I think I'd have to see it to be able to say for sure, but if the intentional distressing was done well, then I might like it. If, however, it was too random to be even remotely believable as naturally aged, I'd probably skip it.

That wouldn't be for me. Just one corner would be a definite "No".

I agree with LucyStar1. If it's distressed in a way that just makes it look old, that can work, but just one corner--no.

I recently tried to buy this house and I would have considered negotiating for the area rug if they'd accepted our offer, but that one is more all-over:

It depends. Sometime if budget is an issue and all furnishings are used and a bit worn...a faded area rug might help it all look more intentionally shabby chic. Or, it could help with an intentionally vintage look. On the other hand with the wrong furniture/accessories and a weirdly faux aged rug it can look stupid.

So, it depends.

I recently bought a rug that looks just like the one in writersblock's picture above. It's intentionally faded all over. I needed a "cheap" rug with certain colors, and this one fit the bill nicely. No one with any real brains is going to mistake it for a beautiful, well-crafted antique rug which has faded - but it's a fairly well-made "cheap" rug, and I like it. I guess I cared more about the fact that it didn't shed, it didn't smell, it wasn't so thin you could see through it, and the colors worked. If you've looked at cheap rugs, the selection is pretty horrifying. :) So the less than authentic fading was not the turn off it could have been.

I've been browsing some of the intentionally faded rugs on HauteLook lately - have a somewhat generous Nordstrom gift card ;0) I made the mistake of asking DH's opinion and giving some comparisons last week..... and discovered he hates the look. Who knew. Plan B.

I like the look of faded rugs but do not know why I do. And I strongly prefer modern design but do like all good design. This thread, hopefully, will teach me about rugs. Thanks

I don't mind a nicely faded rug. I just don't like it when it looks like they used paint-by-number instead of blending fibers. I guess the faded look WB posted is different from the "aged" look I posted.

it's kinda a weird trend to me.

it's kinda a weird trend to me.

I suspect it's a way of sneaking a tiny, tiny bit of color into all those monochromatic rooms. Can't scare people with actual color all at once, you know. :)

My DD ordered two faded rugs for her studio-one dark backround and one light-both looked equally fabulous and she ended up keeping both. I love them in her studio, but it has a distinct boho vibe about it so they work much better in there than a fully colored rug.

I think the look is good in the right setting, but definitely something that is trendy and won't stand the test of time.

It sounds to me that the OPs rug was probably a second-that fading doesn't sound right to me.

I am not a fan of faux distressed/aged anything. To my eyes, it seems almost silly. I love authentic patina, but most of the time when done purposefully, it just seems pretentious. I have seen many rugs that I would love to own if they had not done the faux aging. For faux aging to work, setting is everything. Adding some "exposed old brick" in stucco in a modern, brand new house just looks silly unless you have a master craftsman and other elements that correspond with it. I see the new "vintage" rugs as one of those things that will be easily identifiable with a certain time period, and will likely be "dated" in the future.

The ones I find striking are overdyed in vibrant jewel tones - boho?

This topic made think about the fashion trend for 'destroyed' jeans. Might it be related? I was young enough in the 80s to wear them, but would feel silly now - what goes around, comes around, it seems:

I do not like them. I want the colors that I want, I hate it when they arrive and they look faded and old. What's the point. I've had quite a few truly old Persians and they don't even fade like that when taken care of properly. It's tacky, it's trendy - no thanks.

Were they faded or was it abrash? Abrash happens in hand woven rugs when the yarn being used changes dye lot. It is generally seen as color variations within the same color family and they will be horizontal. My LR rug has a pale aqua background. There is some level of abrash throughout the aqua field. The rust oushak (mentioned in a different post) also has abrash in the rust of the field. Do you think perhaps the machine made rugs are inserting areas of abrash to make them look more like a hand made rug?

I don't know bbstx. Since the poster above you just pronounced me tacky and trendy...I'm guessing my opinion isn't important. LOL.

:)

However I still really like my tacky, trendy, new and slightly faded rug. And I sleep ok at night with that choice.

It is strange that the HU poster bumped up a three year old thread just to say that (and it’s their only post).

I've had quite a few truly old Persians

Well la-di-da! Obv we would all prefer that. My ancestors, bless their hearts, handed down pretty good genes but lousy housewares. I'm not willing to "invest" (insert hearty laugh on that BS) in pricy rugs anymore. They go out of fashion and don't always fit when you move house.

Consider me proudly tacky and trendy!

Oh, geez. I wish I had noticed this was 3 years old! 🙄

DD just put this rug in her family room.

