I was vacuuming yesterday in my bedroom and was admiring the way the light hits the deep blues and indigos of our rug. It’s 12×18 and I paid only $250 for it!
I’ve found a ton of great rugs on eBay over the years. The funny thing is, you never really know what you’re going to get when you buy a rug online. Photos can be so deceiving! Some sellers are better than others about providing a lot of images that have been color corrected, but you will usually pay more for the rugs from those sellers.
My secret weapon for finding cheap rugs on eBay is this search: Antiques then Rugs then the size you are looking for, and then sorted by Lowest Price First. I pop on over to that search every few weeks, just to see what’s out there.
The best deals are usually from people that need to get rid of a rug and don’t really care about the process or really too much about the price.
Sometimes you’ll need to be a little… flexible when the rug arrives. We unrolled the blue bedroom rug after it was delivered and there were literally SHARDS OF GLASS everywhere! It was equal parts hilarious and terrifying. We gave it a really good vacuuming before sending it off to the rug cleaners (which I recommend whenever buying a vintage rug) and it’s all good now. I think I still came out on top. $250 for an enormous rug is a steal, broken glass or not! :)
Feel free to share any links to your eBay rug finds in the comments section. I’d love to see what you’ve snagged! Do you have any tips or horror stories to share? :) Spill it.
I love a good rug..although you do have to make sure they have been steamed cleaned..in some way….no one likes extra bugs in the home!!
http://vodkaandarose.blogspot.co.uk
You know, I was thinking about the bug factor. I’m afraid to buy a used rug due to the possibility of bugs……
I bought 8 or 10 rugs over the years and sent most of them back. Some had repairs and damage, but nearly all of them would be considered “seconds”: no damage per se, but poorly made, second rate products which could not be sold in reputable stores.
These are some lovely rugs – I really like the one in the kitchen in the last photo. It's a bit more unusual to have a rug by the kitchen!
How bizarre that your rug was full of glass?! My parents have some beautiful Turkish rugs in their home and I think it makes a place feel much warmer.
These rugs are so lovely. I'm amazed by how many different, beautiful ones you have. 250 for a rug of that size is a steal of a deal!
http://www.fullbellywornsoles.com
We found our rugs on eBay as well. Such a great source!
I'm an avid eBay rug-buyer too! I have my favorite rug sellers and they are pricier but worth it for certain areas where I want something more specific. For those of you living in warmer, sunnier locations, I suggest taking your vintage rugs outside, hosing them down really well(after a good vacuuming) and using a soft brush on a long handle and some diluted dish soap for a good scrub. Rinse super well til the water runs clear. If you can hang it over something sturdy, like a wall or fence to dry, all the better. This is how rug cleaners in Asia clean there's! The sun and fresh air do wonders. I have only done this for hand-made, vegetable died rugs. Love your choices, Jenny, and your fabulous Blog:-)
bad idea, the wool will shrink and never get back to original size or consistency by hand washing and not drying correctly! 8
Liked the brightness of this one, and it's a good size at 8'11" x 11'10" http://www.ebay.com/itm/C-1900-Stunning-Persian-Serapi-Heriz-Hand-Made-Exquisite-Rug-10-/251721477106?pt=Rugs&hash=item3a9bc4ebf2
Jenny I love finding good rugs. Erin from Design Crisis is another rug ninja I love watching. I got a 16 x 20 ft. antelope rug from ebay for 300. It was brand new but some people outside of Boston order the size too large and I just happened to be be looking for it (when you find a rug pattern both you and your husband like you GET ON THAT). Problem was I live in Pittsburgh, and did not want to pay crazy shipping charges. So I asked my brother with a van in RI to pick it up and bring it to my parents in CT. 6 months later they came to visit with it rolled up on top of their minivan. It took a while but I got it! and it even fits (almost)! you can check it out on my instagram here: http://instagram.com/p/fpv69AKGIf/?modal=true
Thanks for sharing your search combo! I'm glad to hear that your experience has been good so far since I've been too nervous to order a rug off of Ebay before.
Thank you for posting this- I've been so sick of trying to find the perfect area rug for our living room and now I'm inspired again to continue the search!
Thanks for the tip! I buy clothes on eBay all the time, but I've never thought to look for rugs. We bought a house this summer and are looking for more rugs.
