Blue Scaly Overdyed Rug
This blue scaly overdyed rug is a vintage piece, hand double knotted in wool, and it measures 306 x 235 cm. Its ground is deep navy, crossed by a pale turquoise lattice that the blue overdye has worn unevenly into the surface. The colour is cool and softly faded, so it suits both modern and traditional rooms.
The design up close
The ground of this blue scaly overdyed rug is a deep navy that shades almost to black in places. Over it runs a lattice of pale turquoise lines that form diamonds, most clearly in the upper left and along the lower edge. Where the overdye has worn thinnest, a lighter, streaky patch shows through the middle of the field, so the centre looks softer than the corners.
The lattice runs almost to the edges, and the lines break into smaller, overlapping shapes where they fade. That breakup gives the pattern its scale-like look, which is where the name comes from.
Up close the surface looks brushed and slightly rough, which comes from the wear. From across a room the diamonds soften into a pattern, and the whole rug reads as one cool blue with a faded, lived-in finish.
Vintage and overdyed: what the finish means
Vintage rugs are older pieces, and an overdyed rug has been dyed again over its original colours to bring out the design. On this blue scaly overdyed rug the second dye is blue. The worn areas give the surface a relaxed look.
How a blue scaly overdyed rug is made
Our records note hand double knotting, so each knot was tied by hand on a loom. The overdye is a second dye added to the finished rug. At 306 x 235 cm the rug covers about 7.2 square metres of floor.
Sizing it for your room
At 306 x 235 cm the rug covers about 7.2 square metres. A three-seat sofa of around 2.2 m leaves about 43 cm of rug showing past each end, and the 235 cm width leaves room for a coffee table in front of the sofa.
For a blue scaly overdyed rug this size, a dining table of about 180 x 90 cm for six leaves roughly 63 cm of rug at each end and 73 cm along each side. Pale timber floors, white or grey walls and warm neutral furniture let the navy and turquoise stand out.
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
This blue scaly overdyed rug may already be so ask us about similar vintage rugs. Visit our showroom at 307 Penshurst St, North Willoughby, open every day from 11 am to 4:30 pm, to see overdyed rugs in person and compare their colour and wear. If you would rather judge a rug in your own room, with your own light and furniture, book an in-home viewing and we will bring a selection to you.
You can see this blue scaly overdyed rug in our showroom or at home. Browse more Vintage, or ask about a custom made rug in your own size and colour. Read more about rugs and carpets.
