Red Medallion Mamluk Rug
This red medallion Mamluk rug was hand knotted in Afghanistan in lamb’s wool and measures 196 x 150 cm. Its wine red field and wide blue border give it a bold but settled look, and a large star-shaped medallion anchors the centre.
The design up close
The large star-shaped medallion is drawn in blue, with a smaller red and turquoise octagon at its heart and points edged in cream and orange. Six smaller round medallions repeat those colours: one at the top, one at the bottom and two on each side, so the eye moves from the centre out to the edges.
Small square motifs in orange and blue fill the corners of the field, and fine diamonds and crosses in cream and teal are scattered across the wine red ground. The blue border is wide and carries thin guard stripes on both edges, and the rug finishes with a fringe at each short end.
A red medallion Mamluk rug at this scale reads clearly from across a room, and the small motifs reward a closer look when you are beside it.
How a red medallion Mamluk rug is made
Hand knotted tribal rugs like this one are built one knot at a time on a loom, and the pile is trimmed level once the design is complete. The motifs are formed by the knots themselves, so the pattern shows on the back as well as the front, with slight differences in line that only hand work leaves.
Sizing it for your room
This 196 x 150 rug covers about 2.9 square metres. A three-seat sofa of around 2.2 m is longer than the rug, so this size suits a lounge with two armchairs and a coffee table, with the front legs of the armchairs resting on it. Under a dining table of about 180 x 90 cm it would show only about 8 cm at each end and about 30 cm along each side, so chairs pulled back would sit partly off it.
This red medallion Mamluk rug sits well with cream walls and timber floors, and a blue cushion or throw will pick up the border.
When you turn the rug over, the medallion and border remain easy to read on the back, which is a common sign of hand knotting. The blue border frames the field well, and the cream and orange points of the medallion stand out most when light falls across them from the side.
Looking after your rug
Vacuum this red medallion Mamluk 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 medallion Mamluk 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 Tribal, or ask about a custom made rug in your own size and colour. Read more about Mamluk carpets.
