Red Afghan Chobi Rug
This red Afghan Chobi rug is hand knotted in Afghanistan from wool and measures 294 x 208 cm, about 6.1 square metres. A deep red field carries large sage and cream palmettes, inside a wide ivory border.
The design up close
Large leaf-shaped palmettes in sage and cream sit across the red field, each with fine red outlines and a small stem motif at its heart. At the centre, a small square motif is held between two curling vines, and slender tendrils with tiny flowers spread out from it to the edges of the field.
Half palmettes are cut off by the border at the corners and along the sides, so the pattern reads as if it carries on beyond the edge of this red Afghan Chobi rug. The ivory border is the lightest part of the rug. It holds sage, grey and red palmettes with small leaves, set between narrow guard stripes, and a thin red band runs around the outer edge.
About Chobi rugs
Chobi means wood, a nod to the soft, natural tones these rugs are known for. Many Chobi rugs follow Ziegler designs: soft-toned, large-scale patterns first made in the Sultanabad (Arak) district of Persia from the 1880s for European and American buyers.
Chobi rugs often come in ivory, sand, soft green, rust and blue, and they are often washed after weaving to soften the colours further. Big palmettes on a calm ground, as here, suit that style.
How a red Afghan Chobi rug is made
Afghan rugs are hand knotted on a loom, one knot at a time, and a room-size rug can take a small team of weavers many months. The pile of this rug is wool, and the rows of knots give the surface its slight, lively variation in tone.
Colour in your room
Deep red is a warm base, and the cream and sage palmettes keep it from feeling heavy. A red Afghan Chobi rug like this suits ivory or white walls, timber floors, and furniture in cream, grey or tan. The sage tones link well with green cushions or plants, and the red picks up warmth from lamplight in the evening.
Because the pattern is large and open, the rug works in a lounge room where it will be seen from across the space, as well as in a dining room where it sits under a table.
Sizing it for your room
At 294 x 208 cm, this red Afghan Chobi rug covers about 6.1 square metres. In a living room, a three-seat sofa of about 2.2 m leaves roughly 37 cm of rug showing past each end, and a pair of armchairs can rest their front legs on it around a coffee table.
Under a dining table of about 180 x 90 cm, which seats six, the rug leaves about 57 cm at each end and 59 cm along each side.
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 10 am to 4:30 pm, to see this red Afghan Chobi 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 Traditional rugs, or ask about a custom made rug in your own size and colour.
