Black Transitional Runner
This black transitional runner was hand knotted in India from New Zealand wool and bamboo silk, and it measures 270 x 79 cm. Its charcoal ground carries cream, pale blue, rust and gold flowers in a long vine design, with a worn, mottled finish across the middle of the field. Our records note German dyes.
The design up close
The top of the runner has the clearest drawing. A large rosette in cream and pale blue sits near the upper centre, with smaller blossoms in rust and gold and a vine running out from it in all directions. Smaller flowers in the same colours repeat down the length of the runner.
On this black transitional runner the middle is darker and more mottled. Faded patches and small sprigs in teal and red sit in the black, so the flowers seem to come up out of the dark. Near the lower end the flowers thin out, with red, blue and ochre sprigs scattered over a plain dark ground.
A narrow border with cream vines and small pale blue flowers frames both long sides.
Near the lower end, a few pale blue blossoms stand out against the darkest part of the ground, which keeps the eye moving down the runner. The border sits close to the field along both sides, so the vines read as one continuous line from end to end.
Indian rugs and their weaving
India has a long hand-knotted rug tradition, with weaving centres including Agra and the Bhadohi and Mirzapur area of Uttar Pradesh. Indian workshops weave many modern designs, often to order, in a wide range of colours and sizes. This black transitional runner belongs to the contemporary side of Indian weaving.
Wool and bamboo silk
This runner mixes New Zealand wool with bamboo silk. Bamboo silk is a viscose (rayon) fibre made from bamboo cellulose, with a silk-like sheen. It is softer and less resilient than wool, so the bamboo silk in a black transitional runner suits a hallway with moderate footfall better than a busy entrance.
Sizing a black transitional runner for your hall
At 270 x 79 cm the runner covers about 2.1 square metres. It suits a long hall, an L-shaped passage or a corridor, where one piece runs the full length. Plan a hallway about 100 to 120 cm wide, so that 10 to 20 cm of floor shows on each side of the runner.
A 270 x 79 runner like this one works well with pale walls, where the dark ground stands out clearly. The long, narrow shape means the pattern is seen in passing, as you walk the length of the hall. It can be bought on its own or as one of a pair.
Looking after your black transitional runner
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 runner sliding on timber or tiles, adds cushioning and takes some of the wear off the pile.
Rubbing spills can dull bamboo silk, so blot them, and the cleaner should handle that fibre by hand. Moths like wool in dark, quiet spots, so vacuum those areas often.
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 the black transitional runner 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 Modern Transitional, or ask about a custom made rug in your own size and colour. Read more about rugs and carpets.
