Agra Rug | © Rugman

Origin of Agra Rugs

Agra is the name of an Indian city well known for its handmade rugs. As the name suggest, Agra rugs are hand knotted in the city of Agra, India. Please note, there might be many different types of rugs that are weaved there. But, “Agra Rugs” only refers to a specific type of traditional rug. For example, modern rugs that are weaved in the city of Agra are not considered to be Agra rugs.

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Agra, India | © Rugman

History of Agra Rugs

The design of Agra rugs are generally borrowed from traditional Persian rugs. But like any other rug weaving city, Agra has also left its own fingerprints in the rugs. The city of Agra has established its own identity. As a result, Agra rugs are a name brand and sought after. In Europe and North America in particular, Agra rugs are considered well suited for traditional western home decor. Agra rugs have gained an important standing in the North American market due to several factors. These factors include emboldened patterns with fewer contrasting colors.

Characteristics of Agra Rugs

Homeowners have many reasons to choose an Agra rug for their living room, dining room, or bedroom. First, the soft color palette used in Agra rugs are easy to match with most home settings. These include traditional and neutral, or even sometimes transitional decor. Second, because of the general pattern of Agra rugs, they are a popular choice for bedrooms. The reason is because Agra rugs don’t have a medallion, hence there wouldn’t be a problem if a portion of a rug is hidden under furniture. People who do like traditional rugs but want to avoid elaborate patterns often choose Agra.

Agra rugs are also very easy to maintain because of the general darker tone used that make them stain resistant and easy to clean. Most Agra area rugs are large and relatively inexpensive in comparison to similar quality rugs.

Agra hand knotted rugs can come in many different shapes and sizes. Agra rugs can be rectangular, square, round, oval, octagon and hexagon. Agra rugs that are round or square are an interesting piece for the foyer. Agra rugs come in all standards sizes: 3×5, 4×6, 6×9, 8×10, 9×12 and sometimes in larger sizes.

  • Material and Knots

Agra rugs use a medium type of weave. They are not considered a fine weave in comparison. The sizes of the knots are often large and the pile is usually quite higher in comparison to most fine rugs. Agra rugs are suitable for heavy duty daily use. These rugs are warm, thick and ideal for cold climates such as in North America. If well taken care of, they can last a lifetime.

Agra rugs normally use cotton as foundation and wool as the pile. And there is plenty of wool used in each rug due to the high pile. Although, the size of the knots are rather large and the KPSI is lower, the stitch is relatively tight and dense in Indian Agra rugs.

  • Color

Agra rugs use a soft color palette. The main colors used in the field include beige, yellow, burgundy, saffron, black, dark navy and olive green. These colors are typically used in the main section of the rug, i.e. the center or the border of the rug. Motifs are woven in a variety of colors including blues, greens, burgundy, black and browns.

Due to the overall design and color combination used in Agra rugs, they blend well in most traditional or minimal home settings. Agra rugs incorporate colors such as yellow, beige, deep red, saffron and light green. In contrast, the colors of the motifs can include burgundy, blacks, greens, browns and blues. Light blue can also be used though this is less common. The combination of brown, beige and washed out colors makes Agra rugs appealing for consumers with a taste for Chobi rugs.

  • Design and Pattern

Agra rugs generally have larger patterns and less detail than their Persian equivalent. There is often a clear contrast between the border and center of the Agra oriental rugs. Normally, Agra rugs either don’t have a central medallion. If there is a central motif, it will not be a distinct pattern that can be easily separated from the rest of the rug. A general pattern with a certain degree of symmetry is used. Though, it may not always be a perfect symmetry. This is a noticeable characteristic of Agra rugs.

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