Handmade Charcoal and Teal Abstract Rug
The Lichen Night rug is a charcoal and teal abstract rug, handmade in India from wool and sari silk and measuring 365 x 274 cm. That is 10.0 square metres of floor.
The design up close
The ground is charcoal, dark in some places and a lighter slate grey in others, with fine vertical lines running through it. Across it lies a broken pattern in teal, emerald, lime green and gold, with small marks of blue and orange. Together they read like lichen on dark stone, or light on water at night.
The colour is laid out in horizontal bands. Some bands carry a lot of teal and green, others are mostly charcoal with only a few bright marks. Inside the bands you can make out a loose lattice of diamonds, curling stems and small floral shapes. The edges of every shape are soft and broken, which is why this abstract rug reads as a loose composition instead of a strict repeat.
Up close the bright fibre sits in small tufts, and the colours change from teal to green to gold within a single mark. The ends finish in a cream fringe. The back carries the same pattern in softer tones.
Indian weaving and this rug
India has a long rug weaving tradition, with centres including Agra and the Bhadohi and Mirzapur area of Uttar Pradesh. Indian workshops weave many modern and abstract designs, often to order, in a wide range of colours and sizes. Wool is the most common pile, and some rugs mix wool with other fibres, as this one does.
How this charcoal and teal abstract rug is made
This rug is handmade in India from wool and sari silk. Wool is hard wearing and springy, with a matte surface. A wool rug with a dark ground like this hides marks and shadows well, and the bright teal, green and gold stand out against the charcoal.
The surface changes with the light as you walk past, shifting from soft charcoal to bright teal and gold.
Sizing it for your room
At 365 x 274 cm this rug is a generous size. Under a queen bed, which is 153 cm wide, it leaves 60.5 cm on each side when the rug runs across the bed, and under a king bed, 183 cm wide, it leaves 45.5 cm each side. A dining table 180 x 90 cm, seating six, leaves 92 cm of rug beyond each long side and 92.5 cm beyond each end.
In a living room, a three-seat sofa about 2.2 m long and two armchairs can sit with their front legs on it.
Looking after your charcoal and teal abstract rug
Vacuum it on a suction-only setting, or with the beater bar switched off, so the brush does not pull at the pile. 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. Rubbing spills can dull silk, so this rug needs a cleaner who handles that fibre by hand. 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 10 am to 4:30 pm, to see this charcoal and teal abstract rug in person. If you would rather judge it in your own room, with your own light and furniture, book a home trial and we will bring a selection to you.
You can see this charcoal and teal abstract rug in our showroom or at home. Browse more Contemporary rugs, or ask about a custom made rug in your own size and colour. Read more about silk.
