Blue Traditional Kazak Rug
This blue traditional Kazak rug was hand knotted in Afghanistan in lamb wool and measures 300 x 246 cm, or about 7.4 square metres. The ground is a clear mid blue, framed by a rust red border and a cream outer border. Lozenge medallions in navy, cream, red and orange fill the field.
The design of this blue traditional Kazak rug
A large lozenge medallion sits at the centre, outlined in navy, cream and red. Above and below it stand two larger medallions with orange and gold outlines, each with a cream and blue centre. On either side of the centre, smaller red and cream medallions run in pairs, and rosettes in the corners echo the central shapes.
In this blue traditional Kazak rug, small flowers, hooks and leafy shapes in red, cream, orange and navy fill the spaces between the medallions. A navy guard line separates the field from the rust red border, which carries small cream and red motifs. The outer border is cream, with red, navy and rust figures that pick up the colours of the field. Navy and cream appear in both the field and the outer border, so the blue ground and the cream edge feel like one palette.
Where Kazak designs come from
The name comes from the Kazak (Gazakh) district of the southern Caucasus, on the borders of today’s Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia. Weavers there made thick, boldly coloured rugs with large geometric medallions, stars and hooked motifs in deep reds, blues and ivory. In recent decades weavers in Afghanistan and Pakistan have revived these designs. Kazak rugs suit living rooms, family rooms, entrances and hallways, because thick wool and busy geometric designs hide everyday wear.
How it is made
Each knot in this blue traditional Kazak rug is tied by hand on a loom, row after row, and the pile is then sheared level. Turn the rug over and the design shows on the back, with the slight irregularities that hand knotting leaves. This rug is made from lamb wool, so the outlines of the medallions read crisply on the blue ground.
Sizing it for your room
At 300 x 246 cm the rug covers about 7.4 square metres. A three-seat sofa of about 2.2 m set along the long side and centred leaves about 40 cm of rug showing past each end. Under a dining table of about 180 x 90 cm, roughly 60 cm shows at each end and about 78 cm along each side.
With a table of about 240 x 100 cm, roughly 30 cm shows at each end and about 73 cm along each side. For this blue traditional Kazak rug, the blue ground suits cream or pale grey walls and timber floors.
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 traditional Kazak 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 Kazak Rugs, or ask about a custom made rug in your own size and colour. Read more about Caucasian and Kazak rugs.
