Richard and Ellen Rust’s home in Westhaven has beautiful hardwood floors. Enhancing their beauty and laid though out are works of art in the form of intricate hand-made oriental rugs. Each rug, unique in its’ design bring a warmth and dimension to the beautiful paintings and pieces the Rusts have collected over the years.
These avid art collectors rely on the expert advice and quality rugs found at Essy’s Rug Gallery. Finding the perfect rug to complement their unique décor always involves visiting the owner-run showroom located in the Factory at Franklin.
“If you wanted to get started in buying oriental rugs, Essy is going to have something in the price range where you could start,” said Ellen Rust. “He’s got a good range of selection. Something for everybody.”
As you can see in the photos of their living space, the Rusts have been collecting art for years.
“It’s like having art on the floor,” said Mrs. Rust. “There’s a lot of detail in the rugs that are very interesting in the same way that there might be details in a painting or a piece of pottery. Especially in oriental rugs, you can sit and look at a rug for a really long time and continue to see things that you had not seen before.”
It’s something that makes the rugs in their home unique. Something definitely not seen in a rug made by a machine. While machine made rugs are mass produced, handmade rugs can take years to complete.. As an example, a 9’x12′ Persian rug, that has 500 knots per square inch, would take five artisans working six hours a day and six days a week approximately 14 months to complete. Turkish rugs can also take one to three years to complete.
The pattern of a rug made by a machine is going to be uniform in pattern and loop. On the contrary, handmade rugs, like the ones available at Essy’s Rug Gallery, are meticulously woven by hand. You will see nuances and differences in the design and loop oftentimes based on the individuality of the multiple artisans involved in creating the piece. The differences in the tying of the knots, the dyed colors of the wool, the tension of the loom, even the imperfections – all create a one-of-a-kind piece with a history. Like a fine painting, you can study the piece for hours and find something new each time you look.
One thing that scares many away from oriental rugs is the price tag. However, the Rusts say that’s not the case at Essy’s Rug Gallery.
“Essy wants people to be able to buy these rugs so he prices them so that they can,” said Mrs. Rust. “When we first started buying rugs years ago we didn’t know what they should cost. We didn’t know we had been paying way too much. Then we met Essy and were amazed that he was pricing them so reasonably and that they were good quality rugs.”
Essy himself educates customers about the quality, use and price of fine handmade rugs. He speaks with the passion of an art dealer explaining the stories behind his rugs. Essy hand selects each rug in his showroom where the walls and floors are lined with beautiful walk-on art. He personally makes several oversees buying trips each year.
Essy’s Rug Gallery has hundreds of styles available. Visit his showroom at The Factory in Franklin or call 615-595-0959 for more information.
