How Oriental Rugs are Produced

Oriental rugs are handknotted, one knot at a time, on a loom. A loom is a frame that holds the warp threads, usually cotton but can be silk or wool, stretched vertically around the loom.

The weaver lifts each warp thread and hand knots the appropriate color wool, or occasionally silk, on the warp thread and then cuts the wool off. Following the pattern, the weaver continues knotting the appropriate color wool for the design across the loom to complete one row of the carpet. After each row, another thread, called the weft, is interwoven across the width of the loom to hold each row of knots in place.

This process is continued until the rug is complete.

Before the carpet is cut from the loom, several rows of weft threads are woven horizontally into a selvage end and the vertical threads of the warp are cut and then knotted, forming the fringe of the rug.

The weaver has been quickly cutting the ends of each wool knot as it is woven, leaving the pile uneven and rough. As part of the finishing process, the face of the carpet must be sheared to make a smooth surface. This step creates the level of the pile, defining the pattern and nuances of the design, and providing clarity and delineation. The length of the pile depends on the type of rug being produced. The weaver begins with a large shear, working down to a small, fine shear.

After this process, the edges of the carpet are secured with a strand of wool, taken from the background color of the rug, and hand sewn along the edges or length of the carpet to create a finished look. Another purpose for the edging is to provide extra pieces of the original wool for possible future repairs that may be needed on the carpet. The edging wool is an exact match of color and quality. Sometimes the edge is done in multicolor sections, providing repair wool for any of the colors used in the carpet.

© Arakelian Rugs | Oriental Rugs Connecticut

Why Choose Arakelian Rugs?

We love what we do
Truly loving what we do is one of the most important ingredients to our success. We enjoy coming to work and being surrounded by beautiful handwoven rugs. It is like being in an art gallery each day. We've created an atmosphere that reflects this feeling, making purchasing an oriental rug an enjoyable experience. Our warm, family-like environment adds to the positive experience.

We have been trusted for almost 100 years by the community
John Balayan, Jr. has been around oriental rugs all his life. A third generation oriental rug dealer and collector, he has an extensive knowledge of the many facets of oriental rugs. John, like his father and grandfather before him, stands behind every rug sold, guaranteeing the quality of each piece. Our longevity is proof that we are a trusted, honest and reliable rug dealer.

Personal service-every step of the way
Our personal service is unparalleled. There are no high pressure, commission based salespeople with hidden agendas here. There is just a pure and simple motivation behind our approach-the commitment to working with you until we find the right rug for you. And, you can enjoy the same personal service from our great staff. They are courteous and friendly, and are an integral part of our success. We value our staff greatly and rely on their different skills to carry out our many services

Only rugs of the highest quality are sold
John chooses each rug himself, one at a time, to insure the quality, beauty and distinctiveness of each piece. The same care goes into his selection process whether he is choosing rugs for a customer with specific color, design, style or size requests, or, he is adding to our large stock. Selecting the fine stock is just one facet of Arakelian Rugs that is done with a personal touch.

We care that you are educated about rugs
When buying a rug, Arakelian Rug's customers can take advantage of the knowledge and history that is behind almost one hundred years in the handwoven rug business. We understand that for a lot of our customers, purchasing an oriental rug is a sizable investment in the beauty of their home, therefore, we truly care that our customers make the right choice and are happy with the rug they purchase. We want you to be educated, to understand what you are buying and make an informed decision. We are willing to teach you as much as you want to learn about the world of handwoven rugs. With patience and knowledge, together we will find the right rug for your home.

We specialize in one product only-rugs-and we do it right
We sell handwoven rugs and nothing else-no machine made rugs, no carpet, no flooring. This allows us to focus in and provide our customers with the best possible service. We also sell padding, although a pad comes with every new rug purchase, free of charge.

We offer complete shop at home service
We have customers all over the state and in New York who have our beautiful rugs in their homes but have never been to our showroom. How do we do this? We listen to you, we ask questions, and, we have the experience. We build a profile of what your tastes, color scheme and decor requirements are, the size rugs you might need, and the budget you are working within. Taking all those factors into consideration, we bring out a large rug selection to your home and begin the process of choosing the right rug for you. You can also give us the fabrics you are working with, a floor plan or paint chips. Feel free to send your decorator in.

We listen to you and find what you are looking for
We truly want you to be happy with your choice of rugs, so it is imperative that we listen to our customers and pay attention to what they are trying to achieve with their decor. We work with you until we are both satisfied that we have achieved the desired look.

We offer a free, no obligation in-home trial period
Unique to Arakelian Rugs is the free in-home decorating consultation service and trial period. Without leaving their home, customers can view a selection of rugs laid out in the very place they should be-on the floor of the room the rug is meant for. After viewing rugs, the customers are welcome to a trial period with the rug or rugs of choice in the room. John and Sandy's belief is that you truly need to experience the rug in the home to get the full effect of it's potential to enhance the home.

We offer free pickup and delivery during the trial period

We provide free pickup and delivery for rugs that go home for the in-home trial period. There is never any obligation involved, just relax and enjoy the process of beautifying your home with an Arakelian oriental rug.

© Arakelian Rugs | Oriental Rugs Connecticut

Photography by Lily & Camelia Photography