Learning About The Beautiful Persian Heriz Serapi Rugs

Antique Persian Heriz Serapi Rugs – Bakshaish carpets and the Antique Persian Heriz Serapi rugs are undoubtedly some of the most coveted decorative styles to emerge from Persia.

These spectacular antique carpets feature an ideal combination of physical and aesthetic characteristics that have contributed to their extraordinary popularity and enduring status.

Influenced by carpets produced in nearby Tabriz, weavers in this historic area were artists who developed a refined style and excellent methods for producing rich abrashed colors that acquire a lovely patina and an oxidized aura with age.

Copper found in the region’s water has long been credited as the secret behind the area’s phenomenal rug colors, nuanced abrash color variations and silky wool pile.

These classic village rugs are famous for featuring magnificent medallion compositions that are filled with well-developed botanical motifs and angular accents. By their nature, these rugs and carpets are harmonious, yet they feature a wide variety of balanced elements that create a visual masterpiece.

The precise proportions and restrained botanical embellishments produce an unpretentious style that is elegant yet dramatically different from the superfluous arabesques favored in other areas and even the dense repeating patterns found in later Serapi Heriz rugs (which are referred to as “just” Heriz rugs by people in the trade).

Grand octofoils decorated with dramatic botanical motifs and serrated pendants are iconic representations of these pieces.

However, some of the Heriz Serapi rugs are occasionally decorated with allover repeating patterns or flamboyant medallions that are set over monochromatic fields. Rich colors attract many designers to the stately antique oriental rugs of Northwest Persia.

Although rug weavers in Northwest Persia and the province of Azerbaijan used many of the same dye-stuffs as their counterparts in the Caucasus, the results are very different. Acting as a natural mordant, traces of copper produce rich brick reds and blushing rose hues using madder root dyes. With indigo, talented dyers created an impressive array of colors that range from inky midnight blue to clear azure.

However, weavers also excel at incorporating creamy un-dyed fleece accents. Explore our collection of Antique Persian Heriz Serapi rugs to discover the allure of these luxurious and aesthetically rich pieces.

Antique Persian Heriz Serapi Rugs are Smart and On-Trend Solutions to Home Design in 2015

We’re now officially one week into 2015, which means that it’s time to get to work on those resolutions we prescribed ourselves while under the influence of the allure of a new year. It’s time to sign up for those gym memberships, make good on pledges to be kinder, and spruce up all the various aspects of our lives that need updating.

One of the best resolutions you can keep that will have a real impact on your lifestyle this coming year is an investment in your home. We spend a significant amount of time in our homes, and great quality of life depends on living in a space that feels inspiring and beautiful. Updating your home decor is a great way to get into a fresh new mindset and to take on the challenges and opportunities 2015 is sure to bring.

Updating your home often comes with a considerable investment, which is why it’s important when redecorating a room (or rooms) to keep in mind the longevity and timelessness of your home decor, as well as contemporary trends. Purchasing antique rugs that increase in value over time and are made to last is a fantastic way to ensure that your home design never feels overly trendy or quickly outdated. Our Antique Persian rugs at Nazmiyal Collection, especially those of the Heriz-Serapi and Bakshaish variety from Northwest Persia, are wonderful pieces to consider for your home for this very reason.

Omri Schwartz, General Manager of Nazmiyal Collection, states:

“Antique Persian Heriz Serapi rugs are probably the most popular oriental carpets in today’s market, and with good reason: They exude a casual elegance that seamlessly integrates into and enhances both traditional and ultra-modern interiors,”

Overseeing an inventory of thousands of antique rugs from a variety of origins, Mr. Schwartz is an expert on helping clients choose the perfect piece for their home, and often recommends carpets of the Heriz-Serapi variety. The reason, he states, is that

“these rugs are extremely versatile, and work beautifully in a range of design schemes”.

Since Heriz Serapi rugs come in an incredible variety of colors, rug sizes and patterns, finding one to fall in love with is easy.

Furthermore, these rugs are hand-made to last for centuries. They acquire a beautiful patina over time that can’t be matched by contemporary, machine made rug imitations. Finally, current trends in interior design, which place an emphasis on large-scale patterning, and the mixing of antique and contemporary elements in a single space, make decorating with Heriz rugs and Serapi rugs a no-brainer.

