Old Oriental Carpets Get A Second Life

by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.31.11

Design & Architecture

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Photos credit Lloyd Alter

A few years ago, everyone at the Interior Design Show in Toronto tried to outdo each other in going green; this year it seems to be off the radar. Among the few obvious picks were these Second Life rugs, and they are not virtual world flying carpets, but old Persian and Turkish rugs. In the middle east, rugs get very hard use and wear out; Toronto's Metrick family, owners of Elte Carpets, buy up what are essentially junk rugs ready for the dump, scrape them down and recolour them with vibrant oil-based dyes.

When the rugs are too far gone in parts to even do this, they cut them up into squares and put together patchwork