Heriz Serapi - The Style, Origins, Design Recommendations, and Repairs

When choosing a rug, it is crucial to understand the origins of the rug, the style it represents, and the ways in which you can use it to add to a collection or enhance the interior design of your home. In this post, we will cover one of the most versatile and stunning oriental styles: the Heriz Serapi.

Persian Heriz Serapi Rugs - Origins:

This beautiful, collectible, and unique style of carpet has an interesting history.  Some of the finest and most unique and durable Persian rugs, Heriz refers to the region in which they were produced, in the Northwest region of what is now Iran. Many Heriz carpets are room-sized, and serve as wonderful area rugs, and can fill a dining room, liiving room, or bedroom. The Serapi rug is a subset of the Heriz style, and is often finer, more intricate, and more durable. It is a village rug, woven in one of several small communities outside the market center of Serab. As such, it was not commerically manufactured, and often has unique deisgn elements, idiosyncracies, and charm, as it was made by one or a few people entirely by hand. Essentially, Serapi (a term coined in the 1930's meaning "of Serab") is synonomous with the most high end rugs from the Heriz region of Persia.

The Serapi Style:

Normal patterns common to the Serapi style feature one or a few large medallions, a very wide border, and incredibly vibrant and ornate patterns. Common elements are floral, symbolic, and geometric. Many Serapis are so fine and detailed that they are worth staring at for hours, and appear as much a piece of fine art as they do a practical carpet. Common dye colors are deep reds, rich blues, golds, greens, and cream colors. Here is one of our favorites from our current collection:

Decorating with Serapis:

The Serapi carpet is a stunning a versatile. If you are looking to create a modern design with timeless elegance, Serapi is perfect for you. They blend well with antique themes as well modern, and do well in rooms with neutral, earth-toned, or white walls. They are elegant but sophisticated, and due to the bright and intricate colors, they would do best in a seating area, foyer, or living room. They are great rugs for making an impactful first impression due to their large size and impressive color palatte. Whether you are buying for a Chicago or Washington DC row house, a New York loft, or a chic California layout, a Serapi will round out your home beautifully. You can check out some design ideas here,

Caring For Serapis:

After purchasing the rug, it is important to clean it regularly and make sure it is properly repaired if it is damaged. At Eli Peer Rugs, we specialize in antique oriental rug repair. We can repair your rug quickly and efficiently, and do it by hand, the way it was meant to be done. It's important to clean your rug regularly, which we can help with, and often have specials and discounts on oriental rug cleaning.