Tapa Cloth and Textile. At Rugs and More we have a beautiful collection of Tapa Cloth and Textile.  These are very interesting because they are made from pounded bark and the making of these textiles is a dying art form.  Kapa making was nearly a loss of practice due to the globalization of islands.  Kapa production was mainly done by the Chief women of the villages and they did so in groups.  Kapa is bark-cloth, the primary textile used in Hawaii before missionaries arrived with their colorful, woven fabrics.  The Kapa is made from the inside bark of, primarily, wauke bush –  mulberry bush.  The women gathered together stripping, pounding and stamping the bark that would become cloth in which to wrap a baby, bless a marriage, or bind the bones of loved ones passed on, only good, positive, loving thoughts and comments were allowed during the process of the making of these wonderful cloths.

The pounding makes the cloth extra soft. The Hawaiian tradition also included soaking the bark for several days, practically until it fermented!  The initial beating of kapa utilizes a round wooden beater—called hohoa—over a stone anvil–kua. The second and subsequent beatings involve a square beater—called ie kuku–over a wooden anvil.

Once the pounding and drying is complete, the cloth will be dyed with noni found in Nualolo Kai. That will give it a buttery yellow color.  Hawaii’s kapa is known for its earthy colors of red, yellow, browns and blacks and geometric and asymmetrical patterns.  There are many motifs that the kapa makers use for each cloth: they each have a deeper meaning which weaves a story with hidden codes.

Pounding kapa is pleasant, trance-like work but work that all but died out in Hawaii, relegating its only existence to an exhibit in a museum. In an interesting twist, however, it was the ancestors who resurrected the craft—or, at least, it was the need for kapa to bind the bones of ancestors that prevented kapa’s extinction as an art practiced today.

Come by Rugs and More and see our collection of Kapa Textiles and rugs.  These have add such a wonderful richness to any wall or floor.

Go Green and Go Home with a Hemp Rug!

Check out Rugs and More’s beautiful hand-woven natural Hemp Area Rug Collections. Not only are they stylishly attractive, simple, durable, and work excellently both in and outdoors.  But these Hemp Rugs are also very good for our environment because they made from natural fibers and dyes. Hemp makes sense ecologically and aesthetically!

In fact, hemp fiber is stronger than cotton and they have a naturally course texture that will soften somewhat with time and actually become stronger as it wears. Hemp is also naturally resistant to rot and mildew. It’s strong. It’s beautiful, and it’s an excellent fiber choice for the new generation of “Green Conscious” minded people.

Here are a few fun facts about Hemp and our environment:

• It grows without pesticides, chemicals and fertilizers
• Every part of the hemp plant can be utilized for products
• It grows 150 times faster then trees and makes four times as much fiber per acre
• Consumption of hemp products conserves our oil and timber resources

Our Hemp Rugs are versatile in terms of our fabulous color choices, patterns and sizes. They are also great if you are on a budget and want a quick fix to any room because they are affordable. Our all-natural area rugs make an ideal choice for any decor.

Rugs and More’s Hemp Area Rugs are made in India by a company that does not employ child-labor, and is proactively supportive of its workers. The production facility is routinely inspected by a neutral third party to ensure that workers are being treated respectfully, and do not toil under inhumane sweatshop conditions.

If you are looking for a quick fix to add a little spice to your room them please stop by Rugs and More – located at 410 Olive Street, SB 93101! 

Fine Mughal Agra Rug at Rugs and More. We have wonderful collection of Mughal Agra rugs and carpets.   Agra, is an city in India which has been a major center of carpet production since the 16th and 17th Century.  Agra is located in northern India and is more recognized for the Taj Mahal, (and less known for its center for rug weaving).  It was during this period that was heavily influenced by Mughal art and Architecture which was a amalgamation of Indo-Islamic-Persian styles. In the 16th Century, Agra, was the cultural center of Indian art forms such as: stonework, jewelry, architecture, textile design and rug & carpet weaving.

But during the golden age of Mughal India the making of rugs and carpets had virtually disappeared until it was revived under British rule in the 19th Century. Prisoners in the country’s jails – including those of Lahore, Yeraoda and Montgomery, as well as Agra – wove some of the most beautiful carpets.  Antique Indian Agra rugs and carpets remain highly collectible, blending into both traditional and contemporary settings.

