Floor Coverings

Floor coverings have been quite common in the eastern part of the globe including Turkey, Persia (Iran), China, India and the regions around. Be the knotted carpets or woven durries and kilims, they have been an integral part of the culture here.

Flat woven durries and kilims of cotton or wool made the first floor coverings, centuries ago. They were woven by ladies in their free time for their household use to insulate against cold. Gradually with the advent of knotted oriental carpets, the purpose changed. Carpets are now used for home accents, decor and beauty rather than a simple utility.

The modern world has a vast variety of floor coverings to choose from. They all have as varied properties and utilities.

Knotted Carpet - They are also known as the oriental carpets. They are pilled carpets made of wool or silk on cotton or silk base. They are rich in color and patterns. The designs are as vast as the regions they are practiced in. The origin is the tribes of Turkey and Persia and usually the place of origin can be identified from the pattern, intricacy and the density and style of knots. Kashmir in India is famous for its silk and wool carpets.

Tufted carpets - The origin of tufted carpets can be traced to America in 1930. They are a cheaper version of the knotted carpets. They have the same patterns and the intricacies as knotted carpets but not the same durability. The tufts are anchored in a plain woven cloth. To provide endurance the backside is first covered with latex glue and then the secondary backing. They form the economical range of carpets.

Flat Weaves - The flat weave carpets of India are called durries. They were earlier woven by almost every household for their personal use. The patterns vary with the region. Panipat is known for geometric patterns and Andhra Pradesh for Ikkat patterns. The yarn can be either cotton or wool. Flat weaves of Turkey are called Kilim and are known for their intricate patterns. The major difference lies in the weaving style. In a kilim, the new colored yarn of the weft is not joined to the previous color this creating a slit along the pattern.

Namdah - It is the felt wool carpet. The felted wool is embroidered with chain stitch as in kashmir in India and parts of Iran or appliqued as in Rajasthan in India or some tribal belts of Iran. The patterns range from bold geometric to intricate Persian.

Synthetic Carpets - They may be pilled or non woven types made of the synthetic yarn. They have gained popularity later due to their versatility and durability. They may be single colored or multicolored and in the form of accent rugs or wall to wall carpeting.

Jute carpets - They are flat woven jute, pilled or braided. They form one of the most beautiful and environment friendly area rugs. The natural golden color of jute is attractive in itself and it can also be bleached or dyed.

The carpets need to be selected keeping in mind the utility, the purpose and the traffic of the area where it needs to be installed. The kind of soiling they face and the kind of maintenance that they require are also major factors.