Red Afghan Khorjin Rug
This red Afghan Khorjin rug was hand knotted in Afghanistan in lamb’s wool and measures 254 x 181 cm. Red is the main colour, and horizontal bands of pattern run the full length of the rug, divided by fine stripes in orange, green, blue, yellow and brown. Nothing sits in the centre, so the eye moves from one band to the next.
The design up close
On this red Afghan Khorjin rug, a red band near each end carries a row of small diamond medallions in cream, blue and gold, each with a dark centre. The bands between them are narrower and busier, filled with tiny diamonds, hooks and stepped motifs in cream, blue grey and brown. A band of grey blue runs across the middle, and its pattern is so fine that it reads as texture from across the room.
Thin lines of orange, green and yellow run between the wider bands, and the red ground shifts slightly in tone from one band to the next, so the rug never looks flat. Where two bands of similar colour sit side by side, the edge between them shows as a fine line of contrast. Both short ends finish in a fringe that picks up the colours of the stripes.
Where Khorjin designs come from
A Khorjin is a pair of woven bags joined together and carried over a horse or donkey, traditionally decorated with geometric patterns. Khorjin designs take that geometric look across the whole field, often in many colours. A red Afghan Khorjin rug follows the same idea with stacked bands of pattern, so it reads as a striped design with no central medallion.
How it is made
Rugs in this Khorjin style are hand knotted in Afghanistan, with each knot tied by hand on a loom, and the design shows clearly on the back. Small irregularities from tying each knot are visible there too. A red Afghan Khorjin rug is built row by row, so each change of colour falls on a row of knots.
Sizing your Red Afghan Khorjin Rug
At 254 x 181 cm the rug covers about 4.6 square metres. Set under a 180 x 90 cm dining table, it leaves about 37 cm of rug showing past each end. At 2.54 m long, it sits in the range where the front legs of a sofa and two armchairs can rest on it around a coffee table. Pale walls let the red bands stand out.
A 180 x 90 cm table is a six-seat size, so this rug suits a dining room set for six.
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 Khorjin 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 Khorjin Rugs, or ask about a custom made rug in your own size and colour. Read more about Afghan rugs.
