Medallion Kazak Rug
This medallion Kazak rug was hand knotted in Afghanistan in lamb’s wool and measures 150 x 99 cm. A light blue ground carries a large red medallion at the centre, with cream, orange and navy patterns around it. The layout is easy to read from across a room, and the cream border keeps the blue field framed.
The design up close
The centre of the rug is a large red medallion with a cream and navy heart, its points reaching out in fine rays. Above and below it are cream octagons edged in gold and orange, and smaller cream and red motifs fill the spaces at the sides of the field.
The medallion is the clear focus, and the octagons sit at roughly equal distances above and below it, so the centre line stays in balance. The red medallion fills roughly the middle third of the field from top to bottom, leaving the cream octagons clear above and below it. The orange and gold edges of those octagons pick up the warmth of the medallion.
The border is cream with a repeat of small red-brown and navy motifs, and a narrow stripe separates it from the blue ground. The motifs turn at the corners, so the frame feels continuous, and this medallion Kazak rug keeps the eye on its centre.
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 medallion Kazak rug is made
Weavers tie every knot by hand on a loom, one knot at a time, and then trim the pile level. Turn this medallion Kazak rug over and you can read the medallions on the back, with the small irregularities that only hand knotting leaves. Lamb’s wool gives the pile its soft surface.
Sizing it for your room
At 150 x 99 cm this medallion Kazak rug covers about 1.5 square metres. It suits an entrance, a bedside or the space in front of an armchair, where the red medallion can be seen from the room. Let the cream and navy of the border carry into nearby cushions or a lamp base, and keep heavy furniture off the outer ring so the medallions stay in view.
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 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.
