The Best Place for Vintage Rugs & Antique Rugs
I can say that if you ask any of our clients, they will tell you that the best antique rug source is The Loom House. And if you ask our interior designers or architect firms that we deal with on a weekly and sometimes daily basis, they will tell you that the best vintage rug source is The Loom House. I separate vintage rugs from antique rugs because most of the world is confused on the distinction.
You can ask around and check the famous home bloggers for the best go-to place for vintage rugs and everyone has their own peeps, but I can tell you from being in the trade longer than nearly anyone selling Vintage Rugs and Antique Rugs on Instagram and online, that the best place to source vintage and antique rugs should be based on a few factors; curation, knowledge, cleanliness, service, passion, and price. The truth is, people's perception of what a vintage rug actually is is often times inaccurate. The trendy folks and home bloggers that strive for eyeballs on their articles will cling on to trends and trendy words like "vintage rug" when referring to a rug that is between 10 to 100 years old. That is misleading for a few reasons - mainly because vintage is approximately 30-50 yor so years old. Semi- antique rugs are approximately between 50-70 years old, and genuine antique rugs are between 70+ years old. Some will say true antiques are only 100+ years old, and others will say vintage rugs are anything under 70 years of age and that vintage and semi-antique are essentially the same thing - I'm ok with that - but from my understanding and to the best of my knowledge growing up in this business being third generation in the rug industry, my stance is what I've explained for you above. In short, you need to know when you're buying a genuine vintage rug, and when you're buying a genuine antique rug. The best place for Vintage Rugs is The Loom House and a few of our friends on Instagram. Why? Because we hold Passion very high in our standards of whom you should consider shopping with.
No one is more passionate than us, and some of our counterparts really and sincerely care about their business, about this art-form, and about their customers - so they are good sources too. The best place for Antique Rugs is The Loom House, along with maybe your local reputable rug dealer - but beware of walking into a rugs store because their overhead may be reflected in the price of their merchandise. Our overhead is lower, and pieces are so specifically curated that you don't sift through "filler" rugs - you get the most unique, beautiful, and interesting pieces hand-selected for you from obsessed rug people - us. Large rug stores both brick and mortar and online need inventory - so they buy everything under the sun and offer rug shoppers the whole gambit - which sounds nice when you're not too picky and want a good deal - maybe you can score a cool rug for a cheap price here and there - but when you want a really nice antique rug or a really nice vintage runner, you have to go to the rug people that know the business inside and out and share the same vision as you - finding a rug that tells stories, holds interest, stands up to traffic, will last generations, and even has as great resale value! Rugs with great resale value will always be the most unique vintage rugs and the most sought after antique rugs. This is why spending a bit of money on the right rug is unlike buying a new sofa or a customized dining table - these items are nice to live with and then get rid of - but a rug is different. You will pass your antique rug down to your kids or to other family and friends - or even sell it to another rug dealer or someone else. Most of the time you will get more money back after using your rug for 10 years than you will almost any other furnishing in your home - and sometimes you'll even make MORE money than you spent! What other item can you say that for? That's because these pieces are true art. Believe it or not, I've even bought back pieces from my clients 10 years later or allowed them to trade a rug in towards another antique rug years later for a good amount. You tell me another Instagram rug dealer that will do either of those things that! One of the reasons people love sourcing their rugs with us is because of our Knowledge.
We have had so many rug consultations with interior design firms in the area and across the country, along with architect firms that need help sourcing rugs. I give them rug education and touch on quality of the wool, best rugs for high-traffic areas, difference between country of origin, what it means for a rug to be valuable, best rug pads in the business, what rugs have a nice sturdy body and which have a floppy handle, and of course how to clean and maintain a rug. Aside from the basics, I also go into specifics for antique rugs and vintage rugs alike - country of origin, region they're woven in, what makes rugs special or unique, what some of the motifs mean and what the designs may be influenced by - this is all so important when speaking to a client because at the end of the day we want to know what we are buying. Some of us are fine with it if it's beautiful - but it being beautiful and knowing and resting assured we have a lovely piece with nice history, culture, and meaning is a priority for others. Those are the clients we love. If you ever want to know about your current rug or a rug from our collection, or even one you are considering from a someone else - don't hesitate to reach out and I'm more than happy to help! It's all about Service.
If your Antique rug company or your vintage rug shop doesn't offer returns - you need to run in the opposite direction, fast! If you don't stand behind your product and allow returns with a full refund, there is something suspicious going on. When I shop with other dealers and stores both in person and online - I want to know that if I don't love the item that I can return it - that should be a no brainer! We offer returns because that's how we would like to be treated.
I'm writing this article on a late night on my laptop at 9pm listing to music and just enjoying myself. I didn't edit it much, and I just wanted to unleash a few ideas I had around what the best rug companies should have and which vintage rug dealers and antique rug companies you should trust and why. I won't name any names of other people because I don't want to be on the hook if they give you bad customer service or send you a dirty or smelly rug that wasn't cleaned, or one with repairs that weren't mentioned or stains or damage that were misrepresented etc. Or, worst of all, send you a rug claiming it's one thing (both in age and country of origin) and when it's completely something else. I have customers all the time that reach out to me and tell me about their hesitation with antique rugs online because these situations have happened to them and I am always so saddened because it makes us all look bad. So, to save my own tush - I will just tell you that if you're looking for the best antique rugs online or the best vintage rugs online, look no further - we will exceed your expectations when it comes to all things rugs - including sourcing rugs for your projects or residents if you don't see something you love in our current collection. You can always reach out to me personally - 414-405-6553 / hello@theloomhouse.com ; I look forward to it!
Warmly,
Hemad