Oushak
A thin rug with subtle pastel colors and an uber-plush feel, an oushak often has a center medallion with a patterned border. Should you have been the owner of a Downton Abbey–like estate in the 19th century, this would have been the rug of choice for maids’ and servants’ quarters.
And oushaks are just as hardworking in the modern home. They are more coarsely woven than other Turkish rugs, giving them that coveted worn look that this one from Woven definitely has going on.
Overdyed
Those single-color rugs, with a faint hint of a pattern underneath? Those are overdyed. The process of dyeing them creates a soft, washed-out depth—color minimalists rejoice!
Some are more faded, while others are bold like this green overdyed rug from Woven. This is the perfect solution if you like an Oriental-style pattern but not a mix of colors.
Agra
Perhaps best known as home to the Taj Mahal, the city of Agra, India, also produces some killer rugs. It was that royal patronage in the 16th century that gave a boost to the town’s rug industry.
Agra weavers were known for their stellar vegetable dyeing skills, and the city still produces rugs with an exquisitely light, airy feel.
Swedish
The popularity of Swedish rugs was cemented when 20th-century modern designers became captivated by the idea of blending heritage Oriental rug-making techniques with Swedish motifs.
With a stamp of approval from design behemoths like Le Corbusier, Charles and Ray Eames, and Frank Lloyd Wright, Swedish rugs became a modernist must-have, and today the simple patterns and muted palettes are as popular as ever.
Moroccan
If you’ve read a design blog or magazine in the last five years, you are likely familiar with this designer-darling.
The base material for a Moroccan rug is black or white sheep’s wool, but the finished color and pattern is determined by the tribe of origin. Often, Moroccan rugs are shaggy and super soft, making them the perfect choice for a cozy bedroom.
Kilim
Like oushaks, kilims are Turkish flat-woven rugs, which means that they are on the thin side of the rug spectrum. If you’re drawn to stripes or geometric patterns, look for kilims—there are a million varieties of this popular rug.
Historically, they were produced in the countries of the former Ottoman Empire, where they were used for everything from tent hangings and floor covers to storage sacks. “If you go to a mosque in Turkey, they use a lot of big kilims for people that are going to pray,” Sam says.
Chador
A subset of the flat-woven kilim rugs, the chador was a tent that Middle Eastern tribes would sleep under (in Farsi, the word literally means tent), though it’s also the term for a traditional outer garment worn by women in the region.
When used as a rug, the chador is deceptively delicate and ethereal, but don’t be fooled—its design was, after all, made to withstand the desert elements. Their frequently large size and tough weaving make them perfect for a high-traffic living or dining room.
