot area rug or larger can cover an entire room. Smaller area and scatter rugs can be ideal for adorning smaller spaces—a hearth, a bedside, and the area in front of a kitchen sink—with a splash of color and warmth. Fine imported Persian rugs don’t follow the same sizing guidelines as machine made rugs do and can be in odd sizes like a 9 ½ by 13 ½.

If you are working within an already established color design, do take color swatches with you. A pillow off the sofa, a fabric swatch… something. The brain does not remember colors very accurately. Also consider how the room will be used. A playroom will need a different rug quality than a dining room. Think what the use will be before you head out to purchase.

Again as in all shopping, do your homework, don’t buy the first thing you see and ask a lot of questions.

Suzanne O'Connor