Antique Rugs > Interior Design > The First Classic: On Vintage and Antique Rugs

The First Classic: On Vintage and Antique Rugs

Antique

Most everyone will remember his first car, or her first string of pearls, or an inaugural purchase of designer clothing. These objects are imbued with extra meaning, not just for their aesthetic qualities, but because they become the treasured landmarks embedded upon the maps of our lives.

Where the home is concerned, I believe a rug should be the “first classic” in which an owner invests. A rug will outlast many of the other beloved objects we collect along our journeys. It is a singular purchase. Here’s why:

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A rug is foundational

Anyone who follows the design blogosphere knows how quickly trends and tastes change. We are constantly pulled in many directions when deciding how to design the spaces we live in – wanting to look modern but not faddish, seeking comfort but not at the expense of nuance and style. A rug is the cornerstone upon which a room is built, and a good one – one that you truly love – will serve as a worthy building block for the long-run, even if other elements come and go.

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Vintage and Antique Rugs are Timeless

Vintage and antique rugs last longer than most things because the weaving tradition is ancient. So many of the other components of décor have had to change or be modified to accommodate modern lifestyles. But humans have been using rugs for decoration and comfort since at least the 5th Century B.C. Even if you didn’t know that history, the legacy of textiles is suffused in culture and design sensibility.  A classic antique rug will never, ever go out of style.

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The history of an antique rug serves as connection to the past

To own a vintage or antique rug is to forge a new link in a continuous chain. It is to have one’s own history tied to that of our predecessors. In an age where we are awash in industrial homogenization and the ephemera of Internet culture, a rug with a past, a history, and a story is a necessary and vital source of authenticity.