WHEN VELI SOYLEMEZ FOUNDED TURKISH RUG CO. IN 2016, HE BROUGHT with him more than just a business plan. After coming to the United States to study language, he began importing vintage Turkish rugs, drawing on his rich family heritage. As a member of a family that has been dealing in Turkish rugs for over 38 years, Soylemez didn’t learn the business from a textbook; he has the kind of generational expertise that’s increasingly rare. Turkish Rug Co. serves as a bridge between ancient tradition and contemporary living, offering its Atlanta clients access to some of the finest examples
of an art form that has captivated collectors and connoisseurs for centuries.
Today, disposable furnishings and fast home fashion are all too common. Handmade Turkish rugs remind us what true craftsmanship means. Learning about the centuries of artistic tradition and how each rug is a unique work of art that tells a story is part of the joy.
The story of Turkish rugs begins over 800 years ago in Central Asia, where nomadic tribes first developed weaving as a means of survival. In harsh climates, rugs served as insulation for tent walls, protection against cold floors and portable warmth that could travel with families as they moved with the seasons. What began as a matter of pure necessity evolved into one of the world’s most refined artistic traditions.
As tribes migrated westward into the heart of Turkey, they brought their weaving knowledge with them, where it merged with local textile traditions to create something entirely new. Around the 11th century, rug weaving transformed from a practical craft into a celebrated art form, with weavers creating pieces characterized by bold geometric patterns and intense colors that would influence design for centuries to come.
The craft reached its zenith during the reign of the Ottoman Empire, when imperial workshops employed master weavers to create breathtaking carpets for palaces and the nobility. These rugs became so prized that European painters from the Renaissance period (and later Dutch old masters) frequently depicted them in their works, always in contexts of dignity, prestige and luxury. When Marco Polo encountered Turkish rugs, he declared them to be the most beautiful in the world, a sentiment that endures today. It is this centuries-old tradition that Turkish Rug Co. continues, sourcing vintage and antique rugs directly from Turkey, where Soylemez travels regularly to curate pieces with authentic provenance and uncompromising quality.
Understanding why Turkish rugs command such respect and investment requires appreciating the extraordinary process behind their creation. Unlike machine-made carpets that can be produced in hours, an authentic Turkish rug represents months or even years of painstaking handwork. The journey from raw wool to finished masterpiece involves numerous stages, each requiring specialized skill passed down through generations.
The finest Turkish rugs use premium wool sourced from local sheep, often mountain wool prized for its unique texture and durability. This wool undergoes rigorous cleaning and hand-spinning before being dyed using traditional methods. While modern chemical dyes offer convenience, the most valued rugs still employ natural dyes derived from local plants and minerals: madder root for reds, indigo for blues, pomegranate skins for golds. These natural dyes create subtle color gradations that synthetic alternatives can’t replicate.
The weaving itself is an act of both memory and meditation. Experienced weavers work from intuitive knowledge rather than written patterns, tying thousands upon thousands of knots in a single rug. Turkish rugs are distinguished by their use of the symmetrical Ghiordes or Turkish knot, a double-knotting technique that creates exceptional durability and a distinctive texture.
For an 8-by-10-foot rug, a weaver might spend two to three months at the loom, tying each knot by hand. Larger pieces, or those with particularly intricate designs, can take years to complete. The knot density varies by region and style, with the finest examples containing tens of thousands of knots per square meter, each one individually tied and secured. When clients visit the massive Houston showroom at Turkish Rug Co., they encounter hundreds of these one-of-a-kind pieces, each representing countless hours of artisan labor.
What truly elevates Turkish rugs from functional items to works of art is the profound cultural meaning woven into their designs. Each region of Turkey developed its own distinctive patterns and motifs, creating a rich vocabulary of symbols that speak to those who understand their language. Geometric medallions, stylized flora, intricate borders—these aren’t merely decorative choices but carriers of meaning, folklore and family history.
Interestingly, Turkish rugs have found renewed favor in contemporary interior design precisely because of their traditional characteristics. Unlike the bold colors and busy patterns that dominate Oriental rug preferences, today’s aesthetic sensibilities favor the more subdued palettes and simpler, more geometric designs that Turkish rugs naturally offer.
Perhaps the most compelling argument for investing in a quality Turkish rug is its unique position as one of the few home furnishings that actually increase in value over time. While most furniture depreciates the moment it leaves the showroom, an authentic Turkish rug, particularly a vintage or antique piece, often appreciates, sometimes substantially.
Turkish rugs benefit from what might seem counterintuitive: They improve with age. The natural wear and patina that develop over decades of use, the subtle shifts in color, and the gentle softening of the pile don’t diminish value but enhance it. This “lived-in” quality, which is impossible to fake, adds to both the aesthetic and monetary value of the piece. Well-maintained Turkish rugs can see value increases of 10% to 30% over just five years, and antique pieces, those over 80 years old, command premium prices that can reach into the hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars for exceptional examples.
The investment case for Turkish rugs rests on one fundamental quality: their legendary durability. A properly cared for Turkish rug doesn’t just last a lifetime; it can last several lifetimes. Examples exist of Turkish rugs in active use for 200, 300 or even 400 years.
For those considering an investment in a Turkish rug, the calculation extends beyond mere dollars and cents. Turkish rugs offer something increasingly rare in our throwaway culture: the opportunity to become a custodian of genuine artistry and cultural heritage.
In a home, Turkish rugs can anchor rooms, define spaces and add warmth—both literally and aesthetically. They will improve with age rather than deteriorating, developing character and patina that new pieces cannot replicate. And when the time comes, you can pass it to the next generation, not as a worn-out castoff but as a treasured heirloom, as beautiful and valuable as the day you acquired it, perhaps more so.
For those who value artistry, heritage and quality that transcends trends, visiting Turkish Rug Co.’s Atlanta showroom offers the opportunity to explore hundreds of one-of-a-kind pieces, each with its own story, personality and place in the continuum of an artistic tradition that has captivated the world for millennia. A Turkish rug isn’t an expense; it’s an investment in beauty that will serve your family for generations. *
Robin Howard is a freelance writer in Charleston. See more of her work at robinhowardwrites.com.
