Lots of colour, hardly any pattern and a pile your bare feet sink into. That is the quickest way to describe gabbeh rugs. Every gabbeh rug here is pure wool, woven by hand, with a full pile. Most people choose a single colour. There are patterned pieces too, for anyone who finds one plain surface a bit too quiet.
Rectangle
Sizes 60 x 90 cm to 300 x 400 cm
Works well in the living room, under the bed or the dining table
Runner
Sizes 60 x 180 cm to 80 x 400 cm
Works well in the hallway, along both sides of the bed
Round
Sizes from Ø 80 cm
Works well under a round table, in a reading corner
Square
Sizes in the plain colours
Works well with a corner sofa, in an almost square room
Where gabbeh rugs come from
The model is the Persian gabbeh, made by nomads in southern Iran. Strong colours, few ornaments, a slightly higher pile. Those originals are hand-knotted. Ours are made in India and woven by hand rather than knotted, which is a different technique with the same love of plain colour.
Looking for the classic knotted look with a medallion and a border? Then an oriental rug is the better match. More pieces from the loom, in other materials as well, are collected under handwoven rugs.
Sizes for sofa and bed
There is no 200 x 300 cm. The nearest size is 200 x 290 cm, and together with 160 x 230 cm it covers most three-seaters with a coffee table, as long as the front feet of the sofa stand on the wool. For a gabbeh rug in a large living room or an open-plan space, the extra large gabbeh in 300 x 400 cm takes in the whole seating area. Our page on living room rugs has more help with measuring.
In the bedroom you measure from the bed. Laid crosswise under the lower two thirds, the rug should show 50–60 cm on each side, so your first step in the morning lands on wool and not on cold boards. With a double bed that often means 200 x 290 cm or 240 x 340 cm. Two runners along the sides are the alternative if the bed should not stand on a rug at all.
A round gabbeh starts at Ø 80 cm. It suits a small table or the spot under a reading chair.
Colour, wear and care
Ten colours are on offer right now. Blue or green makes a clear block of colour in a bright room. Red and orange are louder, and so is yellow. Beige, grey and black hold back and let colourful furniture take the lead, while turquoise and pink sit somewhere in between. If you would rather have several colours in one piece, look at our colourful rug range.
Plain gabbeh mixes well with pattern. A single-colour piece in the dining area gets on with a vintage rug in the lounge, provided one shade turns up in both. Further designs in sheep's wool are gathered under wool rugs. Keeping an eye on budget? Check the rug sale.
Frequently asked questions
Does a new wool rug shed?
A little at the start, yes. It eases off with regular vacuuming.
Can a gabbeh go on underfloor heating?
According to the product data, yes.
Is there a square gabbeh?
Yes, the plain single-colour design also comes as a square. That suits a corner sofa or a room that is nearly square.
How should I vacuum the pile?
Use a nozzle without a rotating brush so the wool doesn't rough up. Blot spills straight away with an absorbent cloth instead of rubbing them in. And turn the rug round every few months, then the walkways wear evenly.
Are these rugs hand-knotted?
No. They are woven by hand in India. Knotting was the technique of the old Persian originals.