Can you please share the source for the brass bathtub faucet/hardware fixture? Looking for something just like it!
Thanks
Great tips! I love the rugs you've scored and have been crushing on that playroom one since you shared it.
This might be a little off topic, but I have a vintage rug I got from my grandmother. The ends are really frayed and somehow need to be rebinded or fixed or something… I'm no rug expert. I love the rug (especially because of the sentimental value) and I think a small investment in it would be worth it since the rest of it is in great shape and I got it for free. How do you think you've go about fixing this? What kind of professional person would you go to?
You have the BEST rugs!! Thanks for the tip!
Your rugs are so beautiful! I'm an avid eBay rug buyer too, and I recently wrote a guide for finding what you want at the best price, which you can check out here: http://redhousewest.com/2014/11/12/tips-for-buying-rugs-on-ebay/
Now we're all going to be fighting over the same rugs ;)
In the early 2000's you could get hand knotted rugs on ebay super cheap due to the glut, i got several for less than $100 and that included shipping. Unfortunately the embargo has cause prices to rise…..
"Washington has banned Persian carpets as part of sanctions against Iran in the past, but a goodwill gesture by the Clinton Administration in 2000 allowed imports of Iranian rugs, pistachios, caviar, and dried fruit.
The rug loophole was closed in September 2010 in a move carpet dealers say hurt rural women in poor communities who knot carpets, not the Iranian government."
This is exactly what I need help with! Are you still accepting design clients? We recently finished a home in the white mountains (AZ) and need help with some finishing touches–desperately a rug or two. Please let me know, I would love to work with you.
I recently purchased a beautiful Turkish rug on eBay and was surprised to see that it was actually coming from Turkey
Obsessed with this! I need one and I'm so impressed by how well all of yours have turned out!
x Lily
http://whilemyboyfriendsaway.blogspot.com/
Gorgeous! Thanks for sharing your search … I set it & am following it.
Please share your advice & thoughts on rugs in the kitchen. I noticed that one of your photos has what looks like a beautiful handmade rug in the kitchen. Right now I am using a beautiful, thick wool runner I inherited from my mom in front of the sink (& the end of it is in the corner in front of the stove). I love how it looks & feels under my feet there. But, what is the best way to clean it & keep it clean since it is wool? I'm assuming that I need to use it elsewhere & choose another rug for the kitchen. Not a big family with a lot of traffic.
In the past, I have always used rugs that were washable. But, the rubber backing on those washable rugs often ended up disintegrating. Any guidance, ideas, etc. would be appreciated.
All of your rugs look great. I love eBay for rugs – and pretty much everything else!
One of my recent faves is this one http://instagram.com/p/l8Sw3tggSv/?modal=true going in this room http://instagram.com/p/uyAMCHAgTY/?modal=true
This spring I won a large kilim on eBay for $200 that still had a $2200 price tag on it. #luckyclient
This floral kilim found on eBay still holds a place in my heart http://jilldanyelle.com/wea#/id/i4327350 It wasn't a steal and we paid to ship it, but it was still far below retail and it just made the room – once it got there that is. It was lost in Florida for about a week by the movers!! #heartattack
And I am hoarding some eBay rug finds in the closet for myself, of course. I definitely agree with you. Not only can you find good deals with a little searching, but you can find unique pieces that bring character to your home, which your examples illustrate so well.
This has nothing to do with rugs, but the photo of your kitchen has reminded me that I was curious how your kitchen counters were holding up?
How much is a rug cleaner and what is the process!!
I have been on a rug hunt for over a year now! The thing that always deters me is the price. So thank you so much for this post you may have just finished my living room!
Also I am obsessed with your bathroom! What is that wonderful wall color?
That orange oriental rug is stunning! Great post
I bought 10 rugs on ebay in 2002 and 2003. Four rugs were Christmas presents for our children. They were large 8×10 or 9×12 and I spent more on shipping than the lovely turkish carpets. Shipping included I paid about $300 for the four rugs. The kids are still using the rugs today and the are still holding up with the hard use of kids and pets.
In 2002 we added hardwood floors to the reception area and to two long hallways in our office. I purchased a 9×12 for the reception area and six runners for the hallways. All therugs were vintage and in really good condition. Again I paid more for shipping than for the rugs.