Agra Rugs are difficult to classify because they vary in size, design, and composition. Although they often depict open fields with smaller medallions and guards and they can also be woven with all-over designs.  They are usually woven with wool, but can also be found with cotton. The older Mughal pieces are relatively rare. You can tell the difference between a Mughal Agra and an Agras from the 19th and 20th Century by their weight – newer Agras are heavier and their pile is longer.  Agra rugs were extremely well made durable rugs and are considered the best of Indian rugs in the post-Mughal period.

At Rugs and More located at the Santa Barbara Design Center at 410 Olive St., Santa Barbara 93101 – we have sublime collection of Mughal Agra Carpets for you to see, touch and feel.  All in mint condition!

The height of Tabriz carpets popularity were produced during the Safavid dynasty by local artisans throughout the 16th Century. Classic Persian carpet weaving flourished throughout this period (from 1499 to 1722), this is why they called it the Golden Age. Many carpets were made from the  influence of Shah Abbas the Great (1587-1629) who left behind a true legacy.

Elaborate designs were drawn as Caricatures, which the artists implemented, into their weaving. Creating such motifs as medallions, combating animals, birds, vines, and palmettos – which are all depicted in some of these beautiful masterpieces. Each motif has esoteric meanings that combine ancient elements of the decorative art and traditional symbolism based on some legendary event, love-scene or mythological or religious plot…

Throughout this period the artists and artisans created wonderful manuscripts, embroidered silks, painted miniatures and fabricated metal work in the Safavid style. And it was during this very fertile and creative era that the weavers of Tabriz rugs attained new artistic heights by created extraordinary oriental rugs and carpets.

Rugs and More has quite a few beautiful examples of Tabriz rugs!  If you are looking for a jewel to be displayed in your home please come by today and we will show you the beautiful workmanship of Tabriz carpets.

Antique Turkish Oushak Rug

Antique Turkish Oushak Rug uses a unique family of motifs, and they are manufactured city of Uşak, Turkey – which is one of the larger towns in Western Anatolia. Usak, was a major center of rug production from the early days of the Ottoman Empire,(which dates back to the 15th Century), and continues into the early 20th century.

The late 19th century saw the renewal of Oriental rug production, at this time Oushak re-surfaced as a well-known center of weaving manufacturers. The new Oushak industry saw two major shifts in design: floral patterns, (greatly influenced by Persian designs), and room size carpets we all the rage. Oushaks are famed for the grand, monumental scale of designs. As you will see with this example below that, we have for sale at Rugs and More!

This collection of rugs is specifically designed to fit the Mediterranean style home. Patterns inspired by nature and color schemes that enhance the natural light of a room compliment Mediterranean interiors perfectly.

Ghazni wool

Most Antique Turkish Oushak rugs are made out of wool that is known as Ghazni wool. Ghazni wool is sheered from Sheep that live in high altitude, frigid climates. This environment promotes a fleece that is dense, durable, very straight, and high in lanolin. The lanolin content improves resistance to water, moisture, and stains. Ghazni wool is preferred in authentic oriental rug manufacture. This wool gives the rug a unique silky softness not found with other materials.Rugs & More is the exclusive provider of authentic rugs for the finest establishments in the world.

See our rugs at the Four Seasons Biltmore, San Ysidro Ranch, Montecito Valley Club and other locations around the world.

Come and see hundreds of fine Ziegler & Co Oushak rugs at Rugs & More in the Santa Barbara Design Center

410 Olive Street, Santa Barbara, Ca, 93101

Ziegler Sultanabad Carpets

Antique Ziegler Sultanabad Carpets have become one of the most sought-after rugs amongst the Persian weavings and most are from the 19th century and turn of the 20th century. They appeal keenly to interior designers and collectors because they are outstanding examples of casual, and surprisingly contemporary designs. Highly decorative aesthetically and very desired that is why they are so difficult to find – but lucky for you Rugs & More carries a very large collection of Sultanabad carpets for you to peruse!

The Sultanabad antique carpet styles are very unique with their variations of all-over patterns, such as the Herati (repeated diamond and curling leaf), the Mina Khani (repeated circular flower-head) and Harshang (highly stylized dragon and blossom), often seen in pastels and earth tones. And you can also find a small number of Oriental Sultanabad rugs use wonderfully detailed interpretations of the beloved Mustafvai (stylized “Garden of Paradise”) motif.

An even more exclusive class in the antique Sultanabad rug style are Nineteenth-century Ivory Sultanabad carpets, which are found mostly in the 9ft x 12ft to 10ft 6in x 14ft sizes and with a palette based on their undyed sheep’s wool which are concentrated in hues of ivory, cream and beige and often with lattice works of flower-heads and vines.

