First Time buying a Persian carpet? See what this carpet expert has to say on why these decorative textiles are worth the time and effort.

A home needs more distinction and personality beyond four white walls and a floor. And Persian carpets? They tick all the right boxes when it comes to giving a room character.

Just ask Naseer Bhatti, owner and managing director of Abee Rugs, a store housing a formidable collection of Persian carpets, tribal carpets, killims and modern rugs in Jalan Yap Kwan Seng, Kuala Lumpur.

A professional in the carpet retailing sector for 27 years now, Naseer has an in-depth understanding of the Persian and tribal carpets he imports from Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan. He's the man to take all your carpet questions to and we've asked him for seven reasons why Persian carpets are worth the investment.

#1: Authentic Persian carpets are one-of-a-kind

Each Persian carpet is hand-woven and hand-knotted. According to Nasir, no two are exactly the same. Given the laborious effort and time that goes into producing some of these carpets, they are treated as luxury art pieces instead of just floor decorations.

#2: Persian carpets come in a variety of types

Silk or wool? Tribal or Killim? You'll truly be spoilt for choice when trying to identify your favourite piece, so it helps to know some of the most popular types of Persian carpets.

Qum carpets are high quality silk carpets from the city of Qum in Iran, while Isfahan carpets are high quality wool carpets from the Iranian city of Isfahan. Kashan carpets are made of 100 per cent wool.

Tabriz and Nain carpets are the second highest in quality for silk and wool after the Qum and Isfahan types, originating from those same places.

#3: Persian carpets hold long-term value 

Aesthetics aside, Persian carpets are really valuable in their own right. The value of carpets appreciates with time - the ones at Abee Rugs come with a certificate of authenticity, guaranteeing their trade-in or resale value. Naseer says that these hand-knotted carpets can also be insured against damages.

On average, Persian carpets can cost between RM300 to RM100,000 per piece, depending on the quality and materials used.  

#4: Carpet design says a lot  

A rich diversity of prints adorns the individual carpets from geometric and floral to traditional and contemporary. Certain patterns and designs represent the carpet’s country and city of origin, something that most carpet experts can discern from just one glance.

#5: The fringes protect the carpet  

The dainty tasseled borders or fringes on some carpets actually serve to protect the edges from fraying or spoiling easily.

When these fringes start showing of deterioration, take them to carpet retailers who offer fringe restoration services. It transforms the look of old carpets when new fringes are sewn on after the damaged ones are removed.

If you're looking for an embossed carpet, ask for the Summock. A Killim carpet is more plainly designed by comparison and both sides can be used. Turkoman carpets are known as tribal wool carpets, usually with varying consistencies of colours and shades.

#6: Carpets can be beautifully restored even after visible damage 

Persian carpets are made to last and if you keep them well, they will last longer. Carpet retailers will usually advise buyers on how to care for the rug of their choice.

Don’t worry about damages and tears to your hand-made rugs as carpet restorers can do an incredible job fixing the damage, leaving as little trace of ruin as possible and expertly dealing with discolouration and stubborn stains.

#7: Take care when taking care of carpets

You can probably tell by now that it takes a certain degree of effort to maintain the exquisite beauty and craftmanship in your carpet. An important thing to remember: resist the urge to dry-clean your carpets when you find a small stain - silk and wool carpets have to be hand-washed at carpet stores like Abee Rugs once every 12 to 18 months.

These kinds of carpets should not be machine washed or dry-cleaned. How often should you vacuum a carpet? Rather than doing it daily, Naseer suggests to vacuum your carpet every three to four days. Try drying your living room and dining room carpets under the sun for about an hour once every two years.