Kilim Rugs

Kelim Rugs Overview

• Handwoven Kelim Rugs - Weaving Art from Morocco to Afghanistan
• Kelim rugs from the Orient
• Kilims in a modern interior
• Turkish and Anatolian kilims
• Kilims and the loom
• Afghan kilim rug - Excellent wool and beautiful colors
• Nimbaft Kilims
• Buy a real wool kilim rug

Handwoven Kelim rugs - weaving art from Morocco to Afghanistan

Kilims fit perfectly into any interior, whether modern or rustic. Their flat pile, simple colors and patterns, as well as their natural and charming character simply inspire. Yet they actually lack a uniform definition, as their origin is uncertain.

Kelim rugs from the Orient

Hand-woven kilims have a very long tradition in various oriental countries, and yet even in the technical literature lacks a precise definition of rug kilim. The term stands much more for a whole range of different handmade flatweaves from the Orient. Unlike classic oriental rugs, they are woven and not knotted. Thus they resemble more a robust and durable cloth than a rug. Centuries-old evidence can be found primarily in the countries of Iran, Afghanistan, Morocco and Turkey. The world of kilims, like that of oriental rugs, is endless. Each country has developed special patterns and manufacturing processes for its own hand-woven kilim rugs. Originally, they were knotted by nomadic tribes for their own use, which is why old and antique kilim rugs can be very rare and expensive. Kelims are particularly popular today from:

• Afghanistan: often called Kelim Fars
• Turkey / Anatolia: antique kilims and Anatolian kilims
• Iran: antique kilims, Sirjan kilim and Gashghai kilim
• North Africa: Moroccan kilims

Kilims in a modern interior

Kilim rugs are tight and flat woven. The height of a kilim is usually a few millimeters. Characteristic of a hand-woven kilim is its pile of pure new wool. Therefore, they fit very well into today's often plain interiors. A classic handwoven wool rug can add a lot of warmth and coziness to a room, but often too much, making their living room look cluttered and heavy. In such cases, a modern hand-woven kilim rug is usually the perfect answer. In addition to their lightness and pastel colors, they stand out for their simple geometric look. Due to their invigorating colors, colorful kilims have been found among the most popular types of rugs for a long time. These hand-woven unique pieces are very flexible towards your interior design and blend seamlessly into the living landscape. By purchasing a genuine kilim, you can bring a small part of the Orient into your own home. The light base tone of a kilim will enhance the look of your living room and furniture in a very elegant and lasting way. Moreover, since they are made of natural fabrics, kilims are very easy to care for.

Turkish and Anatolian kilims

Kelim rugs from Anatolia and Turkey have been woven for centuries for personal use and used as rugs or wall hangings. Therefore, for most of their time they had no significance for trade and remained unknown to Europeans for a long time. It was not until 1965, at a Turkish art exhibition in Germany, that they became popular virtually overnight. Since then there is an unbroken buying desire for the decorative and exotic fabrics. These are still woven mostly in home work by village families as a sideline. Turkish kilims are cross-striped and relatively large. An original kilim wool rug can be recognized by its unconventional dimensions, because it was not woven with for trade, but for its own demands.

Kilims and the loom

Since in the past many kilims were made at home and they had only one loom of normal width, many were made in two pieces and then sewn together. It can happen that the warp of one half is different from the warp of the other half and both pieces end up fitting together only with a little imagination. But exactly such Kelim rugs show very nicely how simple and plain the origin around the Kelims is. Due to the knotting on a rectangular base fabric, kilims can only be knotted rectangular and not round. Long kilim runners are also popular. Since the loom is limited only in width and not in length, runners are very to weave. There are sometimes kilim runners up to 8 meters in length.

Kelim Patchwork and Kelim Vintage

For some time now, so-called Kelim Patchwork or Kelim Vintage have been made from old Kelim. For this purpose, the usable pieces of an old or used kilim are put together to make a new one. Vintage Kelim rug are also intentionally bleached in the sun to get a more homogeneous and pale color effect. Our Vintage Kelim are very popular for exactly these characteristics and fit very well into a living room with wooden furniture.

Afghan kilim rug - Excellent wool and beautiful colors

In Afghanistan, kilims made from real wool have been knotted for home use for centuries. Often Afghan kilims are known under the term Kelim Fars. The beautiful design has been preserved until today and with fresh colors like beige, pink, gray, red and blue.

Kilims as reversible rugs

Afghan kilims are reversible due to their special weaving technique, so they can be used on both sides. The pile of Afghan wool kilims is finished on both sides and is robust. Some Persian kil ims can also be used as reversible rugs or even as outdoor kilims.

Nimbaft Kilims

The Nimbaft is a hybrid of hand-woven and hand-knotted rug. The parts of the kilim rug are flat as usual, but the knotted parts are noticeably higher. Making a nimbaft is a lot more involved than weaving a kilim.

Buy a Kelim rug online at Rugway

At Rugway, you will find only hand-woven kilim rugs in extremely beautiful colors and geometric patterns. We offer great collections across the kilim world. Whether Afghan Kelim Fars, original Turkish Kelims or fine and high quality Sirjan Kelims from Iran. Almost every demand we can serve with our assortment. If you still have not found a suitable kilim in your search, it is worthwhile to contact us. We can support you in your search with suggestions, which are not available in our online store. Therefore, please do not be shy and just tell us what you are looking for. If you want to buy a kilim, then we can offer you a 30-day return policy and free round-trip shipping. Through our award with the TrustedShops seal you can buy safely online.