Design Tips From a Professional: How to Style a Persian Rug
When looking for a machine washable rug that will bring a classic, traditional look into your home, we recommend browsing our Persian rug collection. Although the machine washable rug structure lends itself to a different texture and fabric style than classic Persian rugs, the rug designs included in this washable area rug collection are heavily inspired by Persian design motifs and trends. Because of this, it is now easy for you to bring the timeless Persian rug design style into your home while still maintaining the modern spillproof and machine washable rug structure you’ve come to love about Tumble!
In today’s blog, our designer Kerri Besse shares her best tips for styling a Persian rug in your home.
What makes a rug style Persian?
Shop Olivia Ash/Multi Persian rug
So, what exactly classifies a rug design as Persian? Persian rugs are widely known for being made with the utmost care and attention to detail, and we strive to maintain that same level of dedication when designing our washable Persian rugs. One of the most notable aspects of a Persian rug is the distinctive, bold pattern that often takes over the surface area of the rug. Design aspects like oversized medallions and delicate, detailed floral patterns are evident in our Persian rug collection designs. The geometric motifs and symmetrical design styles are unique to classic Persian rugs, and our washable area rug designs strive to emulate this.
What color palettes are best to complement a Persian rug design?
A neutral color palette works beautifully to complement a Persian rug. Or, if you want to bring a bit of color into your space, Earth tones such as clay, pine, ocean blues, and bark are a great way to do so. Using a color palette like this will allow for your Persian rug to be the main focal point of the space.
What style of decor pieces are often used in the same space as Persian rugs?
Shop Amara Coral/Blue Persian rug
What I love about Tumble’s assortment of washable Persian rugs is that we offer something for everyone. Because there are different styles of Persian rugs (from central medallion to all-over rugs), there is a wide variety of designs you can choose from when looking to bring a Persian rug into your home. Central medallion designs like Amara Indigo/Beige, for example, are more traditional whereas all-over patterns like Maya Ivory/Neutral offer a bit more of a modern take on the look.
What textures should one look for to complement their Persian rug when shopping for decor?
Bringing in Earthy elements with your lamps, vases, and sculptures will always look lovely with Persian rugs. You can add a bit of “whimsy” with lamps that are sculptural busts, or bring in an element of the outdoors with ceramics designed with floral elements — all the while staying within the neutral or Earth tones palette. I also recommend using dried botanicals to bring in some color and wooden accents with colored candles to bring in accent colors. Plus, nothing beats a great gallery wall with a Persian rug!
What fabrics should one look for to complement their Persian rug when shopping for things like throw blankets and pillows?
Shop Shiraz Terracotta/Sky Persian rug
There are a variety of fabrics that compliment Persian rugs well, including:
- Wallpaper, which is making a comeback! Select a “trailing vine botanical” to go with your Persian rug.
- Block printed textiles for drapery and pillows.
- Boucle yarn to add texture and visual interest.
- Larger scale block prints.
- Interesting weave structures with subtle multi-colored yarns.
- Kantha quilt-stitching on throw blankets to add a more lived-in feeling.
- Simple wool striped pillows.
What are your three favorite Persian rug designs from Tumble’s machine washable rug collection?
In no particular order, my three favorite washable area rugs from Tumble’s Persian rug collection are:
- Olivia Ash/Multi — The accent colors of light and dark terracotta are so subtle and lovely. The light distressing throughout the rug allows it to feel like a true antiqued rug.
- Sable Silver/Multi — This is one machine washable rug from Tumble that I personally have in my home, and I love looking at it and seeing different motifs/elements each time. Plus, knowing all of the work that went into drawing all of these motifs makes it feel so special to me.
- Tabriz Sea Blue/Ivory — This has been one of my favorite machine washable rugs from Tumble since we launched it. It is so opposite of my personal style, but I think it is so beautiful in the right home!
If you’re looking for a more personalized consultation regarding how to style a Persian rug, you can set up a direct — complimentary — consultation with Kerri here!
