Nain carpets, reputed to be the very finest, are distinguished by their single medallion set in a blue or ivory background and subtle, muted colors.

Nain is located in central Iran, just south of Isfahan. Prior to the 2nd World War, Nain was a center of fine textiles. The shift to the production of fine Persian carpets came after the war. Nain Persian carpets are in such high demand worldwide that there are many counterfeits produced in India and Pakistan being sold as authentic. Always purchase from a reputable dealer in order to avoid disappointment. The Habibian workshop is reputed to produce the finest quality Nain Persian carpets. These are very difficult to come by as they are woven in limited quantity. Even more rare is a signed piece. Master craftsmen weave Nain carpets using Persian knots. Experts use a different measurement called LAA, a Farsi word meaning layers, to define the quality of Nain Persian carpets. LAA refers to the number of threads forming each fringe at the end of the carpet. The LAA number on Nain Persian carpets is a good indicator of the price. As the LAA numbers decrease, the price proportionately increases.

Nain Persian carpets have detailed curvilinear designs, but their unique feature is that they use more animal motifs, especially birds, in the background. The Islimi design also features prominently. A distinguishing characteristic of Nain Persian carpets is their single medallion set in a blue or ivory background. It is very rare to find a red background. The colors on Nain Persian carpets are very subtle and muted shades of white, ivory, beige, buff, light gray, light blue, turquoise, navy, light brown, camel, and burgundy created from natural vegetable dyes.

Isfahan rugs, hand woven to exacting standards, are well known for symmetrical and well balanced, colorful designs featuring more than 15 colors on each rug.

Isfahan, located between two mountain ranges just south of Tehran, is the capital city of the province. The weaving of Isfahan traditional rugs dates back to the 16th century. During its peak in the 17th century Isfahan became the capital of Iran. The most sought after Isfahan traditional rugs are made by the very famous master weaver, Serafian. These rugs are in such great demand that a whole industry of counterfeit Serafian traditional rugs now exists. Buyer beware. The best protection is to purchase your Isfahan traditional rugs only from a reputable dealer who will provide a certificate of authentication. The skilled artisans of authentic Isfahan traditional rugs ply their trade using Persian knots with varying KPSI (knots per square inch), depending on the quality of the rug.

The distinctive characteristics of Isfahan traditional rugs are their symmetrical and well balanced designs often with a striking contrast between the borders and field. The background and the borders are visibly divided by two to five minor borders. A frequently used design on Isfahan traditional rugs features a large round medallion resembling the mosaic tile work of the interior of the dome of the Sheikh Lotfollah's Mosque. Other popular designs include pictorials, and the tree of life. Isfahan traditional rugs are extremely colorful and include blues, reds, and beiges on an ivory background. In fact most rugs feature more than 15 colors.

Kashmar rugs, reputed to produce some of the highest quality area rugs in eastern Iran, are known for their large size and their unique designs.

Kashmar is located in the Province of Khorassan, just southwest of Mashad. It is reputed to produce some of the highest quality area rugs in eastern Iran in addition to being a collection point for Baluch tribal area rugs. The weaving of area rugs in Kashmar can be traced back to the 1500s. They are quite rare and historically very important. Much the same as books, Kashmar area rugs tell the stories of the rich cultural life and history in the region. Kashmar is the home to many master weavers who use Persian knots to create their fine works of art.

The two distinguishing features of Kashmar area rugs are their large size and their unique designs. Area rugs from Kashmar take designs from other regions and modify them into interesting variations that are new and original. Kase Boshghab (bowl and plate), Case Kozeh (bowl and flowerpot), Zir Khaki (means "under earth" and refers to designs that depict archeological artifacts found in Iran such as vases and other ornaments with designs of birds), Lachak Toranj (medallion and corner design) are all famous designs that Kashmar area rugs are famous for. Woven in pictorial patterns, Kashmar area rugs tell tales of major events or important historical figures. They may include items of cultural significance, special buildings, or symbolic representations like the Tree of Life. Older area rugs will be primarily baby blue and cream, with ivory providing the contrast. Newer Kashmar area rugs feature greens, reds, and browns.

