Beni Berber Moroccan Handwoven Lareg Area Rug 305x200cm

This Beni rug is handwoven by artisan craftswomen with a contemporary look and feel to it.

It has a soft pile of wool, which is about 1cm in height and feels very comfy underfoot. Its pile is soft and handmade with 100% wool.

If you prefer a different pile, please click here for more options. Browse here for more Beni Ouarain rug

This Beni rug has a black geometric pattern on a natural white wool background. It feels soft to touch and adds some texture to the room. It has a large size of about 305x200cm including fringes both ends.

Craftswomen

These Beni Ourain rugs are handmade in cooperatives by artisan craftswomen. They use traditional weaving techniques and 100% organic wool. All materials are sourced locally and help maintain the ecology of the environment around the Middle Atlas area through effective land and livestock management.

Rug making is a female activity and it forms an integral part of the Berber communities. Knowledge and skills are passed from one generation to the next , from mother to daughter. Skills are acquired by observation and practice and require self discipline.

Beni Ouarain 

Traditional Beni Ouarain rugs were made by  a group of Berber tribes living in the North Eastern part of the Middle Atlas Mountains. This area was particularly well suited for raising sheep for the wool used in these rugs. The Beni Ouarain tribes lived a semi nomadic life: moving their flock to the higher mountain areas in spring and returning to the lowland during colder months. Semi nomadism is still there today although they may move their sheep and goods by truck and live only a portion of the year  in tents, returning to permanent houses in winter.

The traditional style and patterns of the Beni Ouarain rug consist of mostly geometric black and brown lines that create diamond and abstract shapes on a cream or whitish background. Moroccan Beni Ouarain rugs have been produced initially for personal needs. Life was spend on the floor on which various coverings were being laid to serve as bedding, blankets or protection against the stony ground. Because of their everyday use a simple design was preferred above more elaborate and complex decoration.

Tribal rugs 

Tribal rugs are made by heart, without any drawing or cartoon to follow. This means the weaver has the freedom to invent the rug while weaving and be the artist of her own creation, instead of ‘simply’ executing a specific drawing or cartoon.

The design scheme of the new made artisan Beni rugs show the traditional simple geometric Berber motifs often in a well balanced, regular semi symmetrical grid composition. Natural white wool is being used with most often a black design with single or a double diamond pattern.

In line with the tradition, the Berber rugs use the Berber knot which is tied in a very specific way to give the rug a flexible handle. This was most compatible with their travelling lifestyle as this makes the rug easy to pack onto an animal and more lightweight than using a Turkish knot.

What is the best style to go with Beni Ouarain carpets 

Modernist architects and designers such as Le Corbusier, Alvar Aalto, Frank Lloyd Wright and Ray and Charles Eames integrated Moroccan Beni Ouarain carpets into their interiors to contrast with the clean lines of 20th century interiors.

Appreciation of the spontaneous and bold character of Moroccan Berber carpets began in the 1920ies and 30ies and they are still perfect in homes today because of their monochrome shades and their simple geometric design. These rugs are perfect for modern interiors and also work well with Scandinavian, bohemian, Kinfolk and more ethnic interiors.

In what room shall I use a Beni Ouarain rug

The Beni Ouarain rug is a great all rounder for any room! It works well as a bedroom rug but also suits as living room floor covering or in a playroom. It adds a subtle pattern as well as texture to the room without competing with other items. But the Beni rug is much more than just a background player. Its geometric design won’t go unnoticed and the rug will zone the area, create comfort under your feet and a cosy feel will be achieved through its texture.

Looking after your rug

It is sensible to give your rug a good shake outside every couple of months and hoover it regularly. If your rug starts to look a little flat, a suitable tip is to vacuum it on the opposite direction of the pile, to help give it some life again. Every four or five times you hoover your rug, make sure the reverse is also  vacuumed because just as much dust an accumulate there, as on the front.

Stain treatment

The quicker you deal with spills, the less chance there is of it staining. the effective way to treat a spill, for example red wine, is to apply water to begin with to dilute the stain, followed by mopping it with a kitchen towel straight away.

Start from the outside of the stain and work inwards to limit the affected area, but do not rub the stain as this wcan damage the yarn. Once a carpet gets wet, it is important to dry it out thoroughly afterwards, to prevent the wool from rotting. Use a hairdryer for example to get both sides dry thoroughly.

Don’t use any bleach or chemical treatments as they might take the stain out, but leave a white stain instead. When in doubt, professional carpet cleaning will always remain the best choice. If you need advice on this, pleased get in touch.