Rugs come in many different styles, designs, shapes, and sizes. There are dozens upon dozens of various rug families and categories. One that we haven’t focused on too much is a pictorial rug. These are some of the more unique options we carry. But before we dive into that, you’re probably wondering, “What is a pictorial rug” in the first place?
Today, we’ll answer that question and then look at a handful of pictorial rug styles before revealing a few ways to use them in your home.
What is a pictorial rug?
To get started, “pictorial” means that it contains pictures. So, a pictorial rug is characterized by the imagery that the weaver crafted into the design.
Some rug styles include large medallions or geometric shapes. Instead, pictorial rugs have various faces or specific imagery, such as buildings or locations.
Pictorial rugs also include animals, vehicles, and farming equipment. They may even highlight a scene from a culturally significant part of history or simply a portrait of someone’s face. The possibilities are only limited by the weaver’s imagination.
There are four primary subcategories of pictorial rugs we want to focus on today: Tabriz, Navajo, Modern/Contemporary, and Landscape.
Tabriz
As a subset of the larger category of Persian Rugs, Tabriz rugs are often found with pictorial images. This is the birthplace of the pictorial rug. Initially, they were made to be hung. And often, Tabriz rugs feature floral motifs, hunting scenes, or landscapes.
Navajo
Pictorial rugs are one of the more common rug classifications in the United States. Navajo and other native tribes embraced this design style in their rugs for ages, and you can still find many of those available for sale today.
Modern & Contemporary
Pictorial rugs in this category are often created as a statement piece for your room. They’re designed to be used on the floor. If you plan to choose a modern or contemporary pictorial rug for your space, we’d recommend you pick it first and then design the rest of the room around this piece.
Landscape Rugs
One of the most popular pictorial rugs is a landscape rug. These feature picturesque scenes, villages, cityscapes, coastal scenes, and other outdoor settings. Landscape rugs can personalize your space, tell a story, or remember a favorite travel memory.
Ways to Use Pictorial Rugs
Pictorial rugs can serve many functions in your home. One of their traditional and most common uses is hanging them as wall art. Alternatively, however, you can use them as a simple area rug. Or they can act as a conversation piece in your space as they are literally artwork on your floor.
Would a pictorial rug be the perfect fit for your home?
If so, Rug Source is the place to shop. We have thousands of pictorial rugs to choose from. So, whether you’d like an antique option or something abstract, we have sizes ranging from small to palace-sized. Visit our showroom in Charlotte at 7215 Smith Corners Boulevard, or browse our online inventory of pictorial rugs here.