When we moved into the cabin, I decided I wanted our rugs to each feel like miniature pieces of art. A great example of that is the pink Moroccan rug in our living room. It’s a total work of art, don’t you think?? But I hear often that it can be intimidating to select a rug, especially a one-of-a-kind Moroccan rug. So today, I wanted to share my go-to tips and tricks to help you find the best Moroccan rugs! I also think that many of these suggestions are great when it comes to shopping for vintage or OOAK rugs, so definitely keep that in mind, too.
How To Shop for Moroccan Rugs: Expert Tips from a Former Rug Designer
Pull inspiration
For every decor project I take on, I start a pinboard on Pinterest (usually a secret one). Then, I save images of anything I like the look of. This helps you to have a more focused approach while shopping. For example, if you’ve pinned 10 rugs that have orange tones, then you know that you’re looking for a rug with orange tones. It really is that simple!
Shop locally
My favorite source of locally sold rugs is Neon Doves. Hayley always has truly gorgeous options (hello, our hallway runner) AND you can work with her directly to source something based on your needs. For example, for our runner I gave her dimensions, a rough idea of the colors I wanted, and photos of the location. She showed me some options from her team in Morocco and I picked based from a photo. I highly recommend seeking out a local rug shop owner so you can get support in finding exactly what you want.
Be flexible in size
Moroccan and vintage rugs in general come in so many various, random, un-uniform sizes. Because of this, I always recommend staying a bit flexible in the size you need. Know how small you can go and how big you can go. Plus, don’t forget that there is always the option of layering a smaller rug over a neutral jute rug like in the first iteration our old living room — especially when you fall in love with one that isn’t 100% the correct size!
Know your budget
Specialty rugs can get expensive, especially because they are handmade, one of a kind, are highly sought after, and travel a great distance. Be realistic with your budget, but also have some wiggle room. Rugs play a MAJOR role in any space, so it is the one area where I am very much willing to splurge (find out how I balance splurging and saving in renovations from this post).
Read the reviews
Etsy, Chairish, and eBay are some of my favorite sources for quality, OOAK rugs online. But sometimes it’s hard to know what you’re going to get based on a small description box and a few photos. I highly recommend always reading the reviews to find out others’ experiences. How was shipping? Was the item as promised? I will say that I find more people are inclined to post negative reviews since they are angry and feel compelled to share that. But even still, for an investment piece like this, reviews help you know more about what you’re buying.
Do you have any tips you’d like to add to this post? I’d love to know about your experiences with rug buying!