Bakhtiari rugs, hand woven by one of the most well known Persian tribes, are famous for their beautiful wool garden carpet Khesti design rugs.

Bakhtiari traditional rugs are named for the Bakhtiari tribe, one of the most ancient and well known of the Persian tribes. The Bakhtiari remained nomadic until the beginning of the 19th century when they settled in the Zagros region of the Chahar-Mahal area, known for its excellent and luxurious wool. The majority of traditional rugs are now woven in Shahr-Kurd, the center of the Bakhtiari weaving area located just southeast of Isfahan. The Bakhtiari people call their best traditional rugs Bibibaff which literally means that they were knotted by old women, or grandmother’s weave. Bibi means woman and baff means to knot. The most experienced weaver in the family produced the finest work. The Turkish knot is the one used here ranging from very coarse to medium fine. The Bakhtiari weavers of traditional rugs are known for their artistry and their excellent skills.

Bakhtiari traditional rugs are famous for their garden carpet Kheshti design - flower and tendril motifs filled within geometrical compartments. A Bakhtiari design featuring a decorated field with lattice designs and floral ornaments figures prominently on Bakhtiari traditional rugs as well. Natural dyes in many shades of white and ivory are predominantly used, in addition to red, brown, green, and yellow. However, blue is rarely used on Bakhtiari traditional rugs.

Tabriz rugs, one of the most coveted of all Persian rugs, are characterized by their curvilinear patterns including medallions, hunting patterns, prayer, and pictorial rugs.

The ancient city of Tabriz, located in northwestern Iran, is the largest producer of handmade Persian wool rugs in the world. This extremely prolific city has enjoyed a wonderful reputation as a center of Oriental culture for centuries. Although rug weaving in Tabriz can be traced back to the 15th century, it was during the Middle Ages that the weavers of wool rugs began to be influenced by the work of manuscript illuminators, silk embroiderers, miniature painters, and metal workers. Curvilinear designs on wool rugs were first introduced to the courts in Istanbul by weavers from Tabriz. In the mid 19th century Tabriz established itself as the market center for the exportation of Persian wool rugs to the west. Tabriz wool rugs are double wefted and the Turkish knot is dominant, although both Turkish and Persian knots are used.

Tabriz wool rugs are characterized by their curvilinear patterns including medallions, hunting patterns, prayer, and pictorial rugs. They are famous for their wide range of patterns and styles, such as the famous 'Mahi' which is reputed to be one of the most elegant designs. Tabriz wool rugs typically feature dense floral patterns filled with palmettes, vases, and other garden elements in dark red or dark blue with contrasting shades of white or ivory.

Hamadan rugs, produced in west central Iran in one of the largest trade centers for tribal rugs, are well known for their Turkish influence.

Hamadan, located in west central Iran, is one of the oldest cities in the world, dating back several centuries before Christ. Hamadan and its surrounding villages make up one of the largest trade centers for tribal rugs. This area is well known for tribal rugs with a strong Turkish influence. At one time these rugs were commonly used as floor rugs to sleep on. This lent itself to the creation of long narrow rugs, which we have adopted for use as stair runners. The wool used for weaving the rugs and stair runners is extremely durable as a result of coming from sheep living in higher altitudes with cooler temperatures. Weavers in Hamadan use Turkish knots for the rugs and stair runners, and they are all flat woven.

Rugs and stair runners woven in Hamadan will typically vary from geometric patterns to small animal and floral elements, and will occasionally feature the famous Herati design - an old Mongol (Turkish) pattern featuring fish and turtles or it can refer to the Mahi design, which is a fish design in Farsi. It is common to find stair runners with a repeating design of a flower centered inside a diamond shape with curving leaves outside of the diamond and parallel to each side. Hamadan rugs and stair runners typically feature simple geometric designs in bold, primary colors created from natural vegetable dyes. Deep reds and dark blues predominate on Hamadan rugs and stair runners, with ivory as a contrasting color, while newer rugs feature green, blue, red, yellow, salmon, rust, and beige.

