Dhurrie rugs are a hot designer choice for nearly any room. The rugged and durable flat-weave of dhurrie rugs makes them a natural choice in casual settings.  Additionally, with today’s decor tending to be more flexible, dhurrie rugs are being utilized in more formal settings as well. This versatility, as well as their transitional appeal, helps make dhurrie rugs a favorite for all ages.

Dhurrie Diamond Soho Trellis Rug

Bohemian Market Dhurrie Rug

However, that has not always been the case. With the reputation of being affordable and rough, dhurrie rugs were relegated in the past solely to high traffic areas, kitchens, student apartments and the like. Certainly, not the stuff designers were likely to tackle! So obviously, the fabulous dhurries you are seeing today are not your mother’s old rugs.

Ironwork Trellis Dhurrie Rug

Coral Design Dhurri Rug

Quatrefoil Dhurrie Rug

What happened? Largely hand-loomed in India, dhurries or “dhury” rugs have as rich a history as any of their hand-knotted Turkish brethren. Dhurries have been long respected as the “workhorse” of area rugs with origins that can be traced all the way back to ancient Ajanta cave paintings. However, only relative recently have dhurrie rugs come to fully mature largely under the direction of the western design world. Highly regarded as a leading expert on rugs, David Black was at the forefront of this transformation with his London exhibition “The Underappreciated Dhurrie.” This Exhibition, held in 1982, went a long way toward helping the world recognize the exceptional beauty and practicality that dhurrie rugs could achieve. Having rediscovered the virtues of these rugs, the design world has done more than merely give dhurrie rugs its stamp of approval. The dhurrie weave was adopted and then practically reinvented. Today the tight, fine weave of the dhurrie allows for clean geometric patterns so coveted by style mavens. With these new updated designs and significantly higher quality materials, such as fine quality cottons and wools, the ancient craft now expresses a contemporary design sensibility that fits in perfectly with today’s decors.

Damask Vine Dhurrie Rug

Soho Dhurri Rug

Dhurrie rugs, long admired for their durability and cost effectiveness, have grown in stature and are now the perfect combination of fashion and practicality to match up quite nicely with our modern eclectic lifestyles. Today, dhurries are fashion “must haves” and can be found in a large variety of designs, from classic stripe patterns, now in updated colors…to more intricate graphic designs.

Dhurrie Ticking Stripe Rug

Regatta Dhurri Rug

Coastal Stripe Dhurri Rug

Modern Geometric Dhurri Rug

Grecian Maze Dhurrie Rug

As always, dhurries are reversible and easy to clean, making them so very practical for busy households and especially those with children and pets. True to their heritage, dhurries continue to be more budget friendly than most rugs. Combining their historic practically with this new design sense; all in all, dhurries seem to have come of age quite gracefully. For more information read: Nada Chaldecott in her book Dhurries: History, Technique, Pattern, Identification