Cream Sultani Runner
This cream Sultani runner is hand double knotted in Afghanistan from wool and measures 318 x 78 cm, or about 2.5 square metres. Our records note vegetable dyes. Its taupe ground is a natural, earthy tone, with ivory and red motifs running the length of the rug.
The design up close
The field is a soft taupe, a grey-brown that reads as natural rather than cream. Down the centre runs a column of motifs stacked at regular intervals and repeated several times along the length. Each one has an ivory pendant shape with small red and cream florets, then a curled vine in navy and rust below it.
Along each long side, navy and black hooked curves and rust-red curls sit inside the field and echo the central column. The border is narrow and cream, with small rust, navy and ivory motifs in a tight line. This cream Sultani runner has a quiet ground that lets the vine motifs stand out.
Afghan weaving and dyes
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 cream Sultani runner was tied by hand. Our records note vegetable dyes. Hand-spun wool gives the yarn a slightly uneven thickness and a soft sheen.
The knotting is done by hand on a loom, one knot at a time, so the vines and florets are built from many small, individual knots. The field also has a slightly mottled finish, so the taupe looks a little lighter in some places and deeper in others.
Sizing a cream Sultani runner in your hallway
At 318 x 78 cm, this cream Sultani runner covers about 2.5 square metres. For a hallway, a width of about 100 to 120 cm leaves roughly 11 to 21 cm of floor showing on each side of the runner. Its length suits a long, narrow hall or the space beside a bed.
A runner this long also works in a kitchen galley, where it can run along the floor between benches. The natural ground suits timber, tiles and cream or grey walls, and the red and navy motifs add a little colour to a plain space.
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 Sultani runner 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 Runners, or ask about a custom made rug in your own size and colour. Read more about Afghan rugs.
