Our most important recommendations for those who have the intention to buy Persian rugs are as follows:

After having a rough idea of the size, design, color, and price, you can decide to buy the rug you prefer. You may bear in mind the rug seller's recommendations but the last decision should be taken by you, so select and buy the rug you need and which you like most.

Well-known and reliable firms will usually bring their rugs to your house. Let them put aside the rugs you prefer. By trying the rugs at home, you will be able to have enough time to examine the harmony of the rugs with your furniture. Ask the seller frankly and without any reserve to show all the rugs which might be suitable for you.

Pay attention to see whether the rug you have bought is regular or not. In the length and width of hand-knotted rugs, there may be a difference of a few inches. In big rugs, this is not as important as it is in small rugs; therefore check accurately the measurements before you buy. Make sure that the pattern is reasonably symmetrical. The best way to check this is to fold the rug in half-length wide and match the two layers; one can easily see half of the central design. The same process can be repeated by folding the rug across the width.

The color of a rug differs when looked at from one end or the other, depending on the pile. It looks lighter in the direction of the pile and darker from the end therefore it's better to see the rug from all angles in the natural daylight. An unexpected color variation in the field of a rug is called a Dapple.

Pay attention to the colors used in the rug; Are they deep and rich? Check the individual colors in different parts of the pile. If the color on the surface of the rug is lighter than the base of the pile, it means that the wool is dyed by Aniline (one kind of fugitive synthetic color).

Make sure that the dark colors haven't run into the lighter ones. Touch the woolen-pile fiber with your hand. It should be tough, shiny, and smooth. There is a general misunderstanding that soft wool is better, but as compared with coarse and tough rugs, the durability of those with soft wool is short. It does not wear well and absorbs dust and dirt very easily.

The most important factor in selecting a rug is its weave. From the back of the rug, one can observe the fineness, the uniformity, the number of knots, and the distance between the rows. If you want to count the knots on the back of a rug, the most common way is to measure them is to see how many knots there are in a square inch. To know better, one should count the knots in different parts of the rugs.

While examining the pile, rub your hand over the surface of the rug. The height of the pile should be even from one end to the other. If the pile is uneven, it means that the weavers have not sheared the rug well. If the rug is not washed properly, this may cause irregularity. When you select the rug, make sure that the pile has no bad smell and it isn't dirty.

Finally, buy your rugs from well-organized stores that have a sufficient stock of rugs. Ask the seller to give you a certificate guaranteeing the authentic Persian hand-knotted area rug you have bought. This certificate will be very useful in case of insurance or sale again.