Kilims – you’ve probably seen these flatwoven rugs in bohemian homes or heard them mentioned by interior designers. But what exactly is a kilim rug?
In this complete guide, as a professional custom rugs manufacturer, we’ll dive into everything you need to know about these traditional weavings. I’ll cover:
- What is a kilim rug
- Kilim rug history
- How kilims are made
- Kilim motifs and symbols
- Difference between a kilim and carpet
- Kilim rug care
- Kilim rug decor ideas
So if you want to understand these iconic flatwoven rugs, you’re in the right place. Let’s get started!
What is a Kilim Rug
A kilim rug is a flatwoven (not knotted) rug that originates from countries like Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan and countries in the Caucasus.
Unlike thick pile rugs, kilim rugs don’t have a pile. This means they are relatively flat and reversible, with the pattern visible on both sides of the rug.
Kilims are woven on a vertical loom by interlocking colored wefts (horizontal threads) and warps (vertical threads). This kind of weaving produces the slit technique – gaps in the pattern between color blocks – that’s characteristic of kilim rugs.
So in summary:
- Kilim rugs are flatwoven rugs, not knotted pile rugs
- They originated in countries like Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan
- Feature iconic vertical slits between color/pattern blocks
- Are reversible due to their flatweave technique
This flatwoven technique makes kilim rugs relatively faster and easier to produce than knotted rugs. It also gives them their distinctive geometric patterns.
Now let’s delve into the origins and history of the kilim rug.
Kilim Rug History
The history of kilim rugs stretches back thousands of years. Kilim-like textiles have been discovered in regions like Turkey and the Caucasus dating back to the Iron Age.
However, most scholars believe kilims originated among nomadic tribes in Central Asia. These groups wove flatweave textiles like kilims for practical items like floor and wall coverings for their tents.
The Turkish word “kilim” itself is thought to come from the Persian word “gelim” or “gilim”, meaning rug or mattress covering. This points again to the likely Central Asian origins of the ubiquitous kilim.
Over centuries, kilims spread in popularity and use across Central Asia, the Middle East, North Africa and the Balkans. Weaving groups invented new styles and production techniques, fueled by the practical utility and artistic value of the kilim rug.
By the 19th and 20th centuries, kilims became popular trade and collectible items across Europe and America. Western visitors to the Middle East and Asia prized these “exotic” rugs as decorative artifacts and displays of “Oriental” cultures.
So while kilims have an ancient history intertwined with Central Asian nomads, their contemporary revival is also tied to Western decorative arts movements. The history of the kilim rug weaves together many threads!
Next, let’s look at how artisans actually construct these special woven rugs.
How Kilims Are Made
While production methods can vary, most kilims are woven on a fixed vertical loom. This kind of loom holds the warps (lengthwise threads) tautly in place while the weaver passes colored wefts (crosswise threads) over and under them.
The most common kilim weaving technique is slitweave or slit tapestry. This involves tightly packing rows of wefts together, with slits naturally occurring between color/pattern blocks, due to the turning back of each new weft.
Other techniques like soumak, brocading and embroidery may also embellish kilim rugs. But the iconic vertical slits come from the interleaving of bold color blocks in the slitweave technique.
To create patterns on a kilim, artisans interchange different colored wool wefts as they weave. By contrast, patterns on knotted pile rugs come from the arrangement of differently knotted piles.
So to recap how kilims are constructed:
- Kilims are woven on a vertical loom
- The slitweave technique makes the signature color slit patterns
- Patterns emerge through the use of colored wefts during weaving
- As opposed to knotting piles which create patterns on other rugs
But this is just the technical side! Kilim rugs also carry a huge amount of cultural meaning and symbolism, which we’ll explore next.
Kilim Motifs And Symbols
To the untrained eye, traditional kilim rug patterns may seem like abstract geometric shapes. But to the weaving cultures that produce them, these motifs are packed with symbolic significance.
Some common examples of meaningful kilim rug symbols include:
- Diamonds – fertiliy and prosperity
- Triangles – womanhood, femininity, family
- Star – happiness, goals, wishes
- Circle – unity, wholeness, inclusivity
In fact, some scholars divide kilim designs into “signs of belief” and more purely decorative motifs. This highlights how symbolic and sacred many kilim rug patterns are in traditional cultures.
Animal motifs like horses, elephants, birds and mythical creatures also occur frequently. These bridge the symbolic world with the real, appearing in kilims across Central and South Asia.
So if you have an heirloom kilim or are purchasing one, decoding the pattern’s cultural meaning can add a whole new dimension to your appreciation!
Now that we’ve covered the essence of the kilim, how does it differ from other types of rugs you may be familiar with?
Difference Between A Kilim and Carpet
The key distinction between a kilim area rug and a carpet relates to their construction.
As described above, kilims are flatwoven without a pile. The patterns come from the arrangement of colored weft threads woven through the warps.
By contrast, carpets are constructed by knotting bunches of threads around consecutive warps, then cutting the tops to form the pile surface. So carpets have a literal pile through which patterns and designs emerge. This also makes carpets thicker, plusher and less reversible than flat kilim rugs.
Some other differences include:
- Kilims are flatwoven, carpets have pile surface
- Kilims reversible, carpets usually one decorative side
- Kilims lower pile and thinner, carpets thicker and plusher
- Kilims geometric patterns, carpets more varied designs
- Kilims faster to produce than knotted carpets
So while both are types of woven textiles, kilims and carpets achieve their decorative effects through very different techniques. But both can make amazing additions to your home!
Speaking of home decoration – how do we care for and style with these special flatwoven rugs?
Kilim Rug Care
The good news about kilim rugs? They’re pretty low maintenance compared to pile carpets!
You can shake out and spot clean kilims to remove dust and stains. For deeper cleaning, gently handwash them with mild soap and rinse thoroughly with cool water.
Kilims can also be safely vacuumed on a low suction setting – just avoid the fringes. Rotating and evenly spreading out kilims while drying is recommended to maintain shape and color.
Pro tip: Avoid harsh laundry detergents and machine washing, as these can damage and fade old or antique kilims. When in doubt, dry cleaning is gentler on vintage or delicates pieces.
So caring for your kilim doesn’t require much specialty knowledge. But what about decorating with them?
Kilim Rug Decor Ideas
Thanks to their reversible nature and geometric patterns, kilim rugs make hugely versatile interior decor items.
Here are some quick kilim rug decorating ideas:
- Layer over plain sisal or hemp rugs
- Create bright floors in neutral rooms
- Match with ethnic furniture or textiles
- Make bold stair runners
- Frame seating areas and define spaces
- Hang vertically as tapestries
- Top ottomans and coffee tables
Kilim rugs work wonderfully in bohemian, modern, minimalist, rustic and eclectic interiors. Their distinctive patterns engraved in vivid dyes give any room a splash of European or Asian flair.
Whether you lay them casually over floors, hang them prominently over beds, or even upcycle them into pillows…let those creative juices flow!
So there you have it – everything you need to know about the origins, construction, meaning and contemporary use of kilim area rugs.
These ancient weavings manage to be totally on-trend and timelessly ethnic all at once. Hopefully this guide gave you a deep appreciation for kilim rugs, as well as lots of inspiration to use them decoratively.