Cream Afghan Suzani Rug
This cream Afghan Suzani rug was hand knotted in Afghanistan from lamb’s wool and measures 378 x 270 cm. Its field is a warm brown, with branching vines and flowers in cream, pale gold and yellow.
The design up close
Branching stems rise through the lower part of the field and spread into tall, feathery vines that fill the space. Along them sit flowers and buds in cream, pale gold and yellow, with small red accents here and there. Two pale, upright shapes stand side by side near the centre, and the vines curve around them.
The border is wide and brown, with stripes of cream and dusky red motifs along its inner edge. A narrow band of cream and red sits inside it, and this cream Afghan Suzani rug is framed by a border slightly darker than the field, so the vines show clearly against the ground.
Across the field, the vines repeat at similar intervals, so the pattern has a regular rhythm from top to bottom. Small cream buds fill the open ground between the stems, and the warm brown keeps the lighter flowers clear. The two pale upright shapes are the lightest motifs in the field, and they draw the eye toward the centre.
Where Suzani designs come from
Suzanis are embroidered textiles from Central Asia, especially the region around Bukhara and Samarkand in today’s Uzbekistan, traditionally made by women as part of a bride’s dowry. Their large rosettes, sun-like discs and flowering vines translate into a knotted rug. The flowering vines of this cream Afghan Suzani rug carry that idea into wool.
How this cream Afghan Suzani rug is made
Afghan rugs are hand knotted on a loom, one knot at a time. Unlike the embroidered originals, this rug is knotted in lamb’s wool, so it is made to be walked on. In this cream Afghan Suzani rug, the field is a single warm brown, and the cream and gold flowers show clearly against it.
Sizing it for your room
At 378 x 270 cm, this cream Afghan Suzani rug covers about 10.2 square metres. For a dining room, an eight seat table of about 240 x 100 cm leaves about 69 cm of rug at each end and 85 cm along each side, enough room for the chairs to slide back. In a living room, a sofa of around 2.2 m leaves about 79 cm of rug past each end. A rug this size is best seen from across the room, where the vines read as one pattern.
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 cream Afghan Suzani 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 Suzani Rugs, or ask about a custom made rug in your own size and colour. Read more about suzani textiles.
