Red White Border Kazak Rug
This red white border Kazak rug was hand knotted in Afghanistan in lamb’s wool and measures 254 x 172 cm. A red field holds two large cream medallions, one above the other, each outlined in blue and orange. A cream border with red and blue motifs frames the field.
The design up close
Two large medallions sit in the centre of the red field, with small red medallions between them and at the sides. Each large medallion has a cream centre set with small motifs. Fine blue, gold and orange lines run through the field, so the red ground looks lively rather than flat.
Across this red white border Kazak rug, the wide cream border carries red and blue motifs, and the outer edge is red with white rosettes. Our records note German dyes. The two large medallions mirror each other, so the centre of the rug feels balanced.
Where Kazak designs come from
The name comes from the Kazak (Gazakh) district of the southern Caucasus, on the borders of today’s Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia. Weavers there made thick, boldly coloured rugs with large geometric medallions, stars and hooked motifs in deep reds, blues and ivory. Weavers in Afghanistan and Pakistan have revived these designs in recent decades, and this red white border Kazak rug keeps the large medallions of that tradition.
How it is made
Our Kazak rugs are hand knotted in Afghanistan, and this red white border Kazak rug is made by Afghan artisans in lamb’s wool. Weavers tie each knot by hand on a loom, row after row, then shear the pile level.
Look at the back and the design shows there too, with the small irregularities that come from tying each knot by hand. Lamb’s wool gives the pile a soft feel underfoot.
Sizing your red white border Kazak rug
At 254 by 172 cm, the rug covers about 4.4 square metres. Under a dining table of about 180 x 90 cm, it leaves roughly 37 cm of rug at each end and 41 cm along each side, so the table sits well inside the edges of the rug. In a lounge room, a three-seat sofa of about 2.2 m leaves about 17 cm of rug past each end. Before you decide, mark the rug’s outline on the floor with masking tape, and walk around it to see how it sits in the room.
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
Our showroom has several Kazak rugs in similar colours, so you can compare them in place. Colours look different under shop lights, daylight and lamplight, so check the red against the cream in person.
Visit our showroom at 307 Penshurst St, North Willoughby, open every day from 11 am to 4:30 pm, to see this red white border 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.
