Blue Aryana long runner

Add some interest and texture to your hallway or corridor with this handmade Afghan blue Aryana long runner. 

This intriguing long Afghan runner rug shows off an exquisite light blue main colour with secondary colours of black and cream. It also contains additional shades of red and orange which serves to add some warmth to the composition. 

The design is especially appealing showing a geometric theme of four medallions and stylised animal head hooked border. The pattern is fascinating because it is reminiscent of native American Navajo flat weaves. 

Discover more about this blue Aryana long runner

This long Afghan runner rug was handmade in Afghanistan. 

In recent times, drawing upon their technical knowhow the ingenious Afghan carpet producers have been recreating old and famous rug designs from across the world. The appealing aspect of their output is that these ancient carpet patterns are refashioned with contemporary flair. 

The inspiration of this handmade Aryana runner comes from the weavings of the native American Navajo, who are celebrated for their Kilim weavings.

A pleasing feature of this runner is that it was woven with a hand-knotted pile technique. This provides the runner with a more sumptuous feel underfoot whilst making for a sturdier rug. 

The materials in this Afghan runner

This Navajo style runner rug was handmade with just natural fibres. Like many Oriental rugs, this runner was made from wool and cotton. 

The luxury that we feel beneath our feet, and the colours and patterns that catch our eye is wool - this is the pile of this runner. 

The cotton part of this hallway runner is the underlying foundation materials, known as the warps. The cotton warp threads are the primary yarn that is attached to the loom before the rug weaving can start. These yarns are the entire length of the runner, running from top to bottom on the carpet loom. You might not be aware that on a handmade rug the fringes that you can see at each end of the rug are in fact the warp threads. Indeed, each strand of fringe runs all the way through the rug and out the other end. 

How this Afghan long hallway runner was made

The rug making process behind this Aryana hallway runner rug is steeped in tradition. For countless generations the art of rug making in Afghanistan has been perfected. 

It was handmade by with a carpet weaving technique called hand-knotting. This is a time-consuming method by which each tuft of pile is created from a knot tied onto pairs of warp threads. The weaver knots in rows across the width of the runner. All of the different coloured knots combine to form the pattern of the runner. Sandwiched between each row of knots is a series of weft threads. 

This Afghan hallway runner would have been handcrafted by one weaver, most likely on a roller type carpet loom where the completed section of the runner is wound-up as the weaving progresses. 

Using this Navajo-style runner in your home

This handmade Afghan runner is suitable for normal domestic use on the floor of your hallway or corridor. It will prove to be long-lasting because it is tightly knotted and was made with only natural yarns: wool and cotton which are well known for their hard wearing properties.

Consider partnering this Aryana runner rug with an anti-slip rug underlay. A rug pad will help keep it neatly in place as well as helping to prevent any slips or trips. 

Key details: 

• Country of origin: Afghanistan
• Size: 411×81cm / 13’6″x2’8″
• Thickness: 9mm
• Pile: Wool, hand-knotted
• Warp: Cotton
• Age: New