Persian rug alternatives

I am currently a bit obsessed with Persian rugs and getting one for my front room so that my feet won't freeze on the laminate floor any more. I think they are a great investment and look great with white walls and a few other colours, like here:

 

More Persian rug porn can be found here.

I haven't found the right one yet, but in my internet travels, I've come across some interesting variations on Persian rugs.

First up, 'war rugs' where Afghan rug makers incorporate images of weapons and tanks into their traditional rugs - apparently this started as a way to increase their appeal to Soviet troops?! These take about a year to make and are works of art in their own right. It would be a bit of a dark thing to have in your home but they are apparently very sought after among American collectors (see an article about them in the Atlantic here)



Secondly, and lightening things up a bit, Hama bead rugs! Christina Puggard from Jutland in Denmark makes big tiled designs from kids favourites, Hama beads. Her 'giga-stor' (mega-big) versions make a real impact. Sadly, she seems to sell them locally and mainly by phone and email but you can see the photos on her Instagram account.

A photo posted by Christina Puggaard (@frufrimodt) on Jan 28, 2015 at 7:55am PST

A photo posted by Christina Puggaard (@frufrimodt) on Jan 15, 2015 at 11:53am PST

A photo posted by Christina Puggaard (@frufrimodt) on Oct 25, 2014 at 7:12am PDT