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How to Choose a Black Rug by Pattern and Weave
Two things narrow the choice quickly: the pattern you want on the black ground, and how the rug should feel underfoot. Roses and thin stripes come on flatwoven kilims, which are firm and about 0.16 to 0.24 in (4 to 6 mm) thick. Ivory geometric patterns show up both on flatwoven dhurries and on the thick Moroccan pile rugs, so you can get the same look in a flat rug or a thick one.
How the black reads in photos: On an overdyed rug, black dye was added over the rug's earlier color, and the two can mix. Two rugs listed as black may not look the same. Pile rugs also have a nap: the same rug can look deeper from one end and lighter from the other, and some photos show the lighter side. Compare the full-rug photo with the close-ups on each listing.
Roses, Ivory Geometrics or Faded Overdye: Black Rug Patterns
Black-ground florals
Moldovan kilims with large roses in red, pink and cream on a black ground, most of them inside a wide floral border and about 40 to 50 years old. A few needlepoint rugs carry smaller flower sprays on black. Compare them in Moldovan rose kilim rugs.
Black with white or ivory
Zigzags, stripes and lattices on some of the dhurries, ivory geometric grids on some flatwoven kilims, and fine white lines on several of the black Moroccan rugs. If you are looking for a black and white rug or a black and cream rug, start with these.
Faded black overdye
Older wool rugs, most 30 to 70 years old, dyed black over their original color. The earlier medallion or border often shows through faintly. Most of the Persian rugs overdyed black are 9x12 or larger, and most are about 0.2 in (5 mm) thick. See more in Persian rugs and overdyed rugs.
Black with thin stripes
Goat hair kilims in near-black, most with thin stripes of cream, red or blue running across each rug. The oldest of them are about 50 to 70 years old.
Overdyed, Patchwork or Kilim: Compare the Weave
The black pile rugs here run about 0.2 to 0.47 in (5 to 12 mm) thick, and most flatweaves about 0.16 to 0.24 in (4 to 6 mm).
Overdyed and Persian overdyed
Hand-knotted, with a wool pile on a cotton foundation, about 0.2 to 0.28 in (5 to 7 mm) thick. The pile makes them softer to stand on than the flatweaves here.
Patchwork
Most black patchwork rugs are built from squares in slightly different shades of black and charcoal, so the patches read as a tonal grid. The squares are cut from vintage and overdyed rugs, all hand-knotted wool, and sewn together, and the finished rug is about 0.3 in (8 mm) thick. The edges are overlocked, so there is no fringe. Browse more in patchwork rugs.
Moldovan kilims and dhurries
Flatwoven with no pile, about 0.24 in (6 mm) thick. Most of the Moldovan kilims were made in Moldova; the dhurries are made in India from cotton and wool. Both usually weigh less than a pile rug of the same size and lie flat, so they work well under a dining table. A smaller group of Turkish flatwoven kilims, most of them listed as contemporary designs, is mostly about 0.2 in (5 mm) thick. See more in kilim rugs.
Goat hair kilims
Among the thinnest rugs in this collection, at about 0.16 in (4 mm). Goat hair is hard-wearing but coarse, so these kilims can prickle bare feet; they suit hallways, entryways and rooms where shoes stay on.
For the thickest pile, look at the black Moroccan rugs, about 0.47 in (12 mm) thick. The hand-knotted Oushak rugs and the patchwork rugs are about 0.3 in (8 mm).
Where a Black Rug Works
A black rug gives the most contrast under a cream, beige or light grey sofa and on pale wood floors. On a dark wood floor a mostly black rug can blend in; a Moldovan floral or a black and ivory pattern stays visible. Most area rugs here fall between 6x8 and 9x12; if you need to cover a large seating group, most of the Persian rugs overdyed black are 9x12 or larger. Compare sizes in 8x10 rugs and 9x12 rugs. For a bedroom, choose a pile rug over a goat hair kilim.
Black runners come in three width groups. The overdyed and patchwork runners are about 2'8" to 3'1" wide and 8'10" to 10'8" long. The overdyed Konya runners are about 4'8" to 4'10" wide and 11'4" to 12'11" long. The Moldovan rose kilim runners are much wider, about 5'5" to 6'11" across and 12'4" to 17'5" long, so they are closer to a long area rug than a hallway runner. Measure the width of the hallway before you choose a group. Compare runners of every color in runner rugs.
Size note: Always check the exact product measurements before ordering. Handmade and vintage rugs can vary slightly from standard size names.
Common Black Rug Questions
Is a black rug a good idea?
It works well where you want contrast: under a light sofa, on pale oak, or in a room with white walls.
Are these rugs solid black?
Most are not. Black is the ground color, and the pattern on top is in other colors. The closest to plain black are some of the overdyed rugs, where the old design has faded under the dye.
Are all of these rugs wool and hand-knotted?
No. The overdyed, Oushak and Moroccan rugs are hand-knotted, with a wool pile on a cotton foundation, and the patchwork rugs are sewn from pieces of hand-knotted rugs. The Moldovan kilims, goat hair kilims, other Turkish kilims and dhurries are flatwoven, and a few chaput rugs, woven from recycled material, are hand-loomed. Each listing gives the material and construction.
Are these black rugs vintage?
Most are 30 years old or more, including the overdyed rugs and the Moldovan and goat hair kilims. On a patchwork rug, the listed age is the age of the older rugs it was cut from. The Moroccan rugs, Oushak rugs and dhurries are mostly 10 to 20 years old, and a few pieces are newer. Each listing gives the approximate age.
Do I need a rug pad?
Yes for the kilims and dhurries. Most are 0.16 to 0.24 in (4 to 6 mm) thick with no pile, and a thin rug pad keeps them in place on hard floors and adds some cushion. A pad also keeps a pile rug from sliding; on finished wood floors, choose a pad made for that floor type.
How should I clean a black rug?
Take it to a professional rug cleaner, including after a spill. That applies to every rug here, the flatwoven kilims and dhurries included. Don't machine wash or soak a handmade rug at home.
What if the rug doesn't work in my room?
The photos show the exact rug you receive. If it doesn't work in your room, contact us within 14 calendar days of delivery and we'll send return instructions. Read the refund policy for the conditions before you order.
Related Rug Collections
If you want another dark neutral, compare grey rugs and brown rugs. For a lighter ground, browse beige and ivory rugs; for a warmer one, red and burgundy rugs. For every color in one place, browse area rugs.
