I told you a while ago that
I would love to go to Turkey, and more specifically, on a hot-air balloon ride in Cappadocia. Well, I did it, and this is one of the reasons of my long absence on the blog. Last May, I got hitched in Greece! This involved a lot of planning which didn't leave a lot of free time to blog. But here I am, back on my keyboard!
The last few months have been packed with changes and adventures: I went to Greece, got married, honeymooned in Turkey and moved to
Denver. I got lucky: I quickly found a new job (I interviewed for it over the phone while in Greece!). So I started working even though we were not fully settled in our new place. As I am slowly decorating our apartment, I realize how my trip to Turkey inspired me. But how can you not become obsessed with carpets when you enter a room like this?
We finally purchased this beautiful Turkish carpet (below) that was shipped to us in the US (or maybe flew by itself? It occured to me that it was a perfect size for a flying carpet).
Now that I'm back, I wish I had bought so much more! I want to cover everything with Turkish carpets/blankets/pillows. During my stay, I learned quite a few things about rugs. There are two main types: kilim and carpets.
Kilim are woven in a flat way that makes no pile. They are usually reversible and are much more flexible than carpets. They usually have bigger patterns and bright colors (they almost look southwestern):
Carpets, on the other hand, are much less flexible. They are a good choice if your home has floors because they tend to slip or fold less when you walk or move objects. They also usually have more intricate and detailed designs, are not reversible and have low to medium pile.
Turkish (or Persian) rugs are my favorite way of adding some color to an otherwise neutral apartment. I am obsessed! And I also just discovered that Ikea has a wide range of Turkish rugs (yep, really hand-made in Turkey) at reasonable prices (you have to go in store).
My apartment is completely white with cream carpets, so I had to rely on area rugs for a pop of color. Here is what inspired me:
All Carpet Everything
This makes me want to lounge all day. I wouldn't even mind rainy days! These seem to be layers and layers of kilims.
This mix of vintage, modern, classic and ethnic makes me swoon. I want this apartment. In Paris, too, if possible!
This is such a coincidence. I have the exact same couch! In fact, my living room looks a lot like this now!
I liked how they paired the modern and flower cushions with the carpet. Strangely, it works! The white couch and walls really make the room a blank canvas that allows the carpet to fully express itself. I really think investing in that type of rug is worth it: they last forever (really, I saw some 250+-year-old carpets that looked great in Turkey!) and they can be the only element of decor in a room: they have enough impact!
What do you think of Persian or Turkish carpets/kilims? Are they worth the investment? Would you shop online or at home or would you travel to buy that kind of product?
