Kilim Area Rugs: What They Are, How They're Made & How to Buy

Arsh's Rug Library · Rug Styles

Blue and beige geometric kilim in a living room — Shown: Chic Turkish Kilim, 8'3" x 9'9"

A kilim is a flat-woven rug with no pile. Instead of tying knots, the weaver passes colored wool weft threads tightly through the warp, building the pattern row by row. The result is thin, light and full of crisp geometric shapes.

How kilims are woven

Because the color comes from the weft itself, kilim designs favor straight lines and diagonals: diamonds, zigzags, stripes and stepped motifs. Where two colors meet along a vertical line, many kilims show small slits, a sign of the traditional slit-tapestry technique. Kilims are among the oldest rug forms, and their patterns still look fresh today.

Kilim vs pile rugs

Thickness: a kilim is thin and lies flat; a hand-knotted rug has a raised pile.
Weight: kilims are light and easy to move, roll and store.
Feel: pile rugs are softer underfoot; kilims feel smooth and firm.
Price: flat weaving is quicker than hand-knotting, so a kilim usually costs less than a knotted rug of the same size.

Blue and orange flat-woven kilim — Up close, a kilim's pattern is built from the weft threads themselves.

Close-up of kilim weave and geometric motifs — Up close, a kilim's pattern is built from the weft threads themselves.

Where kilims work best

Because they lie flat, kilims slide under doors, sit well under dining tables, make easy kitchen runners and layer neatly over sisal or a larger rug. Many can be flipped over to even out wear. Our kilim collection includes traditional geometric designs in rust, red and blue and softer modern kilims in beige and gray.

Caring for a kilim

Vacuum without a beater bar, or shake the kilim outdoors. Use a thin non-slip pad so it doesn't slide. Blot spills right away. Wool kilims should be washed by hand in cold water; our cleaning service handles them the same way as our knotted rugs.

What to check before buying

Look for tight, even weaving with no loose wefts, straight sides that don't wave, and clean color edges. Ask whether the kilim is wool on wool or wool on cotton. And see our related dhurrie rugs, another flat-weave family.

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