How a bespoke rug is made: process, materials, price factors and lead time

What "custom" actually means

A ready-made rug comes in standard sizes and colours. A bespoke rug is designed for one room, so every parameter is yours to set:

• Size and shape: any dimensions, round, oval or an organic outline that follows the furniture layout.
• Design: made from your drawing, from the interior designer's concept, or reworked from a catalogue design.
• Colours: chosen from a yarn catalogue and approved on real samples, not on a screen.
• Texture: several pile heights, carved lines and a mix of matte and lustrous yarns.

How a bespoke rug is made: 7 steps

1. Price approval. A first price per square metre based on the size, materials and level of carving.
2. Site measurement. The room is measured after the floor is finished, so the rug fits the space and the furniture plan.
3. Colours and materials. Colours are chosen from the catalogue at the showroom, or samples are brought to the client.
4. Final design and price. A production drawing with dimensions, colours and pile heights, and the final price.
5. Prepayment. Production starts after the drawing is signed and the prepayment is received.
6. Production. About 20 days in Turkey.
7. Delivery. About 10 days by road or 3–5 days by air to Dubai, then delivery to site.

Wool or viscose?

Most bespoke rugs for interiors use wool, viscose or a blend of both. Each has a clear role.

A blend gives the best of both: a wool base for durability, with viscose in the carved lines and details to catch the light. DOMA's bespoke rugs are made in wool and viscose, so the balance between matte and sheen is set for each design.

What drives the price of a custom rug

Custom rugs are priced per square metre. Five things move the price up or down:

• Size. The area in square metres is the base of the calculation.
• Materials. The share of wool, viscose and other yarns.
• Pile height and density. Taller, denser pile uses more yarn.
• Carving. More pile levels and finer carved lines take more hand work.
• Delivery. Air freight to meet a close deadline is quoted separately.

Send the size, a sketch or reference and the room, and you will receive a price per square metre before anything is measured or designed.

How to size a rug for the room

• Living room: at least the front legs of the sofa and armchairs should stand on the rug. Leave a border of floor, roughly 20–45 cm, between the rug and the walls.
• Dining room: the rug should extend 60–75 cm beyond the table on every side, so chairs stay on it when pulled out.
• Bedroom: the rug should reach about 50–60 cm beyond each side of the bed, and start under the bedside tables or just in front of them.
• Lobbies and lounges: define each seating group with its own rug instead of one large carpet.

Mark the outline on the floor with tape before you sign the drawing. It is the quickest way to check the size in the real room.

Timing a rug in a project

Rugs are usually among the last items installed, but they should not be the last to be ordered. Allow about 6–8 weeks from the first enquiry to installation: one to two weeks for design and colours, about 20 days of production and up to 10 days of transport. Measure after the flooring is finished, and order as soon as the furniture layout is fixed.

Caring for a rug in the UAE

• Sun. Strong sunlight fades natural fibres. Use curtains or UV film on large windows, and rotate the rug every few months.
• Vacuuming. Use suction without a rotating beater bar on carved and viscose rugs.
• Spills. Blot immediately with a dry cloth; do not rub or soak viscose.
• Dust and sand. Vacuum regularly and shake out or professionally clean once a year.
• Underlay. A rug pad keeps the rug flat and protects the floor.