What makes a rug traditional or modern?

Finding your perfect vision for a marine rug from thousands of different designs can be a frustrating task when you can't describe what you're looking for. Many carpet shops in London have a wide variety of different carpet styles, both online and in-store, and the selection can be overwhelming.

A good rug store will have experienced salespeople to assist you, but knowing the main categories of rug styles before shopping can make this task easier. Modern, traditional, and transitional rugs all have their quirks, but why do rugs fall into this category? You may find the following information useful when shopping for designer rugs for your home.

Traditional carpet

Traditional rugs are often steeped in history, with designs and techniques being passed down from generation to generation. Most of the traditional rugs that are popular today originated in Europe and Asia in the 18th century. Therefore, traditional rugs are often used synonymously with Oriental or Persian rugs. As such, their models are based on centuries-old designs that bring time-tested elegance and luxury to space.

The color palette of traditional carpets is usually determined by the dyes available at the time. Traditional Persian rugs, for example, contain rich reds, blues, and golds, while most tribal-style rugs contain more earthy tones such as oranges, browns, and greens, which can be made from plant dyes.

Some of the most popular design elements of traditional carpet designs include straight lines, floral patterns, center medallions, and intricate geometric shapes that are diamonds, hexagons, or octagons.

Transition rug

The transition rug is a new expression of the traditional model. Often seen as a middle ground between traditional and contemporary rug designs, they borrow elements from a variety of styles to create new designs that are not too bold or contemporary. The relationship can be as simple as painting or scaling a traditional design, or as complex as taking a traditional subject and creating an entirely new composition. Currently, a popular method is to remove this design in several places and overlay it with an abstract design. This shifts the contours and creates an almost out-of-date look. It also breaks the symmetry of the design and gives an overall less formal look.

Transitional rugs cater to a variety of tastes, making them a popular choice of rug design. In addition, they are more flexible than traditional designs because the colors are more suitable for modern furniture. They work well in a variety of settings, both modern and antique homes. Check out our collection of Transitional or Mystical Master Weaving for some beautiful examples.

Modern carpet

Contemporary rugs are like modern works of art - they often feature bold colors, patterns, or even graphics that can be totally out of the ordinary. In general, they take an architectural and modern approach and can look free in style. They can still have retro shapes and patterns, but the look and feel of a modern rug is far from traditional. Modern rugs are the perfect addition to a contemporary space.

The geometric rug style is perhaps the longest-standing contemporary rug design style and is still popular today. Because of their simplicity, they can be made in almost any quality, from tufted and machine-made construction to the luxurious hand-knit qualities found in the Velvet Bazaar Core Collection.

However, in recent years there has been a sharp increase in the production of abstract designs, largely due to improvements in carpet design technology. The most successful abstract designs feature a myriad of colors blended together to create a subtle spectrum of gradients. This makes it easy to place in modern spaces and the color can be used as inspiration for an entire color scheme.

Are modern rugs and contemporary rugs the same thing?

Although often used interchangeably, modern rugs and contemporary rugs are actually different from each other. In the context of design, the term "modern" refers to a specific period, particularly from the 1920s to 1950s. Style has not changed and will forever be determined by that time. Modern, on the other hand, means "now" or belonging to a future or existing time. Thus, modernism refers to what is popular "now" and changes with current trends.

Choose the right carpet style for your home

Carpets are available in more styles than the three listed here. However, in general, many carpet designs fall into this broad category. Usually, the key to choosing the right type of rug for your home is to complement the traditional, transitional, or contemporary design of the existing furniture or the home itself. Then you can choose the right type of carpet.

Homeowners in London can visit popular carpet shops like Velvet Bazaar for their modern carpet needs. This popular carpet shop is known for its wide range with a wide selection of sizes and color combinations so finding the right one for your home won't be a problem.