Hand Knotted Rugs

How a Hand Knotted Rug Can Highlight Your Room Decor

Hand knotted rugs are truly one of a kind, and they can bring attention to your other room decor by contributing to the overall color scheme as well as creating an air of class. The colors of the rug can connect to your wall art, but the motifs, images, and shapes in your hand knotted area rug can also tie into the artwork as well. When you design with motif and style in mind, you create a cohesive space that allows each piece of decor to work together instead of clashing or competing for attention. 

Decorating With a Hand Knotted Rug

When you’re decorating with a hand knotted rug, think of it as decorating with a piece of art. These carefully crafted rugs are given so much love in their composition that the quality is plain to see and feel. Aside from their unique artistic craftsmanship, these rugs are also made to last, so you can choose a rug that you’ll love for years and years after purchase, since it will stand up to the tests of time stylistically and practically. 

Choosing Which Hand Knotted Rug is Right for You

As you shop for your perfect hand knotted area rug, try narrowing your search by processing these key areas. 

Position: One of your first steps should be finalizing your room’s layout and how your hand knotted rug will fit into that. There are many options, but here are some brief guides for each room.

Living Room: In main living rooms, you can center the rug with your main furniture, and depending on the room’s size, you can either have it all the way under the furniture, under the seats’ front two legs, or directly in front of the furniture. 

Dining Room: Rugs fit best centered beneath the table with enough excess for the chairs to rest comfortably on the rug whether they’re pushed in or pulled out. 

Bedroom: If your bed is centered as the focal point, line up your hand knotted rug with your bed by centering it all the way under the bed or under the bottom two-thirds of it. If your bed is off to one side of the room, you can still center the rug in the middle of the room itself to create a focal point and path to the bed. 

Kitchen: A 2x3 or 3x5 hand knotted rug fits well in front of sinks, stoves, or other areas where you tend to be stationary. You can even use a runner rug in galley kitchens, kitchens with an island, or other spaces where you want a pathway. 

Bathroom: In your bathroom, you can place a small rug by the sink, tub, or shower, but you can also stylize with a runner in front of a double vanity. 

Size/Shape/Material: After you have your layout set, choose the size and shape that works best in your space. It all depends on your room’s size, but 6x9, 8x10, and 9x12 are common sizes you should consider with your main rooms. The standard shapes for hand knotted rugs may be rectangular, round, or runner, but there are other options as well that you can choose for your specific space. And then the materials can dramatically impact the tone as well as the feel of the rug. Popular materials include wool, cotton, viscose, and many others depending on how you want the rug to feel. 

Pattern/Design: Hand knotted rugs come in many different designs, such as Persian, vintage, modern, and more. Look for designs that fit your overall style and connect to your other decor, even if it’s just similar lines/shapes or tones of the patterns. Remember, when you get a hand knotted rug, you are getting a unique work of art, so choose one that adds to your artistic vision.

Color: Just like patterns, you’ll find so many options for hand knotted area rug colors. From the neutral tones of black, white, grays, and others all the way to greens, blues, reds, and other hues, you can find a rug that has colors that fit your existing color palette or establish the room’s scheme.

Frequently Asked Questions about Hand Knotted Rugs

What does hand knotted mean in a rug?

A hand-knotted rug is a rug that has been made completely by hand. The individual strands of yarn are first wound around a small rod, or batten, and then knotted into place by one artisan working with one knot at a time.The quality of a hand-knotted rug is determined by the number of knots per square inch. The more knots per square inch, the higher the quality and the pricier the rug will be. All good quality rugs, however, will have at least 100 knots per square inch.

How long do hand knotted rugs last?

It depends on the quality of the rug, but a well-made hand-knotted rug can last for centuries. The knotting process is what determines a rug's quality and durability. Rugs with less knots per square inch will wear out more quickly, as there is less surface area to hold the fibers in place. Conversely, rugs with more knots per square inch will be denser and more durable.

What's the difference between hand knotted and hand tufted?

Hand knotted and hand tufted rugs are both made using a manual process, but there is a key difference in how the two methods are executed. Hand knotted rugs are created entirely by hand, with each knot tied individually. This makes them more expensive and time-consuming to produce, but results in a tighter, more durable rug. Hand tufted rugs are made using a mechanical process. The fiber is punched into a backing material by machine, then trimmed flush with the surface of the rug. This method is less expensive and faster to produce than hand knotting, but the resulting rug is less durable and tends to shed fibers more easily.

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