Red Lamb Wool Kazak Rug
This red lamb wool Kazak rug was hand knotted in Afghanistan and measures 118 x 81 cm. It is a traditional design on a red ground, with a cream medallion in the centre and a cream and navy border.
The design up close
Three medallions run down the red field of this red lamb wool Kazak rug. The top and bottom ones are navy with tan centres and cream points, and the middle one is cream, outlined in red and navy with a dark core. Small blue medallions sit either side of the middle one, and cream and red motifs fill the gaps between all three.
The border is cream and navy, filled with small red, blue and cream figures set in rows. The red and navy outlines around the cream centre give that medallion a crisp edge against the red ground.
The red ground is the colour that carries the rug, and the cream medallion in the middle is the lightest part of the field.
The Caucasus roots of Kazak designs
Kazak designs were first woven in the Caucasus, where the Kazak (Gazakh) district gives the style its name. Weavers there made thick, boldly coloured rugs with large medallions, stars and hooked motifs in deep reds, blues and ivory.
In recent decades, weavers in Afghanistan have revived these designs in hard-wearing wool, so Kazak rugs keep the old look in new pieces.
Kazak rugs suit living rooms, family rooms and entrances because thick wool and busy geometric designs hide everyday wear.
How it is made
This red lamb wool Kazak rug is hand knotted on a loom, one knot at a time. Turn it over and the design shows on the back, with slight irregularities where each knot was tied by hand.
Our Kazak rugs are hand knotted in Afghanistan, as this one is.
When you judge a Kazak rug, look at the back first. Hand knotting leaves the design readable there, and the knots sit a little unevenly, which is the sign of handwork.
Sizing a red lamb wool Kazak rug
At 118 x 81 cm the rug covers about 1.0 square metre. Its red ground suits a bedside or an entrance, where it can be the one warm colour in a neutral room.
At this size a red lamb wool Kazak rug fits in front of an armchair without covering much of the floor.
It is shorter than a dining table of about 180 x 90 cm, so it sits best under a coffee table or beside a bed.
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 red lamb wool 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.
