Bokaei Rug Gallery: Art Underfoot
Some of the most famous names in art and design, from Pablo Picasso to Frank Lloyd Wright, have at some point in their careers turned their hand to rug design. Today, artists and designers are pushing the medium to its limits with their vibrant play with pattern and texture. These rug designers are creating unique works of art and setting the pace for modern interiors.
During the past century, the unique hand-woven rug has continued to enjoy a special place in the decorative arts. Derived from a centuries-old tradition as an object of luxury and beauty, it originated as a practical necessity. This dual nature is one of the reasons for the fascination with rugs in the 21st century. Rugs create a tension between the qualities of an object made for everyday use, and a work of art.
The presence of a rug in a room is a statement in itself. Rugs have become more distinctive, and now, at the beginning of the 21st century, they command attention and status. The best quality rugs are still luxury items, and the choice of a particular type of weave and design says much about the person and his or her lifestyle. But high quality rugs are gradually becoming more affordable and accessible to a wider market.
“Rugs go out of fashion, just like clothes,” says Fred Bokaei, owner of the Bokaei Rug Gallery located at 2727 North Causeway Boulevard in Metairie. “Nowadays, interior designers are going more into the earth tone and antique colors that are vegetal dye. They have a very washed out look, like a brushed look. The rug looks like an older piece. This is the most popular trend in the market,” he explains. “There is a design of rugs made in Turkey called Oushak. It is very washed out, very old looking. If you find the original ones in the market, they are over $50,000. There is a city in Pakistan, Peshawar, where they are making reproductions of Oushak designs with the help of Afghan refugees. You can get exact reproductions of that Turkish Oushak at our store for only $4,000.”
Vegetal dying, which radically changed the new rug industry in 1983, began in Turkey. Today, the state of the art in rug production is in Pakistan, India, and China. Some outstanding rugs are produced in Pakistan. Pakistani rugs are now the great rival of Indian rugs. In general, they have a shorter pile but stiffer, harder, and more tightly twisted foundation threads than Indian rugs.
One may argue that Pakistan is currently producing the best rugs in the medium. The finest quality Pakistani vegetal-dyed rugs combine elegance, opulence, and antique patina into an integrated whole, in what is arguably the best wool rug produced today. The medium grade vegetal-dyed, antique-washed Pakistani rugs (identified by several names, including “Peshawar”), have revolutionized the industry and are now among the most popular traditional handmade rugs in geometric designs being sold worldwide. They perfectly replicate the look and feel of highly coveted antique Persian Mahals and Turkish Oushaks. Beautiful and easy to blend, these rugs sell at a very fast pace.
Bokaei says that he and his wife, who is an interior designer, went to Pakistan and personally hand picked the rugs for their shop. “When we started our business in July 2006, we did not get any leftover bulk of rugs from any other stores. We went overseas and picked each one of these rugs individually according to the most popular trends in the market. So our inventory is very new,” he says. “Other rug stores have inventory that went out of style many years ago. In this business, you cannot just close your eyes and be happy with what you have, because rugs and the patterns and color combinations of the rugs change, just like clothing. You have to have an updated selection of rugs. We only picked the pieces that we loved. If you love something, you can better present it to your customers.”
The Bokaei Rug Gallery is a refreshing place to shop because it brings a fresh experience for those looking for any type of rug, from contemporary to antique styles. There are more than 1,000 rugs to choose from, and they can be ordered in all sizes, from 2' x 3' to 10' x 14', including runners and rounds in select styles. Their services include the cleaning and repairing of rugs as well.
Bokaei formerly managed a rug shop in the French Quarter of New Orleans, so he has many years of experience. “We have great prices because we are here in Metairie for the locals, not the tourists, so we aren’t charging tourist prices,” he says. We give people the best price and service. I have had customers who purchased a rug, they had it in their house for a few months, and they came back and said that they were not pleased with the color, and asked if it was possible to change it, and I have said ‘yes.’ Sometimes my wife says that you cannot survive in business like that, but I know that I will survive because customer satisfaction is the most important thing.”
There are many considerations when purchasing a rug. High design definition is the most important element in rug quality. A rug with a lower number of knots per square inch may have higher definition than a rug with a higher density of knots. Generally, the finer the rug, the shorter the pile in order to enhance definition. High definition in a rug design is similar to the greater sharpness and precision that is found in high definition television.
It is also important to purchase a rug from a reputable dealer that emphasizes customer service and customer satisfaction. “I always tell my colleagues at the shop to make sure that every customer who walks out of our door is given the utmost respect and good treatment possible,” says Bokaei. “I don’t expect everyone to buy something, but they get every possible respect just the same as the person who buys. This explains why most of our business is word of mouth. I feel that after sale service should be just as important as during the sale of a rug.” ✦
Bokaei Rug Gallery
2727 North Causeway Boulevard
Metairie, LA 70002
(504) 846- 8098
(504) 846- 8099
Store Hours:
Monday-Saturday: 10am- 6pm
Sunday: 12- 5pm
