Red Modern Gabbeh Rug
This red modern Gabbeh rug is hand knotted in Afghanistan in lamb wool and measures 304 x 208 cm. Horizontal bands of red, orange, cream and brown run through a turquoise frame, and small motifs sit on the stripes. It covers about 6.3 square metres.
The design up close
The central field is made of horizontal bands, one stacked above the next: red, gold-orange, brown, cream, red again, cream, brown and orange, with narrower green and navy lines between some of them. Small motifs such as tree-like and flower shapes sit on the bands in cream, green and navy.
A turquoise border frames the field, with a narrow sand-coloured strip inside it dotted with small marks. That narrow strip gives the turquoise frame a soft edge against the stripes. This red modern Gabbeh rug has no central medallion, so the bands run from one end to the other.
The outer border is brown, with small figures in red, orange and green, and the side borders carry narrow bands of red, cream, navy and green. Those side bands follow the same stripe pattern as the field.
Gabbeh rugs and where they come from
The Gabbeh is a rug of the tribes of the Zagros mountains in Iran, including the Lori and Qashqai, who wove thick, simple rugs mainly for their own households. Weavers in Afghanistan now make Gabbeh rugs in the same spirit, with a thick pile and simple motifs.
Our Gabbeh rugs are hand knotted in Afghanistan, and this red modern Gabbeh rug keeps that tradition in its bands of colour and small motifs.
How this red modern Gabbeh rug is made
Weavers tie every knot by hand on a loom, row after row, then shear the pile level. Hand knotting in lamb wool gives Gabbeh rugs the thick pile they are known for, and the stripes are knotted into the pile rather than printed on the surface.
Sizing it for your room
At 304 x 208 cm this red modern Gabbeh rug covers about 6.3 square metres. A three-seat sofa of around 2.2 m leaves about 42 cm of rug showing past each end. Under a dining table of about 180 x 90 cm it leaves roughly 62 cm at each end and 59 cm along each side. A rug this size suits a living room with a sofa and armchairs.
The busy bands of colour make everyday marks less obvious, so the rug suits a family room or an entrance, and its warm colours sit well with timber floors and grey walls.
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 red modern Gabbeh rug in person. If you would rather judge it in your own room, with your own light and furniture, book a home trial and we will bring a selection to you.
Browse more Gabbeh Rugs, or ask about a custom made rug in your own size and colour. Read more about Gabbeh rugs.
