Beautiful, luxury rugs are often in the eye of the beholder. A certain style of traditional Persian rugs may appeal to you, but your spouse might have their eye on something more contemporary. Current interior decorating trends will always impact what looks are especially “in” — while traditional, large area rugs never really go out of style, contemporary oriental designs and other rugs are more likely to be influenced by the tides of fashion.
One American rug store was recently in the news for offering neon-dyed area rugs for its customers. The owner has been taking 100-year-old rugs and bleaching the color out of them, then over-dyeing the rugs in bright neon shades like pink and blue. While we offer quite a few contemporary designer styles that incorporate such bright hues, we wouldn’t recommend bleaching an antique area rug to get the same effect.
While combining that traditional Persian style with such colors creates an interesting effect, rugs that are treated may not retain their value as long. One of the reasons a traditional rug can maintain its value is that the look will remain classic and is very rarely considered outdated. By over-dyeing an antique rug to be neon, you are banking on the hope that neon as a fashion will be long lasting. From an investment perspective, this is not an optimal choice.
As a side note, bleaching also removes the natural oils present in fibers like wool. This can cause the fibers to become brittle over time and more prone to damage.
Even for more traditional rugs, current styles can have an impact on what consumers buy and the current worth of rugs you already own. Neon Persian rugs may seem attractive to a young couple looking to create a modern feel in their new home, but there are better ways to achieve that goal than bleaching an antique or designer area rug!
The rug below is a great example of bright, neon colors being worked into a contemporary design:
Utilizing an intricate design, this Pakistani contemporary rug is approximately 9×12 and would be an eye-catching addition to a living room or dining room. The bright yellows and pinks contrast well with the darker blues and blacks of the piece.
However, such contrasting colors are not suited to everyone’s tastes. Here is a smaller rug that uses several shades of a bright color for a more subtle look:
This 3×5-foot rug from Pakistan transitions from dark shades to light shades and back to dark again. It wouldn’t be hard to work this small rug into your current decor because the style has long-lasting appeal. Could you see an area rug like this in your home?
Another brightly colored designer area rug that might pique your interest is this beautiful runner:
Perfect for placing in hallways or walkways, this contemporary style uses a block pattern to create a bold and simple look.
Contemporary oriental and other style rugs are available for almost any budget — come to our rug store and we can show you what we have in stock right now, or visit our online gallery. You don’t have to get a dyed antique rug! And if you do want a rug made in that style, consider instead a custom rug made to your exact specifications. The quality and longevity will be much higher than a bleached and over-dyed rug.
