A Beginner's Guide to Kilim Rugs: History, Styles, and Care

• 06 October 2021
• 4 Min Read
• By Jaipur Rugs

Kilim rugs are said to have no pile and are flat woven. Kilim carpets are formed by interweaving of warp and weft together. They do not use any yarn unlike other rugs. These were born in Turkey and are still woven in parts of North Africa, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Central Asia.

Kilim rugs are said to have no pile and are flat woven. Kilim carpets are formed by the interweaving of warp and weft together. They do not use any yarn, unlike other rugs. These were born in Turkey and are still woven in parts of North Africa, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Central Asia.

While making kilim rugs, small colorful strands of warp and weft are usually tied together. Moreover, you will often notice that the warp and weft are kept together following a diagonal pattern that keeps the alignment straight and avoids gaps between them. Read through the piece to learn everything you need to know about kilim rugs. 

Kilim rugs are flat and are often used by people to enhance the interior decor, while across some religions, they are also used as prayer or meditation mats. They add comfort and calmness while you are trying to awaken your consciousness.

Material Used in Kilim Rugs:

The material used is generally wool, cotton, or other natural fibers. It entirely depends on the durability and texture. Wool is used in the form of warps along with cotton wefts. This accounts for the strength of the kilim rug. However, sometimes animal hair like that of camels, goats, and horses is also used to make these rugs.

With Jaipur Rugs, you can even go ahead with custom rugs. We strongly believe that if you are looking for the right rug for your home, it should talk about your personality. It should add a definition to the space and, at the same time, align with what you are as an individual. Therefore, we follow the motto that your ideas and our craftsmanship have the power to create endless possibilities.

So get ready to bring a treasure of culture, tradition, and patterns that further elevate the space. Placing a kilim rug will help cast a bold statement for anyone entering the space.

Kilim Rugs Design

A few designs adorn the kilim rugs, including women showcasing the age of fertility, eyes to save from the power of evil eyes, amulets for good luck, and similar patterns. These patterns connected with the emotions of the people weaving them and struck a balance of cool and warm color tones per the design aesthetics.

However, after a few years, the designs took a different shape. The attention shifted from meaningful designs connecting human lives to myths with hidden beliefs left open to interpretations for different types of people.

Later, the attention shifted to the design aesthetics and patterns that gel well with the space. Such designs became a part of a modern room setting and could send a welcoming message to anyone who stepped into the space. This gave an upper hand to explore the uninvited territories within a space.

If you closely observe the kilim rugs of the present times, you will notice that they usually have geometrical patterns and floral patterns covering most of the rug region.

Depending on your space, you can go ahead with kilim rugs from any era, whether antique, vintage, or modern-day.

To play along with the modern vibe of the space, kilim rugs are not just used as floor coverings but also as hanging on walls, couch or bench covers, pillow covers, and sometimes even used to give a pattern on handbags.
 

Kilim Rug Care:

The great thing about kilim rugs is that they are not heavy on your pocket, so if you are not looking forward to an investment in handmade rugs, they are a great way to begin with. They are, in fact, a perfect blend of creativity and simplicity that can adorn your home. Kilim rugs differ from normal ones as they take less time, effort, and material.

If you are busy and there is hardly any free slot in your schedule, you can quickly go ahead with only vacuuming kilim rugs occasionally. Rest they can take care of themselves. These are easy to maintain and do not require much time or effort. A few minutes spent caring for the rug will add more years to its life.

Another plus point about these rugs is that they do not shed like other high-pile wool or shag rugs. Moreover, if they catch dirt or stains, they can be washed just like a piece of cloth, as they are mostly handmade. When you dry kilim rugs, remember that they should receive heat evenly at all sections. If they are left out in the open, directly under the sun, for a long duration, they tend to fade from a particular area, making them look old. Then, you might have to fade them across all sections to give them an even appearance.

Kilim rugs are versatile. These can be used both as indoor as well as outdoor rugs. You can place them in your family room or kids' room; simultaneously, these are not restricted to being taken out for a picnic or a poolside. Since they are lightweight, you can easily carry them with your snack basket.

Kilim rugs are popular because of their bold patterns that stand out. In addition to that, they also make use of a strong color palette. You would hardly come across kilim carpets in muted tones and subtle colors. They generally have colors like red, orange, blue, and yellow covering significant areas of the rug. These were said to have freedom of expression and creativity instilled within them.

Initially, like traditional rugs, kilim rugs had motifs that derived meaning from human lives and the things surrounding them. These were used to share ideas and communicate thoughts among people. The majority of these were made by tribal people who were inspired by nature and the greenery encircling their living environment.