Handmade rugs are enchantingly magnificent works of fine craftsmanship.
Whether you’ve inherited an old handmade Tribal rug from your ancestors, or just discovered a hand-woven Persian rug in your attic, don’t throw it away!
Old handmade rugs are of great value and can be easily upcycled to be reused again. Plus, an antique tribal rug might be just what you need to make a style statement!
Why Upcycle an Old Tribal Rug?
Handmade rugs are not a thing of the past. These at pieces stay in trend throughout the year and have the magic to uplift your interiors instantly.
However, if you’ve inherited an old handmade tribal rug, you may find it unattractive thinking that the bold hues and geometric patterns won’t be the right fit for your modern and contemporary décor.
Also, the rug colors might have faded a bit overtime, making it look beaten up and unusable.
Here’s what you can do with an old (maybe also dirty) handmade tribal rug:
- Turn it into a Tapestry
- Old Rug Becomes New Chair
- Overdye the Rug to Add Some Life
- Move the Rug Outside
- Try Some Deep Cleaning
- Repair and Reuse/Resell
1. Turn it into a Tapestry
If your old tribal rug is in too bad a condition that you can’t throw it on the floor, don’t throw it away either.
Add some flowers and decorations to the rug. In this way, you can cover up the damaged or torn areas on the rug. Nir add a rope to your new creation and hang it on a plain wall that’s in dire need of some color.
This method works really well for small-sized area rug. Also, if the rug is a flatweave type and not too heavy or fuzzy, it would definitely make a great tapestry. You can also use this method to repurpose an old Kilim or dhurry.
But don’t forget to thoroughly wash or vacuum clean your rug before moving it to the wall. After all, dirt and dust filled tapestries are never fascinating.
2. Old Rug Becomes New Chair
Bold and vibrant furniture items are the talk of the town nowadays. However, it’s hard to find a statement piece that suits your décor, or that looks exactly like you dreamed it.
Here’s an idea:
Get that favorite handmade rug of yours that you don’t have the heart to throw away and make a new chair out of it!
If the area rug is large enough, you can also use it to upholster the all the chairs of your dining table and chair set. This would help change the feel of your entire dining space by adding more warmth and color to it.
Colorful and vibrant rugs such as Baluchi rugs or a handmade Gabbeh rug can help create the most amazing furniture items, including chairs, floor poufs, a bench, or an ottoman stool.
3. Overdye the Rug to Add Some Life
Throwing a handmade tribal rug away because it looks too faded, dull, and old?
Breathe in new life into the artifact by overdying it!
In order to overdye your tribal rug, follow these easy steps at home:
- Clean the rug thoroughly with a vacuum cleaner to remove all dust and dirt particles
- Take the rug outdoors and place it on a plastic tarp
- Wet your handmade rug thoroughly
- Make the dye of your chosen color and pour it in a spray bottle
- Spray the rug until it turns into the color you want. This step may take up a lot of your time and energy, as well as an ample amount of dye
- Rinse the rug using a water hose until the water running off of the rug turns clear
- Hang the rug on a wall to dry it
- Once the rug has dried out properly, spray it with a rug protector and take it indoors to create a fun living room décor look!
4. Move the Rug Outside
Old rugs that don’t look good inside the house can always be placed in outdoor areas, such as on a porch, in your patio, or on the terrace beside one or two chairs.
Whether you’re into hosting BBQ parties at your place, or love spending intimate nights under the stars, a rug for your outdoor space is a must.
However, since handmade rugs are too expensive, you might be worried about ruining a new handmade rug by placing it outdoors in a spot where it would be receiving a lot of dust, dirt, and sun exposure.
But it won’t hurt placing an already old and shabby looking rug outdoors, right?
You can even overdye the rug before using It to uplift your outdoor seating areas.
5. Try Some Deep Cleaning
Sometimes all an old handmade tribal rug needs is a good long bath!
If the rug has been sitting in your attic or basement for a long time, or if you’ve been using the same rug in your living room since multiple years, don’t think it’s time to throw it away.
There are high chances your precious tribal rug looks old and tired because it is dirty!
Even if you use a vacuum cleaner to clean the rug, the dirt that has set deep within the rug fibers won’t get cleaned easily.
To make the rug look as good as new, take it to a professional rug cleaner and get the carpet deep cleaned for good.
Now, you must be thinking ‘can you wash a handmade rug at home?’
Well, you may, but that’s not something we’d recommend. Washing a rug is one of those tasks that should be left to the professionals.
6. Repair and Reuse/Resell
Inherited a tribal rug but it’s torn out in places?
Visit a trusted rug dealer and get some expert advice on what you can do with the artifact.
In most cases, handmade rugs can be repaired. After having the rug repaired, you can either keep the valuable heirloom yourself, or sell it for a handsome amount!
Conclusively, handmade tribal rugs have a lot of history and tradition attached to them. These rugs are crafted by highly skilled weavers over a time period of multiple months, even years! So, whatever you do, don’t throw away a valuable handmade tribal rug even if it’s old. After all, antique rugs are the most valued ones!
