Rug Repair Los Angeles

We picked up a short runner a couple of weeks ago from one of our long time customers. They had it in their kitchen. This runner was made in a very small town in north west Iran called Qaradjeh or Qarajeh. This type of rugs have geometric designs with broken lines and small medallions.

We did the hand washing and deep cleaning first. After that we did the repair and secured all four sides by hand by one of our master weavers. We brought it back to life again.

Dr. Khosrow Sobhe (Dr. Kay)
Certified Rug Specialist (CRS)
www.LosAngelesRugCleaning.com
www.RugIdea.com
Tel. 310-770-9085

Rug Pads, Rug Underlays

Our top of the line rug pads extend the life of your rug and protect your floors by providing more air circulation and working with your vacuum cleaner to remove dust and dirt. Our rug pads also prevent your area rugs scratching your beautiful floors. Measure your rug first before buying a rug pad. If the rug pad is bigger than you rug, you can simply cut and trim the pad with a regular household scissors. Your rug pads should be a little bit shorter on each side than your area, Oriental and Persian rug. Our rug pads are reversible. Visit our Los Angeles showroom or contact us to receive free samples. Call 310-860-0460 or 310-770-9085.

Dr. Khosrow Sobhe (Dr. Kay)
Certified Rug Specialist (CRS)
www.LosAngelesRugCleaning.com
www.RugIdea.com
Tel. 310-770-9085

Rug Down Sizing: Another Service We Offer

This 9' x 13 piece should become an 8' x 10' rug. We will down size it and this will be done by hand in a day. We measure and tape it from the back first. It is much easier to do the measurement from the back with no pile. Then we cut the rug.

Then we secure the edges by hand to make sure that the knots do not come off. The last step is to install a canvas backing on the edges.

We do all kinds of rug repair and down sizing is the one we do when a customer is moving to a smaller place or the rug is too big for the room. Everything would be done by hand by our experienced repair personnel on site under our strict supervision.

If you have a rug which is too big for your room or office, bring it in. We will make it fit.

Dr. Khosrow Sobhe (Dr. Kay)
Certified Rug Specialist (CRS)
www.LosAngelesRugCleaning.com
www.RugIdea.com
Tel. 310-770-9085

50% OFF Every Rug! Our Black Friday SALE Is Here!!

Our Big Tent Sale has begun and we are ready to give you the biggest savings of the year. Every rug in our inventory is now 50% OFF during our Black Friday/Thanksgiving weekend SALE! We have machine made and luxurious handmade rugs, runners, tapestries, shag rugs & unique pieces, all HALF OFF!!

And right next to our tent is our large showroom where EVERY rug is 50% OFF! Come on in and see our large selection of rugs that come in many styles and colors. We can help you find a piece that will liven up your home, or maybe you'd like to buy a holiday present for someone and get 50% savings!

Dr. Khosrow Sobhe (Dr. Kay)
Certified Rug Specialist (CRS)
www.LosAngelesRugCleaning.com
www.RugIdea.com
Tel. 310-770-9085

Black Friday Is 2 Days Away - 50% OFF All Rugs!!

Just a reminder that our Big Tent Sale starts in 2 days on Black Friday, Nov. 23rd. This is the time to get an absolutely great deal on every rug that we have in the store... everything is 50% OFF! We'll be open 9am-6pm on Friday and 10am-6pm on Saturday. It's also a great time to bring in your rugs as we are giving a free appraisal if you do so! Join us Thanksgiving weekend for a savings extravaganza!

Dr. Khosrow Sobhe (Dr. Kay)
Certified Rug Specialist (CRS)
www.LosAngelesRugCleaning.com
www.RugIdea.com
Tel. 310-770-9085

Rugs From Iran - The Southern Tribes

Southern Iran has several weaving regions, and although they all have distinguishing features, similar designs, motifs, and colors are often to be found in each region. The Fars region is vast, and two nomadic populations are responsible for the rug weaving in the area: the Quashq'ai and the Kamseh. In these two groups the weaving is very similar, and rugs are often referred to as Fars or Shiraz (the city where they are marketed).

