Vintage Rugs & Carpets

Old rug, antique or vintage — what is the difference?

An old rug is simply a hand-knotted rug that has been used for decades — it is precisely those years that give the wool its soft sheen and character. When we speak of an antique rug, we usually mean old rugs of roughly eighty years or older, with their original colours and patina; you will find those in our collection of antique rugs & old carpets. A vintage rug is an old Persian or Turkish rug that is deliberately given a second life: shorn low and re-dyed (recoloured) into a contemporary piece. So if you are looking for an old Persian rug in its original state, look at antique — if you want the quality of old rugs in a modern colour, you have come to the right place. Prefer a flat-woven kilim rug with vintage character? That weaving tradition is centuries old too.

What makes a rug vintage?

The result is different every time, and that makes every piece unique. Sometimes the original patterns have faded completely, sometimes you can still see them shining through. And whether you are looking for a calm earth tone or a vivid pink or purple, anything is possible. The rugs are made of 100% wool, knotted on a cotton warp. Thanks to the wide range of patterns, looks and colours, a vintage rug suits almost any interior.

Note the difference with many new ‘vintage’ rugs from DIY stores or web shops: those are machine-made from polypropylene or polyester, with a printed pattern meant to imitate a worn look. Our vintage rugs are genuine old rugs made of natural materials — 100% wool, handmade, with the knot-by-knot classic patterns of the original Turkish or Persian rug. The time-worn look is not imitated but the result of decades of use and of shearing the pile low — and gives every piece a unique appearance with timeless charm. Thanks to the high-quality materials, such a rug has a long life — after all, it has already served for decades.

Vintage rugs in all kinds of colours

When a rug is re-dyed, you choose the colour; the old patterns determine how much of it remains visible. This creates rugs with softly faded colours and a subtle design, but also pieces in rich colours — right up to bright shades such as pink or purple — in which the authentic patterns run along like a shadow. Our range includes many colours, from earth tones, grey and beige to pink, purple, blue and green; which shades are in the gallery right now changes, so if you are looking for a specific colour, just ask.

Which vintage rug suits your interior?

A vintage rug instantly adds atmosphere and suits almost any interior style, modern as well as classic. With modern, straight-lined furniture in a modern interior, the worn, hand-knotted rug creates a beautiful contrast — the retro look of genuine vintage, without imitation; in a classic interior it blends in with wood and warm tones. Choose the size to fit the room — for the living room usually 200 x 300 cm or larger — and the colour to suit what is already there. Not sure how a rug will look in your room? With our rug visualizer you can see a rug in your own interior, or use the free home viewing service below.

Vintage rugs by size

Looking for a vintage rug in a specific size? Go straight to our most popular sizes:

• Vintage rug 200 x 300 cm — for the living and dining room
• Vintage rug 170 x 240 cm — the popular mid-size

Want to compare all types in one size? View all rugs 200 x 300 cm or rugs 170 x 240 cm from our entire collection.

Caring for a vintage rug

A low-shorn wool rug is easy to care for: vacuum regularly in the direction of the pile, without a beater bar or rotating brush. Stains: blot a fresh stain immediately with a clean white cloth and lukewarm water — blot, don't rub — and do not use household cleaning products: the second colour layer of a vintage rug is less colourfast than the original wool. An anti-slip underlay keeps the rug in place. For a thorough clean, you can have the rug cleaned and restored by us.

Frequently asked questions about vintage rugs

What is a vintage rug?
An old, hand-knotted wool rug that is shorn low and re-dyed (recoloured), creating a unique, contemporary rug.

What is the difference between an old, antique and vintage rug?
An old rug is any hand-knotted rug with years of use; we call old rugs of around eighty years or older in original condition antique; vintage is an old rug that has been shorn low and re-dyed into a modern piece.

Are old rugs still of good quality?
Yes — old, hand-knotted rugs in particular are made of excellent wool. That quality is exactly why they deserve a second life as a vintage rug.

Is every vintage rug unique?
Yes. Because of the reuse and the dyeing treatment, no two pieces are the same.

In which colours and sizes are they available?
In almost every colour, from earth tones to bright pink or purple, and in a wide range of sizes.

Are vintage rugs made of wool or polypropylene?
Our vintage rugs are 100% wool, hand-knotted on a cotton warp. Many new ‘vintage look’ rugs are machine-made from polypropylene or polyester with a printed pattern; we do not sell those.

How do I clean a vintage rug?
Vacuum regularly without a beater bar and blot a fresh stain immediately with lukewarm water and a white cloth. No household cleaning products; for a thorough clean you can have the rug cleaned by us.

Buy a vintage rug in our galleries

Would you like to see a vintage rug or old rug in real life before you choose? Visit one of our three galleries — our advisers take plenty of time for expert, personal advice, with a cup of coffee and no sales pressure.

• Gallery Hilversum — 's-Gravelandseweg 29A · 035-6228345
• Gallery Amstelveen — Dorpsstraat 33 · 020-6405177
• Gallery Groningen — Gedempte Zuiderdiep 71 · 050-3186797 · our flagship since 1994

Prefer to stay at home? Use our free home viewing service: we visit you with a selection of rugs so you can see how they look in your own interior — unique in the Netherlands, and standard with us since 1994.