Purple Rugs

Purple rugs: depth, elegance and a colour with character

Purple is not a colour for the undecided. Sitting between cool blue and warm red, it combines calm with expression and brings a depth into a room that hardly any other colour achieves. Purple rugs give even restrained interiors a touch of luxury without becoming intrusive. Depending on the shade they read as calming and meditative, or as extravagant and festive, and they give a home an atmosphere you feel at once.

Historically, purple was one of the most precious colours of all; imperial purple stayed reserved for rulers for a long time. Something of that presence has remained: purple rugs read as valuable and singular, a touch of luxury for any living space. At Morgenland Rugs you will find the colour in many variants: in modern designs with clean surfaces, and in hand-knotted Oriental rugs, where violet shades have long served as a refined accent.

Violet, lilac and lavender: the purple family

Purple covers a wide spectrum, and the nuances differ markedly in effect. In a light shade the rug reads as airy and friendly; the darker and richer it is, the more elegance and depth it brings to the room.

• Violet: the strong, saturated shade with a high blue content. Violet rugs read as elegant and deep, especially combined with grey, gold or dark wood.
• Lilac: a light, delicate purple with plenty of white. Rugs in this shade read as fresh and friendly and suit the bedroom, the children's room and bright, Scandinavian-influenced spaces.
• Lavender: between light and strong purple, with a slightly greyed undertone. The shade reads as calming and natural and harmonises with beige, sage and white.
• Aubergine and plum: dark purples with a red content. They create comfort and warmth and work well as a large surface in rooms with plenty of daylight.

Whether a rug reads mauve or clearly violet depends on the blue content and on the light in the room. In hand-knotted Oriental rugs, purple usually appears as a muted aubergine or plum, often combined with red, beige and blue. Modern rugs, by contrast, favour a clean violet or a pastel mauve as a field, in many shades and sizes.

A purple rug: Oriental or modern?

Modern rugs in purple use the colour as a calm surface or in abstract patterns and gradations. A plain rug in a light purple brings soft colour into bright rooms; a high-pile rug in violet reads as soft and luxurious in front of the sofa or beside the bed. Vintage designs with a washed-out purple and patchwork models with violet fields marry modern composition with a hint of history. Our overview of modern rugs shows further colours and designs.

Purple Oriental rugs are rarer, and all the more special for it: a focal point with character. In hand-knotted pieces, purple often appears as an accent in medallions, borders or floral motifs, or occupies the field of the rug in aubergine. The combination with natural colours such as beige and rust red gives these rugs warmth and depth, and an Oriental air that unfolds in classical and modern interiors alike. Our collection of Oriental rugs gives an overview of every provenance and world of pattern.

Sizes and shapes: the right format for your room

Because purple is an expressive colour, sizes and shapes deserve a deliberate choice. Small formats set accents, large ones make the colour the basis of the scheme.

• Rectangular: the classic for living and dining rooms. Beneath the seating group the front feet of the furniture should at least stand on the rug; beneath the dining table you need about 60 to 70 cm of margin all round.
• Runners: a runner in aubergine or mauve gives hallways and kitchens colour and length. Beside the bed, two runners provide a soft first step in the morning.
• Round rugs: a round rug in a delicate or strong purple reads as soft and relaxes strict floor plans. At 150 to 200 cm diameter it finds its place in a reading corner, beneath a round table or in a children's room.
• Square rugs: for square rooms and centrally arranged seating groups.

The most frequently chosen measurements are 160 x 230 cm and 200 x 300 cm. For unusual floor plans, a made-to-measure piece is worth considering. In doubt the rule holds: rather a little more surface, because a rug that is too small reads as lost.

Purple rugs room by room

Living room: a violet or aubergine rug beneath the seating group gives the room elegance and depth. With grey sofas it reads as refined; with wooden furniture it radiates comfort. In large, bright living rooms a light purple brings lightness instead.

Bedroom: purple counts as calming and is therefore readily associated with rest and sleep. A soft high-pile rug in mauve or light purple beside the bed creates a peaceful atmosphere; a dark aubergine reads as intimate and enveloping.

