Blue Rugs

Which rug traditions are known for blue?

Chinese rugs are the tradition most closely tied to blue, and they make up 590 of the blue rugs on this page. After China come Persian village and town rugs with deep navy fields, then Caucasian and Indian rugs. Here is how our blue stock breaks down.

• Peking rugs, 378 in blue. The classic Chinese scheme of two or three blues on an ivory or champagne ground, with a quiet field and a few well spaced symbols. Most of ours are antique, 327 of them dated 1925 or earlier. See Peking rugs and our comparison of Peking, Ningxia and Art Deco rugs.
• Chinese Art Deco, 113 in blue, including 61 by Walter Nichols. Deep navy and brighter lapis and teal from the 1920s and 1930s, often with floating motifs and little or no border. The deep navy associated with Nichols is sometimes called Nichols Blue. See Chinese Art Deco rugs and Walter Nichols rugs.
• Persian village and town rugs, 354 in blue. Navy and midnight fields are a staple of North West Persian, Malayer, Bidjar and Kurdish weaving, usually set against madder red and ivory. Our blue Persians are mostly antique: 304 of 354. See antique Persian rugs.
• Caucasian rugs, 67 in blue. Blue is the most common ground in our Caucasian collection. Expect saturated indigo in bold, stepped geometry, as in Kazak rugs and Shirvan rugs. See Caucasian rugs.
• Indian rugs and dhurries, 205 in blue. A mix of antique Agra carpets, vintage and antique cotton dhurries in blue stripes and grids, and new hand-knotted rugs. Most of our new blue rugs, 122 of 154, were woven in India.

How is blue made in a hand-knotted rug?

Traditional blue comes from indigo, and the dyer builds the shade by dipping the wool again and again. Indigo does not dissolve in plain water, so the dyer prepares a vat in which it becomes soluble, dips the yarn, and lets the air turn it blue as it dries. One dip gives a pale sky blue; many dips give navy.

• Abrash is normal. Each batch of dyed wool comes out a little different, so a blue field often shows soft horizontal bands of lighter and darker blue. This is expected in an antique rug.
• Natural and synthetic dyes. Synthetic dyes reached most weaving regions in the late 19th century. Some early ones were unstable and faded or ran; later chrome dyes are fast and stable, and they are what give 1920s Chinese Art Deco rugs their clear, strong blues. Our natural vs synthetic dyes guide explains the checks.
• Check the base of the pile. Part the pile with your fingers. A blue that is brighter at the knot than at the tips shows sun exposure. We are glad to send close-ups of the back or a condition report.

How does a blue rug look in different light?

Blue shifts more with light than most rug colors, so judge it in the room where it will live.

• North light and overcast days cool blue down and push navy toward charcoal. Pale blues can read as gray blue.
• South and west light warms blue and brings out any green or teal in it.
• Warm evening bulbs deepen navy until it reads close to black. Cooler, brighter bulbs keep it reading as blue.
• Pile direction matters. Viewed with the pile, a blue field looks lighter and shinier; viewed against it, darker and richer.

How do you decorate with a blue rug?

Use blue where you want calm. It works in traditional, transitional and modern rooms alike.

• With wood floors. Blue is the natural complement of warm oak, walnut and cherry, so a blue rug makes a wood floor look richer. On pale or whitewashed oak, choose a navy field for contrast.
• With stone and tile. Pale limestone, marble and concrete pair well with blue and ivory Peking rugs; the ivory ties to the stone and the blue adds depth.
• With walls. White and warm white walls let blue lead. Ochre, terracotta and warm gray walls make a blue rug the cool note in a warm room. Pale blue walls over a navy rug create a tonal, layered look.
• With upholstery. Rust, cognac leather, camel and ivory linen all sit well on blue. For a single accent, pull the rug's secondary color, often apricot, rust or gold, into cushions or a chair.
• Room by room. Navy Persian and Caucasian rugs suit libraries, dining rooms and studies. Open, pale Peking fields suit bedrooms and living rooms where you want air. Runners in blue hide traffic well in halls; we have 166 blue runners in stock.
• Measure first. Our rug size guide explains how to measure, and every listing gives the measured size.

How do you care for a blue rug?

Care for a blue rug the way you would any fine wool rug: a good pad, rotation once or twice a year, gentle vacuuming without a beater bar, and professional washing every few years.

• Sun. Indigo holds up well to light, but the reds, golds and greens next to it fade faster. Rotate the rug and use curtains or UV film in very bright rooms.
• Spills. Blot at once with plain water. Never rub, and never use bleach or strong cleaners near an ivory ground next to blue, where a run of color would show.
• Professional washing. Our rug cleaning service in Manhattan washes hand-knotted rugs with a pH-balanced process.
• Moths. Dark blue hides moth damage until it is well advanced, so check under furniture and along the edges. Our moth-proofing service washes the rug first and then treats the fibers.

Glossary of blue rug and dye terms

These are the terms you will meet most often in our listings and guides for blue rugs.

Indigo

The traditional plant source of blue in rugs, used across China, Persia, the Caucasus, Anatolia and India.

Vat dyeing

The method used for indigo: the dye is made soluble in a vat, taken up by the wool, and turns blue as it meets the air.

Abrash

Soft bands of tonal variation within one color, from changes in dye batch. Common and welcome in antique blue fields.

Aniline dye

An early synthetic dye of the later 19th century. Some early synthetics were prone to fading or running.

Chrome dye

A later synthetic dye fixed with a chrome mordant, fast to light and washing. Used in 1920s and 1930s Chinese Art Deco rugs.

Navy field

A deep blue ground built up with many dips in the indigo vat, typical of Persian village and town rugs.

Blue and ivory

The classic Peking palette of several blues on an ivory or champagne ground. Shop Peking rugs.