Cream Sarv Suzani Rug
This cream Sarv Suzani rug was hand knotted in Afghanistan in lamb’s wool and measures 361 x 270 cm. Sarv means cypress in Persian, and tall cypress trees in grey and rose stand across a cream field among flowering branches in soft red, sage, gold and blue.
The design up close
Two cypress trees rise side by side at the centre, with slimmer cypresses near each corner. Between them, thin stems branch upward into small flowers and leaves, mirrored left and right. Near the top and bottom sit larger red and sage blossoms, and two leaf-shaped medallions in grey float halfway up each side.
A wide plain band of cream separates the field from a narrow outer border of small rose, blue and sage flowers on a vine. The colours stay light throughout, so the rug reads as warm cream from across a room.
The cypress, sarv in Persian, appears often in Persian art, poetry and gardens, and the weavers have made it the backbone of this design. For cushions or curtains, the soft red or the sage in the branches would pick up the rug without overpowering it.
From embroidery to rug
Suzani comes from the Persian word for needle. Suzanis are embroidered textiles from Central Asia, especially the region around Bukhara and Samarkand in today’s Uzbekistan. Our Suzani rugs are hand knotted in Afghanistan, and this cream Sarv Suzani rug takes the airy, flowering look of that embroidery into a wool rug made to be walked on.
How a cream Sarv Suzani rug is made
Weavers tie each knot by hand on a loom and shear the pile. Turn the rug over and the trees and flowers show on the back, knot by knot. Lamb’s wool comes from a young sheep’s first shearing and gives the pile a soft feel.
Sizing it for your room
At 361 x 270 cm the rug covers about 9.7 square metres. In a living room it holds a full lounge setting, with every piece of furniture on the rug. Under a dining table of about 240 x 100 cm it leaves around 60 cm at each end and 85 cm along each side for the chairs. A cream Sarv Suzani rug this pale suits light timber, linen and a calm, modern room.
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.
Cream wool shows marks sooner than a dark rug, so deal with spills straight away.
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 Sarv 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.
