As the name suggests, Turkish Oushak rugs were first crafted by weavers who lived in the town of “Oushak” located in the west central Anatolia towards the south of Istanbul, Turkey dating back to the 15th century.
Oushak rugs, antique in particular, are more loosely woven than Persian carpets and bring warmth and an understated subtle elegance to any room.
Antique Oushak rugs often feature soft & neutral colors like coral, aqua, terracotta shades, gold, blues, greens, ivory and grey.
The rugs truly are a designer favorite as they allow for the perfect blend of old & new and because they work with many fabrics given the subdued color palette.
They are such an easy element to use since they play well with most interior styles: traditional, modern, transitional and contemporary.
Steve Cordony is a master of pairing light & dark texture rich combinations. The light colored Oushak under the dark console, lamps and art is a great study in contrast.
A uniquely hued rug instantly adds depth & dimension to the otherwise clean and crisp bathroom by Kate Marker.
Studio McGee's signature warm modern kitchens almost always feature a neutral vintage runner.
A vintage Oushak runner rug can be perfect for adding warmth and interest to an otherwise basic hallway. I particularly love pairing a lighter hued Oushak against a dark wooden floor for a high contrast look like the above, as expertly crafted by Cindy Seely.
One of my personal favorite ways to use lighter Oushak rugs is to layer them. I love to couple Oushaks with any type of jute, sisal or seagrass woven rug.
I use a larger woven rug as the foundation scaling it to the size of the room so all of the furniture fits within its parameters. I layer a smaller Oushak on top creating a center focal point in the room.
I find this combination is extremely effective in open floor plans as it defines seating areas and instantly adds rich texture and visual interest. It can also be a helpful cost effective solution as large sized Oushaks can be very pricey.
Etsy can be a great source for affordable Oushak options. I purchased the majority of my Oushaks including two full size carpets, two hallway runners and a smaller throw rug for my bathroom from the Etsy shop Vintage Oushak Rugs Turkey.
The prices are extremely competitive, the seller is super responsive and they ship incredibly quickly via DHL. Inventory can be limited for larger rugs but I always find a good selection for smaller options. Pictured above are some of their current options I am loving.