The southern tribal confederation consists of five main tribes: Quashq'ai, Bakhtiari, Afshar, Luri and Kamseh. Caucasian influences can be seen in all of their designs, which include the boteh, medallion, floral and pole-medallion motifs. They are usually woven with the Senneh knot, and are often based on a central medallion, with small geometrical motifs filling the field. Fairly narrow borders are often used. Generally speaking, Quashq'ai are more likely to be curvilinear and tend to use brighter colors, whereas the Kamseh are more inclined to be geometric and to use darker colors.

Some Afshar rugs follow tribal tradition, while others follow the ornamental motifs of the city workshops nearby. Borders are decorated with stylized rosettes and vines. Backgrounds tend to be dark with a contrasting paler blue, white, red, yellow and green. Bakhtiari carpets are often woven in rows of squares, octagons and diamonds, each containing stylized plants. The most popular example is the paneled garden design. Luri carpets carpets are extremely varied, with stylized plant motifs in grids and tiny geomteric motifs in rows. Reds and blues predominate. Finally, gabbehs are among the most primitive of all Persian tribal rugs. They use good quality wool, and the best items have a definite charm.

*sourced from 'Carpet Style' by Marty Phillips

Dr. Khosrow Sobhe (Dr. Kay)
Certified Rug Specialist (CRS)
www.LosAngelesRugCleaning.com
www.RugIdea.com
Tel. 310-770-9085

Area Rug Deep Cleaning - Shades of Grey

A customer brought in an area rug recently into our showroom that needed cleaning. This rug had not been cleaned in over 5 years and one area that showed just how dirty it had gotten was the fringes. Sometimes a person doesn't realize just how dirty their rug is because dirt and dust have evenly been put on the rug. Take a look at some before pics below:

The dirt makes a hazy look on the rug; it desperately needed one of our deep cleanings. We thoroughly dusted the rug before we completely wet washed it with specialty wool shampoo. We then naturally dried it and the result came out great. Take a look below:

This rug now looks new, and look at those fringes! Who would have thought they were actually white?! Our customer was thrilled with her rug cleaning and is coming to our Big Tent Sale this black Friday to take a look at some runners for her home. If you have a rug that is long overdue for a deep cleaning, bring it in to Rug Ideas so we can help you get it back into great shape!

Dr. Khosrow Sobhe (Dr. Kay)
Certified Rug Specialist (CRS)
www.LosAngelesRugCleaning.com
www.RugIdea.com
Tel. 310-770-9085

Tiger Rugs - China and Tibet

The cat rugs of Paotao were woven in the early 20th century. Paotao is close to Mongolia, a cold, rugged and dusty land, and the rugs were used for sitting or sleeping on. But tigers and leopards have been portrayed in Tibetan rugs for over 100 years. They were originally woven for the high lama to sit on, but as the animals became scarcer, rugs woven with tiger and leopard images, abstract stripes, full skin, three-dimensional body and head designs, paw prints and spots appear.

The term 'tiger rug' usually refers to rugs woven in Tibet, although such carpets are woven in the same regions as carpets with dragon designs, too. The designs are usually based on tiger skins rather than on the live animal, but occasionally it may be highly abstract with perhaps a small square of stripes surrounded by a wide border.           .                        

                                                

Some rugs provide realistic, almost cartoon-like representations of tigers, but they are not always classed as tiger rugs in the trade. Tigers are the lords of the mountains and woods, joint controllers of winds and water, the traditional enemy of the dragon, and associated with strength, virility, and the West.  Symbolically, stylized tiger rugs may represent aspects of Tantric meditation. Excellent copies of old tiger rugs are produced in large numbers today in Tibetan/Nepalese workshops.

Dr. Khosrow Sobhe (Dr. Kay)
Certified Rug Specialist (CRS)
www.LosAngelesRugCleaning.com
www.RugIdea.com
Tel. 310-770-9085

Rug Sale Los Angeles: Tent Sale Black Friday 50% Off

Rug Tent Sale Black Friday 50% OFF.

We are going to have the biggest 2-day Rug Tent Sale starting on Black Friday, November 23rd & Saturday November 24th, 2012 from 10 am to 6 pm. This is a one-time in a year event. There will be huge discounts on Persian Carpets, Oriental and Area Rugs, Rug Cleaning, Repair, Pet Urine Stain Removal, appraisal and much more! Visitors will receive free books, literature, and gifts.

