Medallion

A central medallion gives a rug a natural focal point, drawing the eye to the middle of the room and holding the whole design in balance.

Vintage Persian Kerman, Nain, Sarouk and Kashan rugs frame ornate floral medallions with corner pieces and fine borders. Hamadan rugs vary from village to village, each with its own diamond medallions and colour, while Qashqai and Shiraz rugs build stepped, angular medallions from memory, often with smaller sub-medallions around them. Vintage Afghan Turkmen, Caucasian Kazak and Turkish Anatolian rugs bring bold tribal versions. Afghan Chobi rugs and runners and Super Kazakh runners carry a row of medallions along their length.

A medallion rug looks its best when the centre is on show, so it suits a living room with the coffee table set over it, a dining room or the foot of a bed. In a symmetrical room it pulls everything together.