Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Kilim in the Kitchen

Kilim's are flat woven rugs, generally used as prayer rugs. The word "kilim" is Turkish, but originates from the Persian "gelim" which according to wikipedia, is most likely of a Mongolian origin. So, basically, the kilim gets around... from Eastern Europe on throughout Asia.

The funny thing about kilims is that due to their design, they technically aren't meant to last forever and ever; they break down faster than their more durable cut pile cousins. But, even still, these are pretty tough rugs. In a kilim, the warp (vertical threads) is nearly invisible, while the weft (horizontal threads) does all the work. Threads in the weft are brightly colored and are woven into beautiful geometric patterns. The threads from the warp are visible only at the ends, tying off into a fringe.

So, I am a big fan of vintage woven kilims. I mean, they never get old, they never go out of style. They look awesome in a kitchen. Effortless, really. As if you were like, "Hmmm, in this kitchen I will just throw down this old comfortable woven rug. This will keep my feet warm from that cold floor. My family inherited it from my world traveler uncle who brought it back from Turkey. Yes, it's one of a kind. It doesn't have to match anything, I'm just going to use it here." It's a good thing.

One more thing: because kilims are a flat weave (rather than a cut pile), crumbs can be easy removed by shaking it out, or vacuuming. So, a flat weave is a good thing in a kitchen. I mean, with a cut pile, where do all the crumbs go? They just drop between the fibers and... DISAPPEAR. Scary thought, isn't it?

I know we are talking about kitchens here, but kilims aren't a bad look for a bathroom either...

There are some great kilims on ebay right now. Happy shopping!

OH! And, inspiration for this post came from two favs of mine: Jennifer (The Newlywed Diaries) and Jenny (The Little Green Notebook).

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Elle D said...

love this idea! if only my teeny nyc kitchen or bathroom was accomodating...!

SparkerShop said...

I am loving this look more and more. The contrast of a sleek, modern kitchen against the worn rugs is beautiful.

Great post!

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