Finding the Perfect Vintage Rug
Vintage rugs ground a space, add character, texture, and nuance in a way the new rugs simply don’t. The trick is, finding the perfect one at a reasonable price. I’ve found that this comes down to a few things: figuring out your search terms, bookmarking and following the right sellers, and knowing the rough measurements you need (while keeping some flexibility).
I’ve got some more bedroom updates to share soon, including pulled out shots to show you the full impact of this rug on our space along with other improvements, but for now I wanted to share some vintage-hunting tips!
Figuring out your desired style and narrowing down your search terms
First things first: gather your inspiration! I always find creating a board on Pinterest is the easiest way to corral inspiration photos in one place — be as aspirational as you please!
From here, take note of any consistencies in what you are drawn to. Is it a neutral, washed-out palette? A bold, oriental style? Moroccan shag? Honing in on what exactly you are looking for is key. Write out a short list of descriptors that you notice to use for search terms.
Also do a few general searches on Etsy (large vintage rug, antique runner rug, Turkish vintage rug, kilim rug, etc. for example) and click into the listings that catch your eye. How did the seller title that listing? Did they add any tags within the listing? Make note of those terms and use them to refine your search!
Personal ones that I use are neutral Oushak rugs or muted vintage rugs!
Bookmark and follow the right sellers
I personally find the best sellers via Etsy, heart their shops, and follow them on Instagram to stay in the loop with their latest arrivals. Patience for just the right one is key! There are some Instagram sellers who certainly offer beautiful rug collections but I find their prices a bit too inflated — so I like to work backwards from Etsy for sellers who have a larger breadth of offering and fairer prices. Here are some of my person favorites!
(This is where I got our bedroom rug pictured above and I am in LOVE with it. Sarah has such a beautiful, robust, and well-priced selection. I caught this one via their Instagram!)
Know your measurements…but stay flexible
Unlike new rugs, where there are set sizes of 4×6, 5×8, 6×9, 8×10 and so on, vintage rugs almost always come in irregular sizes that approximate these ranges due to their handmade nature. I’ve found it best to measure out the space you need a rug, and to keep the measurements in both inches and cm handy as a reference!
Some current favorites
(I will try to continually add to these as I come across vintage rugs to keep this post an evergreen resource for you all, especially since each is one-of-a-kind!)
