ISTANBUL CARPET

Istanbul Carpet was established as a family business in 1970, working out of the historic commercial triangle formed by the Grand Bazaar, Nuruosmaniye, and Sultanahmet. The business began with wholesale, manufacturing, and the restoration of handmade rugs, and has remained in the same trade ever since. In 2012, the retail brand Istanbul Carpet was launched, and the showroom moved to its current location on the 10th floor of Swissotel The Bosphorus. The business has built its reputation on handmade Turkish rugs sourced directly from workshops across Istanbul and Anatolia.

The collection is available to view in the showroom by appointment, and ships internationally from Istanbul. Every piece is examined and packed here before it leaves.

Handmade Rugs and Kilims

The core of the collection is handmade Turkish rugs. This includes classic formats in traditional Ottoman patterns, Oushak rugs with their characteristic soft palette and large-scale medallion compositions, and modern rugs that carry the same hand-knotted construction into cleaner, contemporary designs. Kilim rugs cover a wide range of Anatolian weaving traditions, from finely detailed prayer kilims to bold tribal formats with strong geometric fields. Each kilim is a flat-woven textile, structurally different from pile rugs, and valued both as a floor covering and as a wall hanging.

Vintage pillows made from antique kilim and suzani fragments are also part of the collection. These are cut and finished from older textiles, which means each one is one of a kind. Tapestry suzani fabrics, hand-embroidered on cotton or silk ground cloth, round out the textile side of the inventory.

Ottoman Metalwork

More recently, Istanbul Carpet has added a selection of handmade Ottoman metalwork to the collection. These are hand-forged and hand-chased brass objects produced by Istanbul artisans using traditional techniques. The range includes ceremonial ewers, incense burners, decorative vessels, and serving pieces. Each object is worked individually, and the surface chasing, patina, and finishing are done by hand.

This category sits alongside the textiles as a natural extension of the same collecting interest.

Restoration and Wholesale

Restoration and repair work on handmade rugs and kilims is available under the supervision of experienced craftsmen. Wholesale is open across all categories. Trade buyers, interior designers, and international clients are welcome to contact us directly regarding pricing and availability.
For context on the Grand Bazaar’s role in Turkish textile trade, see the Wikipedia entry on the Grand Bazaar.