Oushak Area Rugs: Soft Colors, Open Designs & How to Choose One

Arsh's Rug Library · Rug Styles

Soft gray and beige Oushak rug in a paneled room with a fireplace — Shown: Bohemian Oushak Bird, 11'11" x 14'7"

Oushak rugs are a designer favorite because they bring the craftsmanship of a traditional rug in colors soft enough for a modern room.

Where the style comes from

The name comes from Usak, a city in western Turkey that has been a weaving center for centuries. Rugs from the Usak region were famous in Europe as early as the 1500s, and Oushak designs have been woven in many places since. Today the name describes a style as much as a place.

How to recognize an Oushak

A soft palette: terracotta, saffron, celadon, soft blue and ivory rather than deep reds and navies.
Open, large-scale designs: big medallions or loose all-over patterns with plenty of open field.
A softer, lustrous wool pile that gives the colors a gentle glow.

Light blue Oushak rug with large open florals — Large, loosely drawn flowers on an open field: the Oushak signature.

Close-up of oversized Oushak florals on a celadon ground — Large, loosely drawn flowers on an open field: the Oushak signature.

Oushak vs Persian rugs

A classic Persian rug usually has a denser, more detailed design with many small motifs and strong contrast. An Oushak is looser and calmer, with fewer, larger motifs. Persian rugs are traditionally tied with the asymmetric knot and Turkish rugs with the symmetric knot; our knot guide explains the difference.

Our Oushak rugs

The rugs in our Oushak collection are hand-knotted Oushak-style rugs, each one of a kind. You'll find related soft, open designs in our transitional collection.

Where an Oushak works best

Oushaks suit transitional, coastal, Scandinavian and modern farmhouse rooms, and they calm a room with strong furniture or art. Pull one of the rug's quieter colors into pillows or a throw to tie the room together.

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