We have friends from Afghanistan and they clean their beautiful rugs on the driveway using Dawn dishwashing liquid and the garden hose. They scrub with a broom and then allow to dry on the driveway. I haven't tried this on my rugs but our friends rugs are in great condition and clean.
good to know. Dawn is the wonderall product!
Thanks for the tips! Your rugs are gorgeous.
Jenny, you made my day! When we moved to the valley at the beginning of summer I bought a rug just that size for $250 out of Scottsdale. It was really hard to get it home in the van with my four children, but so worth it!
I was pretty sure that I got a smokin' deal. Now I can prove it to my husband with this post :0)
What a great tip! All of your rugs are gorgeous! although that glass story is kind of horrifying! Kinda makes you wonder…Did you ever get any that really didn't work in person?
Oooh great tip. Thanks for sharing:)
Oh my gosh. Just posting to say that when I read this post I immediately clicked on your ebay link and bid on a rug. It ended up costing my $420, but its huge and beautiful and more than half the cost of the other rugs I had been looking at. Plus its a Persian rug, which my husband has always been obsessed with for some reason, so thats a definite plus. Thanks!
Great search advice, now if you can just keep all of your other readers from bidding against me :)
I have snagged a couple of steals on giant rugs- I would add -be sure to look closely at ALL the photos, one that I got had some strange green streaks in it, luckily I was able to cover with furniture.I also found gorgeous Turkish rugs on Etsy for less $$ than in Istanbul!
Jual Trophy – Cup or Trophy is a very special thing for those who have it, but to have the trophy should be the achievement that would normally be provided when there is an event or race.
In an end of the show event or race course there is always a thing as souvenirs to relive memories and awards in each race to the service that we provide to you of course in terms of Marble Dealers Trophy Cup with various forms of the course in accordance with the theme of the event, or you also can be ordered according to your wishes.
Don't tell anyone about the secret ebay rugs Jenny! I've found a bunch but always get bid out at the last minute. Then I'm sitting in bars on Friday nights furiously bidding and cursing looking like a lunatic!
Etsy is also a surprisingly good resource…although not for $225–you did good! My "horror" story doesn't really have to do with the delivery, but only a week after owning my glorious vintage 9×12 carpet a dog we were babysitting found it folded upstairs and chewed a hole through the back. Cost me $550 to fix it…which was only $100 short of the cost. Lesson learned, something treasured like an oriental can always be repaired, but for a cost!
Great tip! Thank you, and your readers for theirs too… We purchased several oriental rugs from a dealer going out of business (he truly was) in Chicago, and we love how they add warmth to our floors. Currently I am in the market for a narrow, long runner for our "back stairs leading from the butler's pantry to the 2nd floor "maid's room". Having a hard time with that width. No wider than 22". Also, a tip about cleaning. I have spot cleaned some of our rugs with the floor steamer that I use on the hardwood, and it can help release small stains. Also, I have rented the carpet cleaners from the supermarket and just used water/steam instead of the harsh chemicals and have had good results. Much less expensive than taking to the Oriental Rug cleaners.
Hello,
I Am Scott and I would like to order some ( Antique Rugs ) What would be the Price for one including taxes..?What types of payments do you accept?Thank you and waiting for your reply.
Regards,
Scott.
You don’t really have to go to high-end stores to buy a quality rug. You just have to be patient in finding one.
Wow! This is fantastic!. Thanks for sharing:)
I just love the rug in your bathroom, it’s so bright and authentic and fits just right!
I really like the one in the kitchen in the last photo.The rugs look really stunning!
I usually prefer other websites for buying things. but came to know that there is a great collection of shag rugs and carpets in ebay. thanks for bringing out this information about shag rugs.
Nice post, I liked all the carpets you shared in this post. All are looking amazing and antique. Please keep sharing these type of post regarding antiques.
Nice article and very informative.
It really helps us in our buying decision for the buyers who are usually confused about the product
Thanks for every other informative blog. The place
else may just I am getting that kind of information written in such a perfect way.
Keep it up.
Another great post, the rugs look amazing the luxuriant feel of the shag carpets make me what to get one now, keep the fantastic work
Great post really appreciated.
very nice great post! Keep it up.
check this