Kerman rugs, among the finest produced in Iran, are famous for pictorial designs and medallions and outer borders that are intricately detailed in many colors.

Kerman, in southeastern Iran, is located just southeast of Tehran. This long time carpet weaving center is where the prized Kerman Persian carpet is produced. Equal in quality to Tabriz and Isfahan, the Kerman Persian carpet has long been a favorite among western collectors who appreciate the superb craftsmanship and exquisite designs. A Kerman Persian carpet may be hand woven in both the city and surrounding villages, although those made in the city are though to be of a higher quality. Skilled artisans use Persian knots in order to create the intricate detail on these masterpieces.

There is no finer example of pictorial design than the Kerman Persian carpet. Although they are often imitated, they are unequaled. Traditionally a Kerman Persian carpet has medallions and outer borders that are intricately detailed and woven from cartoons. One of the most famous is the Eski-Kerman, a single medallion with arabesque, typically with solid and lighter colored fields. The open field is actually an important distinguishing characteristic of a modern Kerman Persian carpet. Other classic designs are Shah Abbasi medallion-and-corner, all-over floral, all-over boteh, and tree-of-life. The antique and semi-antique rugs have red and blue combinations, while pastel shades like turquoise, orange, champagne, and beige are found on newer rugs. The reds and blues in a Kerman Persian carpet are lighter in comparison to carpets made in other cities. Fifteen to thirty colors are generally used in each carpet.

Gabbeh wool rugs, from the southern part of Iran, feature simple yet distinctive geometric patterns in harmonious colors of soft greens, light blue, and khaki.

Gabbeh wool rugs are produced by the nomadic Qashqai tribal people who live around Shiraz in the southern part of Iran. The Qashqai are pastoral nomads who tend to their herds of sheep and goats that produce the excellent fiber used in the wool rugs that they weave. The word Gabbeh literally means unclipped and refers to the weave. Gabbeh wool rugs are usually flat woven from high quality local wool with loose piles and are very thick, soft, and luxurious to the touch. Skilled artisans ply their trade using Turkish knots and rugs can have up to 100 knots per square inch.

Gabbeh wool rugs are an exercise in exquisite simplicity. Each one is a totally unique one-of-a-kind work of art with no design being reused. The geometric patterns feature a very plain yet distinctive design with one or two small figures. All of the patterns on Gabbeh wool rugs are extremely simple and geometric. Birds and people may appear in newer rugs. The designs on Gabbeh wool rugs are completely uncluttered with large fields, bold stripes and geometric human or animal shapes. The color palette is very harmonious in soft greens, light blue, and khaki. Newer Gabbeh wool rugs may feature bolder shades of red, yellow, and ivory.

Gabbeh wool rugs are renowned for their superb quality of materials and craftsmanship and their durability. The warps and wefts are both wool. Although look-a-like Gabbeh wool rugs are produced in Pakistan, India, China, and Turkey, their quality cannot be duplicated.

Qum rugs, hand woven in workshops in central Iran, are usually pure silk with very high KPSI (knots per square inch) in typically curvilinear motifs.

Qum is located in central Iran, just south of Tehran. Commercial traditional rug weaving can only be traced back to the 1930s. Famous designers including Rastehzadeh, Arsalani, and Ahmad Archang oversee the production of Qum traditional rug weaving in their workshops. However, the workshops in Qum do not have the same level of technical sophistication as those in Nain or Isfahan. Interestingly enough the quality of a newer Qum traditional rug is superior to an older one. In most other regions, the converse would be true. Known as a major production center for silk traditional rug weaving, the highest quality Qum rugs are made of pure silk with very high KPSI (knots per square inch). Extremely talented local artisans use Persian knots to produce some of the most beautiful rugs in the world today.

Since rug production did not begin in Qum until the 1930s, Qum doesn't have any traditional rug designs of its own. They have adapted designs from other regions and personalized them in a unique fashion. The patterns on a Qum tradition rug are typically curvilinear, but landscapes and pictorial motifs recounting historical events are also popular. The color palette on a Qum traditional rug will be predominantly red, blue, and ivory.