Currently Coveting: Turkish Oushak Rugs

Usually, when I plan out the design for any space we’ve lived in, I take a cue from the style of the space. When we lived in a 1950s Cape Cod in a coastal Boston suburb, I went a bit more traditional than my typical style given the architecture of the home and its location. Our brand-new, 450 square foot condo in the city of Boston, on the other hand, was modern and streamlined, both because the space was so teeny and because it was totally updated. Our Seattle rental was also brand new and extremely contemporary so I picked furnishings to match.

So what does this long-winded story have to do with Turkish Oushak rugs?

Well, our new home in Chicago is kind of style-less. Don’t get me wrong, it has a ton of potential, but the way it is now is kind of just builder’s-spec blah. Nothing really stands out enough to get me feeling inspired so I was feeling a bit stuck with where to start the design.

That’s when I developed major heart-eyes for Oushak rugs (thank-you, Pinterest and your hipster-apartment photos), and suddenly had a jumping off point for decorating our plain beige box of a new home (really, I do actually like our new house though).

I’ve managed to stave off the Turkish-rug craze until now, but the Oushak rugs really got me. They’re more original than the omnipresent Beni Ourain-style, and the Persian-style motifs are a bit more geometric and tailored looking than Boucherouites which are a little too bright and boho for my personal taste. I’m also a huge fan of the color scheme: Oushak rugs usually come in muted palettes of burgundy, navy, burnt orange, and olive. AKA colors that are close enough to neutral that I like them. Plus, there are a TON of vintage ones out there which I love because that means even though these rugs are becoming a major trend, I’ll still be able to find a few that no one else has.

Here are a few I have my eyes on at the moment (these are both vintage and mass-market).

Foyer-Sized Oushak Rug, via Ebay.

(Check out the shop for current rugs to bid on).

Sherni Oushak Rug via Furbish Studio

Apilla Oushak Rug

Navy Oushak Rug by Caitlin Wilson Textiles