The Meaning and Symbolism in Your Oriental and Persian Rug

What Do The Colors and Shapes in My Rug Mean?

As one of the premiere oriental rug cleaning services in Austin, we like to offer information and tidbits to our clients about their beautiful rugs. We’re often asked about the differences between Persian and Oriental rugs, and we are always happy to oblige with what we know!

One of the more enjoyable aesthetic differences between Oriental and Persian rugs is their unique approaches to design. For the most part, Persian rug designs are more focused on the relationship between shape and color. In Persian rugs, colors are used with intent to express an array of emotions or aspirations. For example:

• Yellow signifies power and glory.
• Red signifies joy and happiness.
• Brown signifies fertility.
• Orange signifies piety and devotion.
• White signifies grief, peace or purity.

On the other side, Oriental rugs generally feature complex designs which depict nature, generally plants and animals. These features, like the colors of Persian rugs, have their own meanings, such as:

• Deer signify wellbeing.
• Horses and chrysanthemums signify a long life.
• Camels, peonies and bamboo signify wealth.
• Elephants signify power.
• Lotuses and lilies signify purity.

Your own preference will likely come down to your personal tastes and the decor of the space the rug will occupy.

When your rug is in need of a cleaning, hand-washing is best to preserve those rich colors and elegant designs. At Aegis, we never machine wash our rugs. Each rug is cleaned by hand to maintain its beauty. When you’re ready for a cleaning, get ahold of us at (512) 327-1900!