The construction and diverse weaving patterns that can be found in antique Heriz Serapi and Bakshaish rugs makes them an incredibly versatile type of rug for decorating. Because there is no one pattern that defines these rugs, their patterns can range from the more tribal side to the more classical end of the spectrum. Heriz-Serapi rugs can be very strictly composed, or can show more of the weavers’ “hand” in their idiosyncrasies and quirks; this variety allows antique Persian Serapi Heriz rugs to work in many different styles of interiors.

Furthermore, antique Persian Heriz Serapi rugs are incredibly resilient, and made to last: Our rug experts here at Nazmiyal and other antique rug scholars attribute their strength to the large amounts of copper in the water of Northwestern Iran, which makes the wool of the sheep who drink from there particularly durable.

Hand-weaving also contributes to the strength of these gorgeous antique rugs, as each is made with the skill and care of a master artist, using only the finest natural rug dyes and yarns. Plus, because antique Persian rugs are made by hand, no two are the same; using an antique Heriz Serapi rug in your home ensures that your space will look and feel uniquely yours.

While antique Persian rugs are great investments and truly never go out of style, the popular design trends for 2015 make these types of carpet particularly appropriate and enticing choices this year. Many design publications and high profile interior designers are forecasting 2015 to be a year of large-scale, bold patterns. These types of design motifs abound in antique Heriz Serapi carpets. Although patterns in these antique Persian rugs range from floral sprays to geometric designs, one aspect their patterns have in common is their boldness and vibrancy. This means that these rugs hold their own and make a statement, whether paired with ornate classical furniture, or sleeker more contemporary designs.

Another strategy for interior design that is projected to be popular in 2015 is the mixing of vintage or antique pieces with modern interior designs. This approach gives one’s home a unique look that is extremely narrative and customizable. Paired with contemporary modern design elements like polished metals, funky furniture, and chic minimalist accents, these rugs appear on-trend, yet un-fussy. Furthermore, the versatility of these rugs ensures that when your tastes change, the antique Persian Heriz Serapi rugs in your home will be easily adapted to new design schemes.

The key to following through with your goals is to remain inspired and energized long after the clock strikes midnight on New Years’ Eve. Investing in your home, and designing a space that revitalizes you and excites you is a fantastic way to stay motivated throughout the year. The beauty and longevity of antique Persian Heriz Serapi rugs  have been inspiring people around the world for centuries, and we at Nazmiyal are sure you will find them inspiring in your own home as well.

Is There Really Such a Thing as a Serapi Carpet?

Learning the Difference Between antique Heriz Rugs and Serapi Carpets

What is the difference between Heriz and Serapi carpets? To answer that question in two words would be to say – “The Name”.

Both Serapi and Heriz rugs come from the city of Heriz and surrounding areas.

At some point in time, dealers began using the term “Serapi” to be able to distinguish between the older and more tribal / open designed Heriz carpets from the “newer” more structured examples. So in all actuality, every single Serapi is also a Heriz, but not visa versa.

To illustrate the differences between Heriz rugs and Serapi carpets, please take a look at the two rug images below:

Example of antique Persian Heriz rug:

Example of antique Persian Serapi carpet:

Upon first glance, both rugs seem to be pretty much the same. But after looking and comparing the two, the differences begin to be quite apparent.

The Heriz on the left features a much denser rug pattern, the colors are muddier and if you were to see both rugs in the flesh, you would see that the one on the left has a much coarser weave and the one on the right was woven using a much higher grade of wool.

In contrast, the Serapi on the right has a far more open design, brighter colors and an overall “happier” look and feel. At the end of the day, weather the rug is called a Heriz or a Serapi – you now have the basic knowledge needed to make the distinction yourself.

In general, since the Serapi rugs are older, rarer, more tribal and artistic (for the most part) they will tend to cost more that the “regular” Heriz carpets.

Naturally there are exceptions to the rules. You can learn more about  and at the end of the day, a good antique carpet dealer will never steer you wrong. What rug you buy and how much you pay, is as important as the antique rug dealer you chose to work with.

This rug blog about antique Persian Heriz Serapi rugs was published by Nazmiyal Antique Rugs in New York City.

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