Dr. Khosrow Sobhe (Dr. Kay)
Certified Rug Specialist (CRS)
www.LosAngelesRugCleaning.com
www.RugIdea.com
Tel. 310-770-9085

The 10 Commandments of Rug Care/Maintenance

What do you do with your valuables? You take care of them. Why not do the same thing to your Persian and Oriental rugs? They are expensive and can last for many years and maybe for generations. The more you take care of them, the better they look and the longer they last in your home.

Here at Rug Ideas we present you with some simple and general ideas for your rug protection, care and maintenance. For more precise and detailed instructions, please contact us or consult a professional.
1- Depending on the foot traffic, you should rotate your rug and turn it around maybe once a year for even and balanced wear.
2- Do not let your rug be exposed to direct sunlight. The colors will fade away through time. Use appropriate curtains and draperies
3- Vacuum your rug regularly. Do not wait until it gets dirty. Dust and soil would damage the fiber of your rug resulting in its shorter life. When you vacuum your rug, be careful with the fringe.
4- When something (liquid or …) is spilled or dropped on your rug, act quick before it sets in, absorbed or dried.  Scoop us the spill as much as you can and then use dry cloths, or paper towel to blotter and absorb the liquid as much as you can.
5- Do not try to remove the stains with unknown and un-tested chemicals bought from the stores. Stain removal is a little complicated and depends on the nature of the stains, construction and material of the rug, dye used in the rug and different other variables. This is not a do it yourself job.
6- If the stain is solid (chewing gum, wax and …) use a spoon to remove it and follow the step #4 above.
7- Do not ask wall-wall carpet cleaners to wash your rugs or remove stains from your hand knotted carpets. They do not know the construction of wool/silk rugs and may damage your rugs buy using harsh/strong chemicals.
8- We at Rug Ideas provide special expert rug cleaning with local free pick up and delivery. Contact us for free estimate and more details (tel. 310-860-0460).
9- If your Persian carpet or Oriental rug is damaged, have it fixed by us by expert repairer. It will extend the life of your lovely rug. The damage will progress if you do not take care of it in time.
10- Take different pictures of your rugs and place them where you can find them. Having other information such as size, the country of origin and … may help in the case of theft, fire or other unexpected events.

Dr. Khosrow Sobhe (Dr. Kay)
Certified Rug Specialist (CRS)
www.LosAngelesRugCleaning.com
www.RugIdea.com
Tel. 310-770-9085

Afghan War Rug

Today we are showing you a great handmade Afghan rug in our inventory that fits in the category of 'war rugs'. The war rug tradition of Afghanistan has its origins in the decade of Soviet occupation of Afghanistan from 1979, and has continued through subsequent military, political and social conflicts. Afghan rug-makers began incorporating the apparatus of war into their designs almost immediately after the Soviet Union invaded their country. They continue to do so today in the wake of the United States' 2001 invasion of Afghanistan which ousted the Taliban government of Mullah Omar but has failed to bring an end to violence in the country. The rugs produced in response to these events are among the world's richest traditions of war art of the late 20th and early 21st centuries.

The terms Baluch and war rug are generalizations given to the genre by rug dealers, commercial galleries, collectors, critics and commentators. The distinctive characteristic of these rugs is their capacity to convey their makers' experiences and interpretations of the circumstances and politics of war and conflict in the region. Come on in to our showroom to see this piece for yourself; we are offering this unique handmade historical rug at the great price of just $295!

Dr. Khosrow Sobhe (Dr. Kay)
Certified Rug Specialist (CRS)
www.LosAngelesRugCleaning.com
www.RugIdea.com
Tel. 310-770-9085

Rug Sale Los Angeles - 50% OFF Everything!

Our big 'Rug Tent Sale' is rapidly approaching and we want to let you know that we are having 50% OFF our entire inventory of rugs! That's right, on November 23rd and 24th we are having our Black Friday sale, and everything from Persian/Oriental/Pakistani/Indian rugs, runners, shags, kilims and unique pieces are all HALF OFF! Meet the rug expert, Dr. Khosrow Sobhe in person and ask all your rug questions directly from him. We have been doing this great sale once a year since 2008 and it is a great way to get HUGE savings on rugs for your home/studio/work.