Dining room: beneath the table, a low pile and robust Oriental rugs with purple accents suit well. The pattern forgives small traces of daily life, and chairs glide easily over it.

Hallway: a runner in plum or violet makes an entrance elegant and gives a first impression full of character.

Kitchen: a low-pile runner in a muted purple brings colour into a room that is often sober, and is easy to care for.

Children's room: light purples such as lilac are friendly and soft and suit many wall colours. A round rug creates a soft play surface and follows the change in style when a children's room becomes a teenager's room.

Combining purple: walls, furniture and decoration

Purple gives its best when it has a clear partner: grey, white or wood. Too many competing colours take its elegance away; if the rug is a strong purple, the surroundings should stay calm.

• Grey: the most peaceful combination. From light grey to anthracite, grey makes any shade of purple read as valuable and remains the classic choice for modern living rooms.
• White and cream: they make purple light and fresh. Ideal for bright rooms, bedrooms and children's rooms.
• Gold and brass: they underline the luxurious character of purple. A few accents in lamps, frames or side tables are enough.
• Beige, sand and wood: they ground the colour and make it comfortable; particularly fine with Oriental rugs on an aubergine field.
• Green: sage or olive with a light purple gives a natural, almost botanical impression.
• Blue and red: tone-on-tone combinations of purple, blue and red read as rich and Oriental; they work best in patterned rugs.

For walls the rule is simple: a strong purple calls for light, neutral walls. With a delicate purple the wall may be darker too, in grey-green or taupe. Furniture in dark wood or velvet reinforces the elegant effect, whatever the style of furnishing; that holds for a classical interior as much as for a modern, pared-back one.

Material, pile height and care

Purple shows its full depth only on a good material. New wool absorbs violet dyes intensely and returns them with a soft, matt sheen. Wool repels dirt naturally, is elastic and warm, regulates the humidity of a room and holds its shape for many years. Silk, usually as an accent in fine hand-knotted rugs, makes purple glow and makes patterns shimmer with the fall of light. In hand-knotted Oriental rugs the pile generally sits on a cotton foundation that gives the rug its stability.

Pile height decides the effect and the effort of care. A high-pile rug in purple reads as soft and luxurious and invites bare feet; it belongs in quiet areas such as a bedroom or living room. A low pile shows patterns precisely and is easier to care for: ideal for dining room, hallway and kitchen. Flatweaves such as Kelims lay purple on the floor in clean, graphic patterns.

• Vacuum regularly, and on wool without a rotating brush.
• Dab stains at once with a white cloth, never rub.
• Avoid permanent direct sun, or turn the rug occasionally so that the colour stays even.
• For deep cleaning, use a professional rug cleaning that protects wool, silk and colour.

A rug for outdoors, for a balcony or terrace, is made of different materials; wool and silk give their qualities indoors.

Advice and showroom in Hamburg's Speicherstadt

Violet, aubergine or a light pastel: on a screen the colour often produces a different effect than at home. Our rug consultation helps you find the right shade, the right size and a suitable material, gladly from photographs of your rooms; that gives you a sound sense of the effect before the rug is with you. If no standard size fits, we can tell you about the possibilities of a made-to-measure rug.

In our showroom in Hamburg's Speicherstadt you can see a wide choice of purple rugs in daylight, lay the nuances side by side and compare modern models directly against hand-knotted Oriental rugs. As a family business we take time for every question.

Common questions about purple rugs

Which colours suit a purple rug well?

Grey in all its gradations, white and cream for a bright effect, gold and brass for elegance, and beige and wood for comfort. Sage green with a light purple gives a natural impression.

High pile or low pile: which height for purple?

For bedroom and living room a soft high pile suits; for dining room, hallway and kitchen an easy-care low pile. Patterned Oriental rugs usually have a medium height and can be used anywhere.

What size for a purple rug in the living room?

Large enough for the front feet of sofa and armchairs to stand on it at least. In many living rooms that means 160 x 230 cm or 200 x 300 cm; more surface brings more calm.

Is purple a trend colour or timeless?

Both. Strong violet and delicate pastels return regularly in current trends, while muted shades such as aubergine have been used in Oriental rugs for generations. Purple rugs are therefore less a question of fashion than of the atmosphere you want.