Blue Floral Sultani Rug
This blue floral sultani rug is made in Afghanistan from lamb wool and measures 366 x 271 cm, or about 9.9 square metres. The ground is a soft grey, with blue in several of the flowers and warm rust, cream and orange in others. The flowers are drawn in a loose pattern rather than a formal layout, so each part of the field has something different to look at. It draws on the traditional crafts of the Kuchi tribe in Afghanistan, and the design is built from flowers and vines.
The design up close
Across this blue floral sultani rug, tan vines curl through the field and link the flowers in a loose lattice. The largest flowers are rounded heads in cream, rust and red, with petals in blue and green around the edge. Between them sit smaller rosettes in orange, cream and blue, and pale, hatched motifs shaped like buds.
The field is rich in small detail. Tiny blossoms, leaves and dots fill the spaces between the vines, so the surface looks busy from close up and softer from a distance. Along the lower edge, a band of small flowers, buds and vase-like shapes in cream, rust, green and blue marks the border, and a narrow stripe runs along the left side.
The grey ground keeps the colour in the flowers, so the vines and blossoms read clearly against it.
The hatched buds sit in two rows of three across this blue floral sultani rug, one row near the top and one toward the foot. The spacing is even, so the vines between them form a clear lattice in tan and grey.
How Afghan rugs are made
Afghan rugs are hand knotted on a loom, one knot at a time, and a room-size rug can take a small team of weavers many months. Some use wool that is spun by hand. Afghan rugs more often carry bold geometric and tribal designs, and this blue floral sultani rug sits alongside them as a floral piece in lamb wool. At 9.9 square metres, it is a large piece to tie.
Sizing your blue floral sultani rug
At 366 x 271 cm, this blue floral sultani rug covers about 9.9 square metres. A three-seat sofa of around 2.2 m leaves about 73 cm of rug showing past each end, so the whole sofa sits on the rug. For a dining table of about 240 x 100 cm, the rug gives roughly 63 cm at each end and about 86 cm along each side. Cream walls and timber floors suit the grey ground, and cushions in rust, cream or blue pick up the flowers.
Looking after your rug
Vacuum it on a suction-only setting, or with the beater bar switched off, so the brush does not pull at the knots. Turn it around every six to twelve months so sun and foot traffic wear it evenly. Blot spills with a clean white cloth and cold water rather than rubbing them in. When it needs a full clean, choose a cleaner who washes handmade rugs by hand.
Put a good underlay beneath it. It stops the rug sliding on timber or tiles, adds cushioning and takes some of the wear off the pile. Moths like wool in dark, quiet spots, such as the part of a rug under a sofa, so vacuum those areas often and lift the furniture now and then.
See it before you buy
Visit our showroom at 307 Penshurst St, North Willoughby, open every day from 11 am to 4:30 pm, to see this blue floral sultani rug in person. If you would rather judge it in your own room, with your own light and furniture, book an in-home viewing and we will bring a selection to you.
Browse more Afghan Rugs, or ask about a custom made rug in your own size and colour. Read more about Afghan rugs.