“In the late 1870s, a new style of Sultanabad antique rug was developed as a result of venture capital money invested by Ziegler & Co. of Manchester, England, which subsidized one-of-a-kind commissioned pieces particularly for export to England and France. This resulted in the noted “Ziegler Sultanabad” Persian carpet style. Distinguished by a significantly finer weave and thinner fabric, and stylish, allover patterns in delicate color, Ziegler Sultanabad rugs met with great success in Europe, immediately recognized by the more decoratively inclined Western markets. Although based on classical Persian carpet patterns, Zieglers offer delightfully inspired English translations, often to impressive over scale proportions.” Stated Jan David Winitz, a renowned carpet collector and connoisseur.

Because of their rarity the best 19th-century and turn-of-the-20th-century Sultanabad Persian rugs will continue to grow as investments for many decades to come. Like a fine piece of artwork their value will only gain as time goes by.

Check out our wonderful collection of Ziegler Sultanabad Carpets exclusively at Rugs and More located at the Santa Barbara Design Center 410 Olive Street, SB, 93101

Navajo Rug Collection

Rugs and More have the one of the finest Navajo Rug Collection and blankets which are among the most exquisite weaving in the world. The Navajo rugs are universally recognized symbol of Mexico. Worn over the shoulder by aristocrats, used as a blanket by cowboys, covering walls or beds in homes, or spread out on the ground at markets to display wares, the Navajo is an integral part of Mexican history and identity. And like American quilts – Navajo rugs are exquisite works of art, each piece the result of months of work by talented weaving families.

Navajo, the characteristic zig zag diamond began to appear in Navajo weaving, derived directly from Mexico and brought north through the Spanish settlements in Chimayo and the New Mexico area dating back to 1880’s. The Navajos were so gorgeous that famed artists and travelers from other countries would admire their glorious colors and designs.

Then came the revolution of 1910, when the mansions of Mexico City and the lavish haciendas were ransacked and destroyed. It was dangerous to be in the upper class, and symbols of wealth went underground. Weavers, when they were not out fighting or hiding, were probably weaving functional pieces for everyday use.

After the revolution, as Mexico began to stabilize in 1920, there was a surge of pride in Mexican popular arts. In 1925, a major exhibition of Mexican folk art in Los Angeles introduced tens of thousands of Americans to Mexico’s unusual variety of popular arts. Along with the sombrero and the Navajo Rugs which became a national symbol of Mexico, appearing on travel posters, and always draped over the shoulders of the mariachis.

Today Navajos are used in the home for decoration purposes- as bedspreads, wall hangings and/or rugs. Now, seventy to ninety years later, we are carrying some Navajos, in mint condition, at the Santa Barbara Design Center. Weaving as a craft is disappearing from Mexico. In most towns, families stopped weaving fifty years ago. This makes the Navajo we have left even more precious items.

Navajos – Mexican blankets are as rich in their history as they are in color. The word “serapes” refers to the traditional striped weave that makes up the Mexican blanket design of today, and this versatile textile has been around for hundreds of years.

Come and see hundreds of fine rugs at Rugs & More in the Santa Barbara Design Center

410 Olive Street, Santa Barbara, Ca, 93101

Afshar rugs, also called Kerman-Afshar rugs, are handmade by semi-nomadic Afshars in the region of Kerman in south-eastern Iran.  These highly stylized Persian Rugs are a unique example of nomadic and village techniques combined into a single scheme.  Common coloration include crimson, saffron, gold, ivory, and burnt sienna.

Antique Afshar rugs, prized for high quality materials, craftsmanship, and unique aesthetic, make stunning floor pieces and excellent wall hangings.  The best 19th century Afshar rugs are in extremely limited supply and are widely sought after by mature collectors of antique Oriental and Persian carpets.

Decorating with Antique Rugs  is like using artworks that have a timeless quality which is always “in style.”  They are infinitely versatile and work with any room to integrate the architecture, furnishings and other artworks of the space. Creating decor that expresses a balance and harmony in their own right, they have the ability of carrying that quality into  the settings in which they’re placed.

At Rugs & More we have a beautiful collection of Afshar rugs for you to choose from and we have the largest collection of rugs on the Central Coast.  Let us help you decorate and adorn your space with a piece of artwork from our collections.

Visit us today at Rugs & More in the Santa Barbara Design Center, or give us a call at (805) 962-2166

410 Olive St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101