A Guide to Area Rugs Terms

All-Over: A term used to describe area rugs where the pattern is spread out over the area rug and which doesn’t have a medallion (central design).

Antique: Area rugs over 60 years of age.

Arabesque: Patterns of intertwining vines, branches, leaves and flowers seen on area rugs.

Background Color: The dominant color of area rugs design.

Blend: Area rugs that contain multiple types of fibers.

Braided Rugs: Braided fabric that is formed into area rugs. Braided rugs are usually very durable and are commonly found in an oval rugs shape; however they do come in other shapes as well.

Cartoon: A drawing on graph paper, which is then used by a weaver to create the design of area rugs.

Contemporary Rugs: Area rugs less than 25 years of age. Contemporary rugs contain modern rugs designs and can feature a variety of patterns.

Cotton: One of the most common materials used in area rugs making and is soft yet highly durable.

Dyes: There are two types of area rugs dyes - natural and synthetic. Dyes are used to color materials that area rugs are made from like wool, cotton and silk.

Embossing: The carving around area rugs designs, which gives the overall area rug a unique design.

Field: The center of area rugs or more specifically the area inside the borders.

Flat Weave: A technique in which no knots are used in the area rugs creation process.

Foundation: The base elements of area rugs, which consist of warps and wefts.

Frieze: Area rugs made with a twisted thread, which gives the appearance of a rough looking rustic area rugs.

Fringe: Warp threads that are beyond the edge of area rugs. These parts of area rugs are fragile and should not be stepped on or vacuumed.

Fine Rugs: Area rugs in mint condition.

Hand made Rugs: Traditionally the only way area rugs were made. Handmade rugs are created using hand movements such as weaving, knotting, and tufting. They’re more expensive than machine made rugs and are generally of better quality.

Hooked Rugs: A technique where threads are pushed through a canvas cloth and then pulled back out. Hooked rugs are generally cheaper than other types as the process is much easier and quicker than the handmade rugs method.

Knot Density: Refers to the total amount of knots used to create area rugs.

Line Count: Refers to the number of horizontal knots used in the foot of area rugs.

Machine Made Rugs: An automatic method of producing area rugs and today is the process in which most designer area rugs and other area rugs styles are made.

Medallion: A large design or symbol located in the center of area rugs.

Motifs: A design or color that is repeated throughout the area rugs.

Nap: Refers to the surface of area rugs.

One-Sided: Area rugs where the design is woven in only one direction.

Oriental Rugs: Refers to area rugs that comes from an Asian country. Oriental area rugs feature traditional patters and designs.

Pendants: The small floral designs located at the top or bottom of a medallion on area rugs.

Pictorial Rugs: Area rugs that features a picture of a creature.

Pile: The material used in making area rugs i.e. wool area rugs, cotton rugs, and silk rugs.

Pile Weave: A technique of creating knots to develop area rugs.

Silk: One of the most common materials used to make area rugs. Silk is extracted from the cocoon of silkworms.

Style: Refers to many properties of area rugs such as texture, color, area rug patterns, origin.

Weave: The hand movement of interweaving threads to form the area rugs.

Wool: Area rugs with one of the most common materials used in rug making, wool area rugs are soft yet highly durable.