Chilli Red Shirvan Rug
This chilli red Shirvan rug is double hand knotted in Afghanistan from wool and measures 309 x 249 cm, or about 7.7 square metres. Our records note vegetable dyes. Its strong red field is set with a grid of cream, lavender and navy medallions.
The design up close
The field is a saturated scarlet red. Medallions are set in rows: large octagonal and diamond-shaped motifs in cream, lavender and blue-grey, with navy outlines and red centres, arranged in three columns and five rows. Between the large medallions sit smaller diamond rosettes in red, navy and gold, and tiny stars and crosses fill the spaces.
The layout is symmetrical, with the same grid repeated from top to bottom and side to side. This chilli red Shirvan rug keeps its pattern on the red ground, and the cream medallions are the lightest tones in the centre.
The border is wide and cream, with small red, navy and lavender geometric motifs repeated along it. A narrow band of deep red and a thin inner stripe sit between the border and the field.
Afghan weaving and madder
Afghanistan has a long weaving tradition, and some of the rugs made there today use hand-spun wool and natural dyes, which give them soft, lively colour. Afghan rugs are hand knotted on a loom, one knot at a time. Some use plant dyes such as madder, which gives the deep reds that Afghan rugs are known for.
How it is made
Each knot in this chilli red Shirvan rug was tied by hand on a loom. A room-size rug like this can take a small team of weavers many months. The wool is hand spun, which gives the yarn a slightly uneven, natural thickness.
Sizing a chilli red Shirvan rug in your room
At 309 x 249 cm, this chilli red Shirvan rug covers about 7.7 square metres. Under a three-seat sofa of about 2.2 m, roughly 45 cm of rug shows past each end, and two armchairs can rest their front legs on it around a coffee table. Its size suits a living room with a full seating group.
Under a dining table of about 240 x 100 cm, the rug leaves roughly 35 cm at each end and 75 cm along each side, so the table sits fully on the rug. The red suits a room with cream walls, dark timber or a neutral palette, where the medallions can be the focus.
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 chilli red Shirvan 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.
