RUGS - 7 TIPS FOR AGEING IN STYLE

IMG_8443.jpg

A stunning vintage Beni Ouarain, wouldn’t you like yours to become like this?


When buying a new Beni Ouarain rug in the souks, there are many different qualities. Having the black, grey or brown diamond on a white surface still works like magic for many people. Looking into the details may make all the difference! Others might have grown tired on these traditional Moroccan Berber carpets but I can tell you that nothing beats the beauty of a vintage Beni Ouarain that has been made according to some basic rules and treated for years with some simple care instructions.

Vintage carpets started out as new, and yours can grow old in style just like them.

A beautiful new Beni, waiting for the right care.

A beautiful new Beni, waiting for the right care.


7 Tips to go by:

  1. Check the backbone!
    The warp of a carpet is the backbone. Giving it its strenght no matter how old. The warp should always be cotton! If it’s too white it might not look that good in the beginning, but realise your carpet will change colour over time and wool and cotton will blend in more.

  2. The longer the pile the brighter the shimmer.
    Vintage carpets come with short, medium or long pile. Check them out and look at how you want your carpet to look like. The shimmer that appears and comes to the wool is nothing else but dirt, some cleaning, brushing and use! It’s like brushing your own hair! Silky shiny hair is just like wool. Treat it as you would treat your own hair!

  3. Count the knots!
    If you go for a short piled carpet, make sure the knots are not too wide apart or you risk having ‘empty’ lines in between the rows over time. The cheapest carpets in the souks already show these lines when new, and you don’t want to have that!
    If you opt for long pile carpets, you might actually have some more space between the knots as this makes it more easy for the pile to rest. This is not necessary and better a tight knotting than too wide!

  4. Brush it, brush it, brush it.
    Ever had a wired hair dog? These brushes can be used to gently brush your carpet and make the pile thinner. You don’t have to, but doing this will speed up the ageing process. BE GENTLE though.

  5. One direction!
    Brushing the rug, always in the same direction, will make sure that the wool ‘rests’ flatter and that the used surface is always the same side of the pile. = faster ageing!

  6. Clean it gentle and not too often.
    Cleaning your carpet with water can be done when necessary, but once a year is more than enough. Other ways of cleaning it and get rid of house dust mite and other microscopic inhabitants is putting it outside in the sunshine, or a night in the frost. Here in Morocco, you see carpets hanging outside a lot!

  7. Use it!
    The more you use a carpet, the more beautiful it becomes! spots and dirt are actually helping the ageing process and turn into soft darker toned spots that help building the soul of your own vintage carpet!

When you want to your new carpet to have all the glamour from a vintage one, you can opt spending a little more and have this perfect dream look!

When you want to your new carpet to have all the glamour from a vintage one, you can opt spending a little more and have this perfect dream look!

ARE YOU A DESIGNER?

We are your eyes in the souks!

 

We know how it feels, missing these items that can make or break your design!
Try our personal on distance sourcing. Communication is KEY while we are sourcing you that perfect piece!


Marlène Pauly is a personal sourcer and shopper for Moroccan lifestyle and design objects. Both private and wholesale. Here, in the Red City of Marrakech, she founded COCO-Morocco, a Sourcing Agency on Moroccan Handmade. Her 10+ years sourcing the souks, first as an architect and interior designer, decorating her restauration projects on farm houses in Europe gave her a solid knowledge of quality and price. She fell in love with the country, and became passionate about the culture of negotiating and when to define a transaction as a 'good deal'. You can hire her for private sourcing projects and tours. She also organises twice yearly Marrakech Design Week. A week for wholesalers and people in the retail business. Besides that, she adores visiting riads, having undercover experiences and reporting back on her blog.
She can help you in getting that subtle touch of Morocco into your interiors.

Click the button to get in touch.


Inspired by the style? Ready for some sourcing in Marrakech?
contact us

More inspiration on
Facebook | Twitter |  Google+ |  Instagram | Contact | Bloglovin


Curious about shopping in Marrakech? Here are some more tips, tricks, addresses...