Atelier · Restoration
Rug Repair and Restoration
Edges, fringes, holes, pile damage. Our atelier works with original materials and traditional techniques — we restore the value, not just the look.
What we put right
Securing edges
The selvedges take the heaviest load on any rug. Once the wrapping comes loose, the construction unravels from the side inwards — the sooner it is secured, the less substance is lost.
Renewing fringes
Fringes are the continuation of the warp threads, not a decorative trim. Once worn away, the base construction lies open. We rework or secure the end depending on condition and rug type.
Closing holes and tears
Missing areas are re-knotted — warp and weft replaced, then the pile tied back knot by knot in the matching colour. Done well, the area is afterwards only findable from the reverse.
Pile restoration
Worn areas are re-knotted to the original height. Laborious, but the only method that preserves both the pattern and the value.
Moth damage
First the infestation is stopped, then the gap is closed. Without the first step, the second is wasted work.
Correcting distortion
Rugs that lie crooked or ripple can be brought back into shape by proper stretching and re-drying.
Original materials
We work with hand-spun yarns in matching thickness and dye. A repair with machine-spun replacement yarn is cheaper and shows immediately: different light reflection, different ageing. After two years every patch is visible. That is why we match the colour on the original, not in a catalogue.
When a repair is worth it
The honest answer depends on the ratio between effort and the value of the piece. For a hand-knotted rug with substance it almost always is — it is built to be repaired and regains its full useful life. For tufted or machine-made rugs restoration is technically possible but rarely economical. We tell you that before the quote, not after.
The process
Assessment of the piece — at your place or in the gallery. Then a written quote with scope and duration. Only after your approval does the rug go to the atelier. We document the condition before and after on request.
Effort and duration depend on the damage, size and knot density. Both are in the quote before any work begins.
Have a rug assessed
Send us photographs of the damage and of the whole rug — that is usually enough for a first assessment.