People in the market for a handwoven Turkish rug may find what they’re looking for at Pera Rug, a showroom with decorative textiles woven with wool and silk that recently made the move from Napa to downtown Los Altos.
Although the shop, located at 165 Main St., opened its doors to passersby a few weeks ago, it hasn’t yet had a first sale or celebrated its grand opening.
Pera Rug manager Cem Kilic expects the store to host an official opening event in the next few weeks, after a permanent sign is erected and a TV installed to show information on the creation and history of the rugs.
While Pera Rug was previously based in Napa, Kilic said the store was part of a greater family rug business that began in the middle region of Turkey, close to the city of Bursa, and was passed down through generations.
The business got its start under a different name when two brothers set up shop in Carmel-by-the-Sea approximately 14 years ago. Metin Demir, one of the brothers, founded the business’s brother company, Pera Rug, years later.
Kilic said the carpets offered at Pera Rug are imported from Turkey; much of its inventory is handwoven in Turkey, while the Persian rugs are made in Iran.
Colored with organic plant-based dyes, the carpets feature intricate geometric Mamluk designs as well as others boasting birds and floral elements. The store’s textiles, available at the showroom, warehouse and in storage, range in price depending on age, material and knot.
According to Kilic, the most expensive rugs in stock are Turkish, woven using double knots, and silk.
“We have more than 10,000 pieces,” he said. “The range starts from $6,000 to even $500,000.”
The most expensive rug has a price tag of $500,000 because it’s large, silk and vintage.
The store also offers wool rugs, which range in price depending on the type of wool used. Rugs made with wool sheared from the neck of sheep are often more expensive than those using wool sheared from their belly or backside. If a rug is made with wool mixed with cotton or wool recycled from old rugs, the price tag is also different.
For those hesitant to make such a large purchase, Pera Rug allows prospective buyers to preview the rugs in their own homes. Customers can also design their own pieces, which can take months to years to create because they will be handwoven in Turkey, Kilic noted.
“Sometimes we have customers who wait two years for this, because it’s handmade – especially with silk material,” he said.
In addition to selling rugs, Pera Rug offers cleaning, trading and authentication services to those in the rug market.
For more information, visit perarug.com.
