Red Indigo Kashan Goli Rug
This red indigo Kashan Goli rug is a hand knotted Persian rug from Kashan in central Iran, woven in wool on a cotton base and measuring 250 x 145 cm. Its deep red field carries a central medallion in indigo, and a navy border frames the whole piece. It is a traditional rug in two strong colours, so it suits a room with warm timber or cream walls.
The design up close
The red field is covered edge to edge with an all-over floral pattern of blossoms, leaves and curling vines in cream, blue, lilac and pale gold. At the centre an indigo medallion with a cream and blue core sits inside a lobed outline, and the flowers of the field run right up to its edge. Cream corner pieces mark the four corners of the field.
The border is deep navy, carrying a band of cream and lilac vines and flowers. Several narrow guard stripes in red, cream and lilac separate it from the field and from the outer edge.
On this red indigo Kashan Goli rug, the cream diamond at the heart of the medallion is set point up, with small pale blue flowers scattered through the navy around it. The red field runs up to the lobed edge of the medallion, so the two colours meet directly.
Kashan and its weaving
Kashan lies between Tehran and Isfahan, and its workshops were famous by the 16th and 17th centuries, when Persian court carpets reached their height. Kashan rugs are usually finely knotted with the asymmetrical (Persian) knot, on a cotton foundation, with a short, dense pile that shows the detail clearly. This red indigo Kashan Goli rug follows the classic Kashan layout of a central medallion, corner pieces, a field of flowers and several borders.
How a red indigo Kashan Goli rug is made
Each knot on this rug is tied by hand on a loom, row after row, and the pile is then trimmed level. The back carries the same design, with small irregularities that come from hand knotting. Because the flowers use many colours, each small motif is built from separate knots of several shades.
Sizing it for your room
At 250 x 145 cm, this red indigo Kashan Goli rug covers about 3.6 square metres. At about 2.5 m long, it is best placed where the front legs of a sofa and two armchairs can rest on it around a coffee table.
In a dining room this size suits a small table of about 120 x 80 cm, which leaves roughly 65 cm at each end and about 33 cm along each side.
Looking after your rug
Vacuum your red indigo Kashan Goli rug 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 indigo Kashan Goli 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 Kashan Rugs, or ask about a custom made rug in your own size and colour. Read more about Kashan rugs.
