Where to get a great, used, inexpensive Oriental rug in NYC?
January 14, 2016 8:25 AM

I would like a large rug in a specific color scheme (either robin's egg blue or Cherokee red or both) and I think I'd like to get a used Oriental rug. Where in NYC can I look at the largest possible selection of rugs?

A little worn is fine, I like the deep colors and durability of those rugs and don't mind if it has a worn patch or two. We have small kids so we want something soft to play on and not too precious in the event of a spill or vomit. I am not looking for authenticity, which I wouldn't know if it bit me anyway, or an heirloom-quality rug.

Ebay is the obvious answer, but I'd like to be able to see the colors in person and touch the fabric. Where in NYC can I go and see these kinds of carpets? A friend suggested the ABC outlet in the Bronx, which is a possibility.

A long time ago, looking for something similar, I went to the rug district (which I don't even remember where it is now) and was intimidated by the salesmen standing right over me the whole time. Any other suggestions?
posted by pipti to Home & Garden (4 answers total) 1 user marked this as a favorite


ABC has beautiful rugs, but they cost about as much as a semester of tuition at NYU. Not something I would want a child (or, really, myself) anywhere near. The outlet is not as discounted as you'd think and, in my experience, if you aren't a design professional or spending at least $10K in the store, the staff is rude to nonexistent. IKEA has pretty decent quality rugs for great prices. Pottery Barn and Home Depot are other options. If you want to get pricier, you could check out the Design Within Reach outlet in Secaucus.

Craigslist also has a ton of oriental/persian rugs for <$1000 (with the usual Craigslist/bedbug caveats).
posted by melissasaurus at 10:48 AM on January 14, 2016


Thanks--yes, we're on a tight budget, hoping to spend under $500, which is why I'm okay with a pretty worn rug.
posted by pipti at 10:54 AM on January 14, 2016


I was looking at overdyed, vintage rugs at a shop in Brooklyn recently. Their website shows some examples. They offered to work with me to find a size and color to suit my tastes. (However I ended up getting a runner from Urban Outfitters instead.)

Maybe a bit over your price range, but wanted to throw it out there for your consideration.
posted by smokyjoe at 11:49 AM on January 14, 2016


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