Lori | 145 x 101 cm | Nr. 273904

Chequered Lori Royal, golden beige

Origin

Lori rugs are a finer version of the Gabbeh, which was traditionally knotted by the Lurs. The Lurs are a tribal people in south-western Persia (also known as Loristan). Lori (or Luri) rugs are also referred to as Loribaft. The added syllable "baft" means roughly "knotted". Translated, Loribaft therefore means Lur knotting.

Lori rugs traditionally have inventive geometric patterns in colourful designs. Modern Loris are usually plainer these days, with monochrome designs. Even so, you still come across traditional, stylised and geometric motifs from everyday nomadic life, such as goats, camels, dogs, plants or people. The geometric pattern and the friendly colours create a pleasant, warm atmosphere at home.

The pattern of this rug is graced by horizontal stripes and colour gradients kept in earthy tones from rust red to yellow. The design recalls the signature stripes of the Italian fashion house Missoni.

Pattern

The chequered pattern wins you over with its contrasts and yet stays restrained. Anyone who loves symmetry and structure will take to this rug.

The surface of this Lori Royal has a mottled look. The shifts in tone and the light-and-dark shading of the pile yarn run across the length of the rug, letting the colours shimmer and making the rug forgiving of dirt. These so-called colour shifts, abrash, give the rug a livelier character. The mottling comes about because the wool of this Lori Royal was hand-spun. During dyeing, the natural pigments are absorbed to differing degrees.

The pile is kept in a single shade of beige. The plain design is restrained, yet it can also set a wonderful decorative accent. The monochrome look of this rug fits in superbly wherever you put it.

The repeating elements of this Lori Royal rug have no particular centre. The recurring repeat pattern feels calming, yet never dull. Rugs with a repeat pattern are also described as all-over patterned.

Material

This particularly fine, hand-knotted Lori has an exceptionally dense pile and an even surface that is not as grainy as on Gabbeh or other Lori rugs. The wool used for the pile of Lori rugs is especially high in quality and rich in natural lanolin. They are wonderfully cosy and hard-wearing. Traditionally, Lori rugs – like the Gabbeh – were used for sleeping on. They invite you to sit and sprawl in the living room, but they are also excellent for hallways and dining areas.

The warp and weft yarns of Lori rugs are traditionally made of new wool, dyed with natural colours and spun by hand. The hand-spun wool gives the Loris their soft surface. Hand-spun wool is always a little irregular. During dyeing, the natural pigments are absorbed to differing degrees. The rug gains a livelier character, with so-called colour shifts (abrash), that is, light-and-dark shading. The shifts in tone of the pile yarn always run across the length of the Lori Royal and make the rug forgiving of dirt. The weft and warp threads of this Lori Royal are made of cotton. This versatile material is tear-resistant and pliable, which makes it especially well suited to a hard-wearing foundation.