IRL the colors are slightly brighter. She has 3 littles and a dog. The rug is 100% polypropylene. It feels soft. She put a high quality rug pad under it, so it feels thick. Yes, it looks old and faded. Yes, it is trendy. And it is perfect for her for now.

”handed down ... lousy housewares.” ROFL. Mtn, that pretty much sums up many of us. I have an “investment” rug in the MBR right now that I cannot give away. I’ve offered it to everyone. Strangers on the street run and hide when they see me coming because they know I’m going to try to foist that rug off on them.

I despise the "faded out" looking rugs. The whole purpose of buying a new rug is because I want it to look new!

BBsrx, I like your daughter’s rug. I bought a similar looking one for DD’s new house. It’s large (9’ x 12’) but only cost about $1700. If it lasts five years with Hurricane Andrew in the house it will be even more of a bargain than I first thought. Her rug is more of a lifestyle choice than a purely decorative one.

I don’t dislike intentionally faded rugs any more than distressed paint finishes….it’s all part of a look. You like it or you dont’t. I don’t like hot pink in oriental rugs but plenty of others do.

Old old thread but since it's been resurrected I think there's a time and place for all kinds of rugs, but know what you're buying. Some pets are hard on things, some people don't like to wipe paws, some kids eat on furniture/rugs and spill, some people want to be able to wash or toss the stained item.... It can be argued that an old Persian can stand up to all of that but not everyone wants one. The biggest downside IMO of the modern, faded knock offs is their disposable nature and the environment, just as we now recognize the same issues with the clothing industry. At some point we (royal we) hopefully recognize our fashion/decor obsessions for what they are and make changes and different choices - small and incremental as they may be.

I absolutely "hate" olefin or polypropylene rugs. Junk made of plastic. Oil based fibers. I purchased an old Persian rug that had abrash...otherwise known as wear....which happened over time. I like following trends...just not ALL of them.

Abrash is not wear. Two explanations:

Is abrash good or bad?

This is the real question, isn't it? Without fail, we've never met a rug dealer or rug enthusiast who ever thought abrash was a bad thing. In fact, it's something we look for to determine the authenticity of the rug and how it was made. This is because you just won't see these true variations with a machine made rug. Many machine made rugs try to mimic color striations, but unfortunately, the process is so digitized that the rug you get will always look like all the others. What we love about handmade rug products is their genuine, unique and one-of-a-kind characteristics.

What is abrash and why do Oriental rugs have it?

Hand knotted rugs possess certain inherent characteristics which aid in their uniqueness. Color variations in the field and or border, known as abrash, are a beautiful example of such a characteristic. The term abrash, from the Arabic word for mottled, is typically used to denote color changes or striations running horizontally across the face of a rug. These color changes will appear within the same color ie., a light blue field may have striations of darker blue. However, abrash can also refer to a more general variation of color throughout a certain field of color causing the area to have a mottled appearance.

Abrash results from variations in the dyeing process. Most commonly, different dye lots may not result in a perfect match, particularly if small dye batches are used. The weaver runs out of one batch and restarts with another which may result in a shade difference. Differences within the same dye lot are also possible. Variations in the yarn density and twist, especially with hand spun yarns, allow for different absorption rates of dyes. In addition, the time spent in the dye bath may also affect absorption rates since the yarns on the outside of the skein will absorb color faster than the yarns on the inside of the skein.

Occasionally abrash may appear more apparent following a professional cleaning. Sometimes the true colors are obscured by soiling, and often the rug owner will very closely inspect the rug noticing slight variations which were pre-existing, but have long been forgotten.

Although some may prefer consistent and precise coloring in their rugs, abrash is often prized as a beautiful characteristic of an oriental or hand knotted rug. Many machine made rugs often incorporate abrash in their designs to enhance their appeal. It is often discussed in the rug community how much of abrash is an “accident” of the dye process or how much is intentional by the weaver. The question only adds to the mystique of oriental rugs.

Allison, interesting info, thank you!

@Allison0704, I posted information about abrash but in a much less elegant form last year in this thread. Thank you for your much more erudite and in depth explanation. I like rugs with a bit of abrash.

You are welcome. Ido too, @bbstx I suppose if one likes new and shiny, they would not want a rug(s) with abrash. I think it adds character and charm.

I stand corrected...and still hate oil-based crappy rugs! I like wool...silk...cotton...and use the word HATE freely here....sorry...not sorry. I also HATE resin statuary. Plastic cutlery. Plastic grocery bags. Plastic water bottles.