Red Specked Afghan Rug
This red specked Afghan rug was hand knotted in Afghanistan in wool and measures 203 x 155 cm, about 3.1 square metres. The ground is a dusty blue-grey and tan with a fine speckled texture, and red motifs supply the warm accents across the field.
The design up close
A large central medallion in tan and blue-grey holds a red and cream octagonal rosette at its heart. Smaller octagonal rosettes with blue rims and red centres sit near the top and bottom ends of the field, and tan and red motifs fill the four corners. Between them, lattices of tiny geometric shapes in red, blue and cream cover the ground. Tan and red gather towards the centre, while the outer areas stay blue-grey, so the rug feels warmer as the eye moves inward.
A slim red border with a small diamond motif frames the field. The outer border is blue-grey with pale cream specks. The design is geometric throughout, with no curving lines, so this red specked Afghan rug reads as a calm blue-grey field with red accents. The central medallion is the largest single motif, and its red outline echoes the border.
Along the bottom end of this red specked Afghan rug, a short band of tiny stripes in blue, red and cream finishes the edge. The thin red line that frames the field carries small diamond motifs along its length, which is the same red as the medallion centre.
Mamluk style from Afghanistan
This rug follows a Mamluk style, and Mamluk rugs reinterpret the geometric carpets of the Mamluk era. The repeating geometric fields and central medallion of that tradition are kept here, in a palette of blue-grey, tan and red. The medallions sit at regular intervals along the central axis, so the rug is symmetrical from end to end.
How it is made
Afghan rugs are hand knotted on a loom, one knot at a time. Our records note vegetable dyes for this red specked Afghan rug. The pile is sheared level once the knotting is finished.
Sizing a red specked Afghan rug
This red specked Afghan rug covers about 3.1 square metres. Because it is just over two metres long, the front legs of a sofa and two armchairs can rest on it around a coffee table, which makes it a good size for a sitting area. A six-seat dining table would leave only about 12 cm of rug at each end, so this size suits a sitting area or bedroom better than a large dining room. Its modest size also suits a reading corner beside an armchair, where the speckled ground can be seen up close.
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 specked Afghan 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 Afghan Rugs, or ask about a custom made rug in your own size and colour. Read more about Afghan rugs.
