Antique rugs are beautiful not only because of the intricacies of their designs but for their history as well. Handmade area rugs can last for centuries when cared for properly, and it’s seen a thousand or more stories pass by over its lifetime. If you have a rug that is a century or more old, you should create the best conditions so you can appreciate it while keeping it intact.
The 4 tips below can help you maintain the condition of your antique rug for generations more. If you plan on buying an antique rug in the future, you should also keep these in mind.
- Hang antique rugs professionally: We invite all of our patrons to “walk on art,” because we consider all the handmade rugs we carry to be works of art. Antique rugs, however, provide a unique challenge — we love how they look in our homes, but we don’t want to cause any wear or damage. Hanging antique rugs on the walls of private residences has become more popular recently, as it provides the rug owners a way to fully appreciate the artistry of their acquisition without worrying about someone spilling wine or tracking mud over those century-old fibers. Once you’ve hung antique rugs like fine art on your wall, you can complement their style with a more modern rug on the floor. As long as the designs don’t clash, the effect enhances the look of the entire room. You can purchase wall-hanging kits and DIY, but we recommend getting a pro to do it instead. Antique rugs that are 3×4 or 5×7 are the best sizes to hang, though you may be able to hang a larger one, depending on the rug and your wall.
- Store properly in a cool, dry place, when needed. Before you decide to store it, remove all metal hooks, rings, and fastenings. Do not fold rugs to store them. Instead, lay antique rugs flat on top of each other or wrap a single rug around a pole. The pole should be taller than the rolled-up rug, and be sure the base of the pole isn’t metal, as it could cause damage and stain the fibers.
- Keep antique rugs away from prolonged exposure to sunlight. If you decide to hang a rug or even if you place it on the floor, be mindful not to put it in a spot that receives long amounts of sunlight. Some regions of the world don’t get much sun anyway, so their area rugs don’t get sun damaged much, but the same can’t be said for Phoenix! Sunlight can cause damage over time, so just keep that in mind when you’re considering where to put one in your living space.
- Have repairs made sooner. Regardless of our best efforts, sometimes antique rugs can still get damaged. Maybe the dehumidifier broke, or a guest tripped and spilled something on your hanging rug. The sooner you have these repairs made, the more likely your rug will survive the next accident. Tears and rips should especially be addressed soon so they don’t get worse ( gravity can take its toll on damaged hanging rugs).
