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What you Should Know If This Is Your First Experience Buying Antique Rugs

So you're looking for a rug for you home, but you're not sure what to do to get started. You took to Google and ran your searches. You went to Facebook and even joined some online groups. You spoke with people you trust. Despite all this, you are still a little wary. You love rugs - you appreciate their artistry, their history, their uniqueness, and you want to make sure you find the right piece at a fair price.

So what’s next?

First Antique Rug Buying Experience Check List:

For Starters, You Should Establish Your Taste.

Rugs, like people, come in all shapes, sizes and colors. Some may be more tribal, others more traditional. It’s important that you have at least a general idea of the look you are seeking to achieve. Finding an image online may be helpful for both you as well as for your rug dealer, and can serve as a great starting point. Don't be surprised, however, if you come in looking for fine and intricate carpets but fall in love with a tribal and casual one. At the end of the day, you should buy an antique rug with your heart, just like you would buy a painting.

Make Sure You Have the Absolute Minimum and Maximum Sizes You Can Use:

Unlike fabrics, antique rugs can’t be made in any size. By being as flexible as possible in size, you will open yourself up to a far greater range of choices. Unlike new rugs, antique rugs are not priced by size. Some larger rugs may be less expensive than some scatter size pieces. This is important to keep in mind when you are conducting your search.

Establishing a Rug Budget:

Of course you want something nice, but you also don't want to break the bank. Many people are wary about giving a rug dealer a budget, but, at the end of the day, you have to trust the people with whom you choose to do business. An honest rug dealer will never jack-up prices just because you have a bigger budget. By stating your budget up front, you ensure that the rug dealer will be showing you pieces that you can afford to purchase. Nothing is worse than falling in love with something only to find out it is far beyond your reach.

Picking the Right Antique Rug Dealer:

What you buy is as important as who you buy it from. Every business is unique, and each will have its own approach to selling you a rug. It’s important for you to ask lots of questions and to compare prices. Don’t be afraid to speak up! Buying an antique rug should be an enjoyable, informative and transparent experience.

Here is a list of things that you should keep an eye out for (and should be especially wary of):

Going out of business sales – these are mostly gimmicks and you are not assured a good buy. Also, you will have no one to turn to if you ever have a problem down the line.

Value – Any dealer that tells you that the price of an item will surely go up over time is misleading you. Value is determined by a complex set of factors and, since no one has a crystal ball, a dealer who assures you that the value of a particular piece will increase over time is probably just trying to push you into buying something.

Buyback – If a dealer promises you that they will buy a rug back from you down the line, they are more than likely not being truthful. In these cases, you can always call them out on it and ask for them to put such an agreement in writing.

Buying antique rugs and carpets can seem like a daunting or difficult task, but, if you do your homework and follow the general guidelines that we have set out for you here, you'll find that the entire process is edifying, exciting and enjoyable. Antique rugs and carpets are a unique art form, the beauty of which has elevated interiors around the world for countless centuries.