Design Highlight: The classic Kilim
Our homes welcome a part of us.
We create them through feelings, memories, and a love for design. Some of us work with classic heirlooms, biophilia, and textures that resonate with us. Some seek narratives that reside in art through its vivid details, historical legacies waiting to unfold. One such art form that provides an ephemeral touch of a historical past is handwoven fabrics.
A classic example that has stood the test of time is the famous ‘Kilim’.
Why Kilim?
Kilim is a pileless tapestry or a woven textile with bright symbolic geometric structures, handmade with deep esoteric meanings resonating years of tradition.
Derived from the Persian word ‘Gelim’, it can be traced back to the 13th century, carefully crafted in parts of Afghanistan, Morroco & North Africa. Its characteristic feature is its flatweave, where the warps and wefts meet in a beautiful harmony of vegetable-dyed cotton strands and luxurious animal wool.
In recent years, it has taken the West by storm for its rich hues and multiple uses. It is used as a hanging tapestry, rugs, versatile table covers, seat mats, and much more. Today, this fabric finds itself giving our homes a bohemian flair, a global oriental exuberance that vibes beautifully with either our minimal contemporary homes or our colorful spaces.
Early Influence
Rooted across Anatolia, Turkey, it resonates with the revered history of this beautiful terrain. This eclectic fabric was born as a form of personal expression that eventually took on a social significance. Women treasured it through the many stages of their life and passed it on as an heirloom through multiple generations.
The symbols and signs often represent mythical expressions of hope, luck, and longevity in relations. Symbols such as ‘tree of life’ could embody longevity. A ‘cross’ could symbolize good over evil. Its timelessness and early influences add to its allure and ever-growing value.
A Tapestry Haven
What is interesting to note, is the combination of plant dyes and cotton strands that work across the warps(Vertical Yarn) and wefts (Horizontal Yarn) in traditional looms with ancient techniques of a glorious past. Popular and usually worked upon by women, a 6' X 9' rug takes about 9- 12 weeks to complete.
A distinctive feature is its variation in designs across regions ranging from Eastern Anatolia to Central Europe. One could either choose the traditional earthy rich colors through the Kayseri, Sivas, Bidjar, Konya tribal pattern or a more transitional light robust pattern of a Scandinavian-Morrocon palette. Its greatest asset is its easy marriage with any decor style and range.
A Decor Guide
What makes it aesthetic across a plethora of lifestyle blogs is the multiple possibilities of its use. One could highlight it as an accent piece by using it as a wall hanging, highlighting patchwork details. It could also work as an heirloom piece resonating an eastern vibe through an ottoman upholstery. Its bright geometric patterns could add a zing of color to your neutral room or ground the feel of a room as a timeless rug.
Its bold symbols can be effortlessly matched with other patterns of a similar color. It could also be a classic addition to your jute rug, working as the perfect cover-up as a vintage rug to your floor. Kilim cushions work popularly as a classic addition to layered bedspreads, adding warmth and character to your favorite style.
Kilim promises a balance through its overpowering strength of bright hues and collected calm of subtle neutrals. It could provide the right focal point adding to the classic first impression of a room. Its traditional motifs may speak of its rich symbolism, but its multiple possibilities have made it a popular asset worldwide. The use of personal details, spatial patterns, and robust quality could give you the perfect avenue to make it your own!