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Layout is the way the motifs are arranged and woven into the rug.
All rugs can be divided into three major layouts: one-sided, medallion and all over design.
All rugs can be divided into three major layouts: one-sided, medallion and all over design.
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One-Sided
In this layout, the design is woven in one direction. Therefore, the rug can be properly viewed
only from one side.Prayer and pictorial rugs fall into this category. The usual design of a prayer
rug is a mihrab (the prayer niche constructed in a mosque wall that indicates the direction of
Mecca); pictorial rugs portray people, animals, and places. It is essential that one-sided rugs be
viewed from the right direction; otherwise, they lose much of their effect. Rugs of this layout
should be placed where they cannot be seen upside-down.
Medallion
In this layout, a large centerpiece called medallion is the focal point of the design. In Persian, this
centerpiece is called toranj. The medallion layout is by far the most frequently encountered layout
in every handmade rug producing country.
Common shapes of the centerpiece are oval, circular, diamond, octagonal, hexagonal, and stars.
One special case of a medallion layout is called medallion-and-corner, which was originally
inspired by bookbindings, especially those of the holy book of Islam, Quran. This special
medallion is distinguished by its quartered medallions in four corners of the rug in addition to the
full medallion in the center. The corner elements are called spandrels or lachak in Turkish.
Medallion-and-corner is also known as lachak-o-toranj (a Turko-Persian word).
All Over
In this layout, there are no dominant or central designs. The motifs on the rug are spread
throughout the rug. Sometimes they are connected and sometimes they are separate. Usually a
single motif or a group of motifs is repeated throughout the rug.
Below are few common motifs in all over design rugs.
In this layout, the design is woven in one direction. Therefore, the rug can be properly viewed
only from one side.Prayer and pictorial rugs fall into this category. The usual design of a prayer
rug is a mihrab (the prayer niche constructed in a mosque wall that indicates the direction of
Mecca); pictorial rugs portray people, animals, and places. It is essential that one-sided rugs be
viewed from the right direction; otherwise, they lose much of their effect. Rugs of this layout
should be placed where they cannot be seen upside-down.
Medallion
In this layout, a large centerpiece called medallion is the focal point of the design. In Persian, this
centerpiece is called toranj. The medallion layout is by far the most frequently encountered layout
in every handmade rug producing country.
Common shapes of the centerpiece are oval, circular, diamond, octagonal, hexagonal, and stars.
One special case of a medallion layout is called medallion-and-corner, which was originally
inspired by bookbindings, especially those of the holy book of Islam, Quran. This special
medallion is distinguished by its quartered medallions in four corners of the rug in addition to the
full medallion in the center. The corner elements are called spandrels or lachak in Turkish.
Medallion-and-corner is also known as lachak-o-toranj (a Turko-Persian word).
All Over
In this layout, there are no dominant or central designs. The motifs on the rug are spread
throughout the rug. Sometimes they are connected and sometimes they are separate. Usually a
single motif or a group of motifs is repeated throughout the rug.
Below are few common motifs in all over design rugs.
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