Our hours will be from 10am to 6pm and the address is:
1655 S. La Cienega Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90035

(on Airdrome St. & La Cienega Blvd.)

Half a mile south of Pico Blvd. & half a mile north of Santa Monica Freeway (10-FWY)

We will continue our Rug Cleaning, Rug Repair, and Pet Urine Stain Removal services during those days.
As a courtesy, we will offer FREE Rug Appraisal to our customers during our Rug Tent sale!


Dr. Khosrow Sobhe (Dr. Kay)
Certified Rug Specialist (CRS)
www.LosAngelesRugCleaning.com
www.RugIdea.com
Tel. 310-770-9085

Turkish Rugs - West Anatolia

Bergama, Kula, Ghiordes and Melas are among a cluster of villages whose traditional carpets from the Classical era include large and small pattern Holbeins, carpets with double niches, and prayer rugs with the typical keyhole and arrowhead designs. Melas creates some of the most authentically Anatolian items produced in the region. The most popular and distinctive design is the tree-of-life in a very stylized form, and a geometric flowering diamond within a prayer rug. Melas prayer rugs have a recognizable arrowhead shape woven in warm colors. They have broad borders containing elegant, stylized floral and geometrical motifs. Colors are mainly pale umber, sienna gray, rust, ocher, and a greenish yellow that is unique to the area. Indian weavers are now copying Melas designs.

Bergama designs may be either Caucasian and resemble those from Kars, a major weaving center in the northeast of the country near the Russian border, or they be clasically Anatolian, such as those woven in Melas. In Kula and Ghiordes some traditional prayer rugs are still woven, but mostly rugs have floral designs, usually with a central medallion.

Ghiordes is the best known of Turkey's weaving centers, acclaimed for its better than average weaving, and it is the town that has given its name to the Turkish knot. It is renowned for its marvelous prayer rugs and double niche carpets. The area has recently introduced a broader range of Anatolian and Persian designs. Popular patterns that are woven here are naturalistic flowers, in the French style, introduced in the 1800's. Ghiordes carpets are easily recognizable because of the squat shape of the mihrab (niche) and the use of many borders.

*sourced from 'Carpet Style' by Marty Phillips

Dr. Khosrow Sobhe (Dr. Kay)
Certified Rug Specialist (CRS)
www.LosAngelesRugCleaning.com
www.RugIdea.com
Tel. 310-770-9085

Rug Cleaning & White Knots

Rug cleaning may cause some white knots to show up in a cleaned and washed hand made carpet. The foundation of a rug can be made of cotton, wool or silk. This foundation is a collection of vertical strands called warps.Sometimes strands are not long enough to go multiple times from one end of the rug to the other end and weavers have to tie knots to make a longer strand. These knots called the "white knots" if not trimmed may show up after the pile is worn out and may make the rug look ugly. Sometimes when a rug is dirty, these white knots do not show up but when we clean the rug, the white knots show up. There are two ways by which we can get rid of these white knots. One is to dye and re-touch them. This is an easy fix but if the rug is in use, the touch up may fade away so the white knots would show up again. Second, white knots are usually cotton and ordinary color markers cannot dye cotton or the color of the marker may not match the color of the pile of the rug.

Another fix is to cut and clip the white knots from the base and this is what we prefer and usually do. Of course this should be done by an experienced rug repair person otherwise by removing and clipping the white knots, you may create some holes in the rug which would make it look very ugly. I recently took care of the white knots on an Indian rug we cleaned. There were many white knots showing in the pile of this rug after we did the cleaning . I used a special type of rug weaving and repair sharp scissors to clip the base of the white knots. If I could not remove the base completely, then I would push the base of the trimmed white knots to the back of the rug by using a special type of hook. 

 

 

 

Dr. Khosrow Sobhe (Dr. Kay)
Certified Rug Specialist (CRS)
www.LosAngelesRugCleaning.com
www.RugIdea.com
Tel. 310-770-9085