Area Rug Guides
Arsh's Rug Library
Area Rug Guides, Glossary & Care
Everything we've written for buyers, in one place. Four generations of weavers, dealers and restorers explain how to choose a handmade rug, what the terms mean, how Persian regions differ, and how to look after the rug once it's home.
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Buyer's guide
Rug 101: The Complete Buyer's Guide
Types, materials, knot count, sizing and care, before you spend a dollar.
Read the guide →GlossaryThe Rug Encyclopedia, A–Z
200+ Persian and Oriental rug terms, from abrash to Z-twist.
Browse the terms →SizingRug Size Guide
The right size for every room, with the furniture rules designers use.
Find your size →Buying a rug
How to Buy a Handmade Rug
What to look for, what to ask, and how to tell real value from a good photo.
How to Choose a Persian Rug
Material, knot count, age, size and price, explained plainly.
10 Rug Buying Mistakes to Avoid
Wrong size, viscose fakes, no pad: the regrets we see most.
Why Hand-Knotted Rugs Cost More
Knots, size, materials and finishing, plus how to set a budget.
Persian vs Turkish Rugs
Knots, design, color and feel compared side by side.
Tribal, Village & City Rugs
Why some rugs are geometric and others floral.
Best Rugs for Dogs & Cats
Which rugs handle fur, claws and accidents, and what to avoid.
Choosing an Oriental Rug for Your Home
Matching pattern, color and scale to the room you have.
Hand-Knotted vs Tufted vs Machine-Made
How to tell them apart, and what each one is really worth.
How to Tell If a Rug Is Handmade
The back, the fringe and the knots: checks anyone can do.
How to Buy an Antique Rug
Age, condition and the questions that protect you from overpaying.
Are Persian Rugs an Investment?
What holds value over decades, and what doesn't.
What's My Rug Worth?
How a fourth-generation dealer values a rug, plus a free read on yours.
You've Inherited a Persian Rug
The first steps: identify it, clean it, store it or use it.
Rooms, color & styling
Fit the Rug to the Room
Sizing rules for every room, color choices and the placement tricks designers use.
What Size Rug for a Living Room?
Front legs on or off: the three layouts that work.
What Size Rug for a Dining Room?
The 24-inch chair rule and the right rug for every table.
What Size Rug for a Bedroom?
King, queen, full and twin beds, and three ways to place the rug.
Hallway & Stair Runners
How to measure a runner and which ones last in busy halls.
Kitchen Rugs
Spill-friendly rugs, runner sizes and keeping them clean.
Entryway & Foyer Rugs
Door clearance, sizes and rugs that survive foot traffic.
Rugs for Hardwood Floors
Color by floor tone, the right pad and protecting the wood.
Where to Put a Rug in Every Room
Living, dining, bedroom, hallway and entry placement.
What Color Rug for Your Room?
Pairing a rug with your floors, walls and furniture.
Rugs by Decorating Style
Boho, Scandinavian, farmhouse, mid-century, coastal and more.
How to Layer Rugs
Combining textures, sizes and patterns without clutter.
How to Hang a Rug on the Wall
Safe ways to display a rug as art without damaging it.
Styling a Minimalist Living Room
Step by step, with a hand-knotted rug as the anchor.
Rug Trends 2026
What's actually changing in hand-knotted rugs this year.
Rug styles
The Rug Styles We Carry
Where each style comes from, how to recognize it and where it works best.
Ziegler & Peshawar Rugs
The soft antique look from hand-spun wool and stone washing.
Kazak Rugs
Bold Caucasian medallions, stars and a thick wool pile.
Kilim Rugs
Flat-woven, light and geometric: how kilims are made.
Oushak Rugs
Soft colors and open designs from the Turkish tradition.
Moroccan Rugs
Plush ivory diamonds, high-low pile and bold Berber color.
Gabbeh Rugs
Thick, simple and modern, with nomadic roots.
Afghan Rugs
Khal Mohammadi, Baluchi, Mamluk and Khorjeen designs.
Bokhara Rugs
Rows of gul medallions on red, and how to decorate with them.
Materials & knots
What a Rug Is Made Of
Wool, silk, knots and borders: the details that decide quality and price.
Parts of a Rug
Field, border, warp, weft, selvedge and fringe explained.
