My Favorite Sources for Vintage Rugs + Tips for Buying
“Where’d you get that rug?!” It’s a common question I receive, especially on Instagram. My answer 99% of the time? “Vintage.”
While there are certainly covetable new rugs on the market, to me, nothing compares to the timelessness of vintage rugs. Besides their obvious beauty, investing in a vintage rug as opposed to one that’s brand new will often translate to better quality for the cost. The rugs in our home are almost all secondhand antiques in varying degrees of “trod upon” (the exception being our cowhide, which I bought from the Ikea closeout section). These rugs were found in a variety of places, all for well under $125 – an unheard of price for 100% wool rugs, let alone most acrylic and cotton rugs too. We’ve recently reached max capacity for rugs in our apartment, which just makes me all the more excited to eventually have a home to furnish and fill with, you guessed it, MORE RUGS. Besides tying a room together, the right rug can muffle noise in a room – especially handy for apartment dwellers, add insulation during cold winter months, provide traction, and protect hardwood floors. If you’re looking at an otherwise finished room and thinking “it’s missing something”, that something is probably the right rug. So! Without further ado… my tips for purchasing vintage rugs:
What to know before you buy a vintage rug
Learn from my mistakes: always do a smell test before you hand over your cash. While some rugs can be cleaned, in my opinion, it’s not worth the risk of bringing a smelly rug home and not succeeding in getting the stank out (backstory: Chris once found a gorgeous rug at a flea market for $5, only to get it home and us both realizing it was rank).
Know what you’re willing to deal with when it comes to wear and tear – and stains. Roll it out and check for stains. Always look the entire rug over before buying. Check for stains and if there are any, see if they’re surface stains or set in. This goes for wear and tear too. personally, I don’t mind a few frayed edges on my vintage rugs, it gives them character and makes our home feel lived in and less precious. If our vacuum snags a string or the cats throw up on the rug? No big deal (we clean it up of course). That said, we all have our priorities and limits. Know yours.
Try to I.D. the material. I always look for 100% wool, ideally hand-knotted. Why? Because wool is easy to clean, durable, and natural fiber. Natural fibers also mean it’s likely authentic.
See if prices are negotiable if the venue is appropriate. It never hurts to ask “is that your best price"?” or simply offering a lower price. It helps to have cash on hand with smaller bills if you negotiate, and be sure to keep rules in mind (I generally only suggest attempting to negotiate at flea markets and tag/yard sales).
Keep your mind – and your eyes – open when it comes to vintage rug styles and colors. We don’t subscribe to a specific “style” of rug in our home. We have kilims in the dining room, a Persian rug in the living room, and a shag rug and cowhide in the bedroom. I like to keep things mixed up and interesting, so I’m never searching for something super specific when looking for rugs – if my mind is open, there are more possibilities.
Now that you know some tips for what to look for – here are my favorite places to source vintage rugs.
Where to Buy Vintage Rugs
Yard Sales: While a beautiful vintage rug might be a rare find at a yard sale, it’s not out of the question. I found the big kilim rug that’s in our dining room at a Pittsburgh yard sale for $25 bucks. Yes, you read that right, twenty-five dollars! Yard sales often offer the most affordable prices when it comes to rugs because the people holding the sale are usually pretty motivated to get rid of their stuff. See also: Estate sales (though they’re usually a little more expensive)
Flea Markets: Flea market prices are typically a little higher depending on the market. A place like Brimfield or a higher-end market’s prices will likely be steeper, so I always look at smaller markets, especially in rural locations. But, you never know where you might find a great deal, so keep your eyes open!
Craigslist & Facebook Marketplace: These two sites are basically online yard sales. While you have to be fast and willing to drive, you can find some amazing pieces right in your own community. I found the pink rug in our living room on Facebook Marketplace for $75!
eBay & Etsy: eBay and Etsy are to high-end flea markets as Craigslist and Marketplace are to yardsales. You’ll find a greater, and more specific, selection on eBay and Etsy, but the prices are usually much higher. That said, if you’re looking for something very specific, these sites can help you find it. Search terms I use: Kilim rug, vintage kilim, antique rug, worn vintage rug, worn Persian rug, Turkish rug.
You may notice that I didn’t mention thrift stores anywhere. While I love thrifting, I never purchase rugs from thrift stores. To me, there are just too many variables at play, and I’v also rarely come across rugs at thrift stores. While I’m such there are some steals out there, I haven’t found them.
Do you have tips for purchasing vintage rugs? Let me know on Instagram!
