A good area rug can be the centerpiece to the entire room. It can give your room depth, can warm it up, and can even protect the flooring underneath. But rugs can do even more … they can transpire your home by telling a story.

Yes, in times past, the area rug wasn’t simply something used to protect the floor or warm the space; rugs were designed to tell a story and preserve a piece of cultural history.

There are all kinds of textiles used throughout the world. Rugs became an art form in many ancient civilizations, including from China, India, Mongolia, Persia and Egypt, dating back thousands of years. Even in the Western world you’ll find amazing art pieces from ancient indigenous cultures, from the heart of Mexico, to the Maori people in the South Pacific.

Watch a weaver today in action and you can see why each piece became so personalized. By pulling a thread tight there, weaving in a different color there, or even incorporating different threads into the work, you can easily see a work of art appear.

• You’ll find religious symbols representing faith in all its glory.
• You’ll find mythology or pictorial representations of life changing events.
• You’ll find symbolism to depict a family’s honor.
• You’ll find cultural inheritance, a sense of community that runs deep within.

And even though many of these symbolism’s no longer have meaning in our modern world, we can still gain a sense of pride by displaying them in our homes for all to see.

In today’s world, many of the area rugs you’ll find on display were created using computer applications, woven by a machine. They are high quality with perfect density, ensuring a quality product from the beginning. Yet in some cases, you can still find old-world rugs designed through hand-planning, and hand-weaving, giving it that one of a kind look and feel that has been cherished for generations.

Area rugs today often start with a story. They have a background, a look rich in culture. And while the process may be automated and turned towards production, nothing can take away that original look and feel when you introduce it into your own home.

And let your own storytelling begin with an area rug.