Authentic Oriental Rugs:

A Durable Investment For Any Home Or Business

By John Voket

One of the highest compliments paid to Mohammed “Mo” Ahmadi and his wife and business partner Mojgan came from a client who owned a home in Turkey. While the international businessman could have traveled just a few miles from his Middle Eastern abode to markets teeming with handmade rug craftsmen, he would only purchase his oriental carpets from the Ahmadis’ shop in Ridgefield.

“Our customer said he was so impressed with the selection, service and especially the prices we offered that he purchased his rugs from us here, and we had them shipped over to Turkey,” Ms Ahmadi said while sitting among the stacks of woven floor coverings at the Amazing Rug Bazaar, 231 Ethan Allen Turnpike (Route 7), on the Ridgefield/Redding border.

The lush patterns and durability of handwoven carpets have decorated simple homes and ornate palaces for centuries, and the designs and craftsmanship that thrilled royalty are still providing the perfect accents to homes throughout Newtown and the western Connecticut region, thanks to the Ahmadis’ high volume retail and wholesale operation.

While Ms Ahmadi said she and her husband welcome individuals who are new to the Oriental rug market, it is the educated consumer who typically keeps returning to their business, and who keeps referring family members, friends, business associates, and co-workers from throughout the tri-state area and far beyond.

The shop opens for wholesale and designer clients earlier in the week, while retail customers are welcomed Thursdays through Saturdays from 10 am to 7 pm and Sundays from noon to 5 pm. The family is flexible, however, if special retail customers require special visits.

Ms Ahmadi said one of the popular aspects that sets the Amazing Rug Bazaar and “Uncle Mo” apart from many local competitors is that their business will not only deliver samples for customers to consider in their homes, but will come to the home before the shopping even begins to see the layout and design of the area where the rugs are planned to be laid.

“I have started going to clients homes, bringing in rugs and trying them out in several rooms,” Ms Ahmadi said. “This is the best way to ensure the client is satisfied with their investment.”

In fact, she and Uncle Mo typically allow good clients to install their new handmade rugs for periods up to several weeks before they even close out the purchase, Ms Ahmadi said.

“Ultimately they should see the rug in their own home; live with it, walk on it, see it in different light,” she said. “Once they tell us it’s perfect, we complete the transaction.”

The appeal of the Ahmadis’ selection of handmade rugs is not just aesthetic, but a signal that the owner has an impeccable sense of quality because these floor coverings last for generations.

“They are very durable. A well cared for Oriental rug will mature in value as it ages,” she said. “Typically, a vintage Oriental rug will command significantly more in the resale market than when it was new.”

As a result, she and her husband are always on the lookout for extremely well-preserved antique Oriental rugs, which they will occasionally consign for particular clients.

The most popular designs come into the Ahmadis’ business from China, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran, and today, designers and discriminating clients are also seeking rugs from Peshawar, a region nestled between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

According to the company’s website, amazingrugbazaar.com, more than four dozen hand-knotted and vegetable-dyed Peshawars are in stock at the firm’s warehouse with prices starting at about $2,000. Most of these rugs come in understated shades of tan with austere, neutral flavoring, but at least a few boast bolder red or blue accents in swaths of contrasting patterns.

“People like these softer colors right now,” Ms Ahmadi said.

The features of handmade Oriental rugs, versus machine-made copies are as obvious as the differences between original paintings and machine printed copies, Ms Ahmadi explained.

“You can feel the quality of the wool, and see the weaving secured with individually hand-tied knots in traditional oriental carpets,” she said. Machine-made facsimiles on the other hand often have glued pile that is plainly visible by turning over the carpet corner.

“We carry just a few better quality machine-made carpets, mostly for customers that require a lower-priced item,” she said. “They mostly are looking to have the look of an Oriental, but in a high traffic area, or in rooms where the kids or pets are playing.”

The Ahmadis have several collectable rugs on display behind protective Plexiglas panels, but removing one medium-sized sample revealed an intricate pattern that was almost as defined on the underside was it was on the top.

“This is how you can tell an expertly woven Oriental rug,” Ms Ahmadi said flipping the corner back and forth to show the closely mirrored weaving. “Look at all the knots. The more knots, the better the quality.”

While the Amazing Rug Bazaar handles mostly classic designs, there is also a variety of transitional and modern patterns marked with pastel stripes and concentric dots.

When it comes to keeping classic Oriental rugs clean, the Ahmadis can also be of service. According to the website, they contract with select master craftsmen who specialize in cleaning and restoring these masterpiece rugs. Besides hand washing, their partners can handle reweaving, rebinding, overcasting, alterations, stain removal, and redyeing.

One of the most imminently harmful substances that can ruin even the most durable handwoven rug is pet urine, she explained. In the case of a pet “accident,” it is critical the carpet be inspected and treated right away to avoid the probability of permanent damage, Ms Ahmadi said.

Depending on one’s budget, a homeowner can begin to introduce authentic Oriental runners or accent carpeting into the home for under $1,000, or can outfit their dining, living, and bedroom floors with traditional pieces for tens of thousands per room.

“When you buy handmade, it’s an investment — like real estate,” Ms Ahmadi said.