Happily, I still have a few rooms without rugs! I would like to know what people think is the best venue for buying relatively low-cost hand-made wool rugs.
I have used Craigslist so far but recently had a not so good experience. As my knowledge of and interest in rugs increases, I realize there are a lot more elements to be attentive to. Sometimes the viewing circumstances for rugs on Craigslist are not ideal, and the seller may not know/tell about the rug.
I like the links to reputable stores which some members have posted (KAD posted a wonderful one a day or two ago) but I hesitate to buy something I have not seen. Do you find photos are a good preparation? Also, do you find yourself returning rugs bought online after living with them a while?
I suppose my ideal venue would be a local store, but prices are usually out of my reach.
I am setting a budget for $400 on Craigslist and $1100 for stores. Do you think this is realistic for larger rugs: 8 X 10 or 9 X 12?
I haven't tried eBay and would like advice on that also.
So far, I have bought one flat-woven smaller rug, from a rug store, which I instantly loved and still love.
I bought an old Baktiari kellye from Craigslist for $125, it was my first rug. I thought I had made a big mistake but I cleaned it with a toothbrush and while I improved the appearance a little, I got to know it very well and now I'm very attached to it. It is no great beauty but it responds well to light and is very eccentric.
I bought another large thick piled rug from Craigslist, the identity of which I will have to verify here. It is a white Shah Abbas, with thin blue, green, and blood red design, very plush, with a nice fringe, I think it's probably Indian. That was well within my Craigslist budget.
To cut a long story short, I am very interested in color, Turkish rugs (though I don't have any), kilim, also good pile, generally rugs in good condition (at this point, I definitely have wide taste). I prefer rugs that have some personality. I also prefer sellers who know the rug and who will tell me about flaws upfront.
I see rugs as a relationship, not only between me and them, and me and them and the house and the people who live here, and the light, but also between me and the people who sell them, and most importantly (and something still to be learned) the people who made and make them. I don't have much money, and I do have a cat, and a fairly rough and ready house. I want to enjoy the rugs to the maximum and not to be over-worried about them.
Any advice regarding best points of purchase for my budget and values would be most welcome.
Thank you!