Wool vs Silk vs Bamboo Silk
Which material suits your room, traffic and budget.
Silk vs Wool, and the Viscose Warning
Why art silk rugs stain and flatten, and how to spot them.
Rug Shedding & Pile Height
Why new wool rugs shed, and low vs medium vs high pile.
KPSI: Knots per Square Inch
How to count knot density and what the numbers mean.
How Knots Define Quality
Knot count, clarity of design and what to pay for.
Persian vs Turkish Knot
Asymmetric and symmetric knots, and why it matters.
What Rug Borders Tell You
Reading the border to judge skill and origin.
Handmade Rug Characteristics
Abrash, irregular edges and other signs of a handmade rug.
Color Reform & Overdyed Rugs
Sun-faded, then overdyed: how these rugs are made.
Persian rugs by region
The Great Persian Weaving Cities
History, design signatures, knot types and honest pricing tiers for each region.
Tabriz
The Raj knot-count system, master workshops and pricing.
Heriz
Bold geometric medallions and the antique Serapi tier.
Bijar
The iron rug of Persia, woven by Kurdish weavers.
Sarouk
American Sarouk rose grounds and the painted-rug story.
Kashan
Safavid workshops, the Mohtashem tier and classic medallions.
Qum
Iran's finest silk rugs, 500–1,800 KPSI, and viscose fakes.
Isfahan
Seirafian and Enteshari workshops on silk foundations.
Nain
The 9, 6 and 4 LAA quality grades and the ivory-indigo palette.
Kerman
The Lavar master tier and the American Kerman ivory style.
Mashad
Khorasan tradition, Amoghli and Saber workshops, jufti knots.
Glossary, symbols & history
The Language of Rugs
Terms, motifs, colors and the long history behind them.
Rug Encyclopedia A–Z
200+ rug terms defined, from abrash to Z-twist.
Rug Symbols Guide
What common motifs in tribal and Persian rugs are said to mean.
Persian Rug Colors & Meanings
The symbolism behind reds, blues, greens and golds.
Persian vs Oriental vs Iranian
What the labels really mean when you shop.
History of Persian Rugs
A timeline of Persian rug making through the centuries.
Care & cleaning
Keep Your Rug Looking Its Best
Everyday care, emergencies, rug pads and when to call a professional.
The Complete Rug Care Guide
Cleaning, maintenance and restoration in one guide.
Rug Maintenance Basics
The simple habits that keep a handmade rug in shape.
Caring for a Wool Rug
Expert tips for fine wool rugs.
Moths & Sun Fading
Spot moth damage early and keep colors from fading.
Cleaning an Oriental Rug at Home
What you can safely do yourself.
9 DIY Cleaning Mistakes
The common habits that damage wool, and what to do instead.
Pet Accident: First-Hour Guide
What to do right away when a pet has an accident.
10 Questions to Ask a Rug Cleaner
How to choose a cleaner you can trust with a handmade rug.
Repair or Replace?
A decision guide for worn, torn or damaged rugs.
The Complete Rug Pad Guide
Pad types, sizes and which one to buy for your floor.
Why You Need a Rug Pad
Grip, cushion and a longer life for your rug.
Rug services
Cleaning, Repair, Rental & Custom
The same hands that make our rugs care for them. Serving New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania.
Rug Cleaning & Sanitization
Hand washing suited to wool, silk and natural dyes.
Rug Repair & Restoration
Fringe, reweaving, holes, moth damage and color restoration.
Rug Rental
Hand-knotted rugs for staging, events, film and photo shoots.
Custom Rugs
Your size and colors, hand-knotted on our own looms.
Designer Trade Program
Wholesale pricing, memo and holds for designers.
Shopping with us
Buying From Arsh's
Our family story, our guarantee, and how shipping, returns and payment work.
Four Generations: Our Story
From a small workshop to a showroom in Carlstadt, NJ.
Why Buy From Arsh's
What sets a maker-direct rug house apart.
The Arsh's Guarantee
Authenticity, materials, price and satisfaction, in writing.
Free Shipping & 14-Day Returns
How delivery and returns work on every rug.
Payment Options
The ways you can pay for your rug.
Cities We Serve
In-home visits in NJ, NY and PA; video consultations nationwide.
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