Cream Medallion Kazak Rug
This cream medallion Kazak rug was hand knotted in Afghanistan in lamb’s wool and measures 235 x 166 cm. A pale cream ground carries a column of symmetrical medallions in mocha, orange and gold, with small star flowers between them. The mocha tones give the rug a warm, muted look.
The design up close
Five medallions run down the centre, each one symmetrical. They alternate between red and orange heads, with cream and navy centres, and small star-shaped flowers in red, cream and blue sit between them.
The ground stays pale between the motifs, which lets the warm colours of the medallions stand out.
The medallions stand at even intervals down the centre, so the column has a steady rhythm.
The row of medallions runs from one end to the other with a small gap between each, so the eye reads the whole length of this cream medallion Kazak rug as one column. The border is cream and taupe, with rows of small brown, rust and blue motifs that repeat along each side.
Where Kazak designs come from
Kazak rugs take their name 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 have revived these designs, so pieces like this one carry an old pattern into new rooms.
How a cream medallion Kazak rug is made
Weavers tie every knot in this cream medallion Kazak rug by hand, and a room-size rug like this one can take a small team of weavers many months. Turn it over and the design shows on the back, with the slight irregularities that hand knotting leaves. Lamb’s wool gives the pile its soft surface, and the medallions are set out in a symmetrical layout along the length of the rug.
Sizing it for your room
At 235 x 166 cm this cream medallion Kazak rug covers about 3.9 square metres. A dining table of about 180 x 90 cm leaves about 27.5 cm of rug past each end and 38 cm along each side, so the table sits well inside the outline of the rug.
Because the ground is cream, the rug can help a room with a darker floor feel lighter, and its warm orange and gold tones work with brown furniture as well as with cream upholstery. Set the rug where the medallions can be seen from the sofa, so the column runs away from you.
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 medallion 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.
