Red Afghan Abshari Rug
This red Afghan Abshari rug was hand knotted in Afghanistan in New Zealand wool and measures 238 x 170 cm. The ground is red, with vertical columns of diamond medallions running its length and a cream border around the edge.
Blue and lilac carry most of the pattern, while the gold and orange details are small.
The design up close
Vertical columns of diamond medallions run the length of this red Afghan Abshari rug. Each medallion is filled with lilac, cream and red, and blue zigzag lines link one column to the next. Fine gold and orange details appear within the diamonds, so the blue lines stand out clearly against the red ground.
The cream border carries small green, red and blue motifs, with a narrow red edge on the outside. The diamonds sit in columns with even gaps between them, so the field reads as one continuous pattern from end to end.
The cream border is the lightest band on the rug and frames the diamonds on every side.
The diamonds are set close together, so the columns read as a dense, repeating lattice.
Afghan weaving
Afghan rugs are hand knotted on a loom, one knot at a time. They more often carry bold geometric and tribal designs, with a heavier, more relaxed feel. The lattice of this red Afghan Abshari rug follows that bold geometric style.
This rug is a bold example of that style, with its strong red ground and blue lattice.
How it is made
This red Afghan Abshari rug is hand knotted, with New Zealand wool forming the pile, and each knot is tied by hand on a loom. The blue, red and cream are each knotted into the pile, so every colour change sits on a row of knots.
The diamond outlines are formed by knots, so the edges of each medallion follow the rows of knots.
Sizing your Red Afghan Abshari Rug
At 238 x 170 cm the rug covers about 4.0 square metres. Under a 180 x 90 cm dining table it leaves about 29 cm of rug at each end and about 40 cm along each side. At 2.38 m long, it sits in the range where the front legs of a sofa and two armchairs can rest on the rug around a coffee table.
In a bedroom, at the foot of a double bed 138 cm wide, its length runs about 50 cm past each side.
At 4.0 square metres, it covers a good part of a dining room floor.
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 Afghan Abshari 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 Afghan Rugs, or ask about a custom made rug in your own size and colour. Read more about Afghan rugs.
