Story and photographs by Kathryn Retzler

© 2004. Exclusive to San Juan Publishing

[Ridgway, Colorado]  Walk through the door and color envelops you, wraps you in arms of deep gold, claret, Mediterranean blue—and that’s just the paint on the walls. The carpets and rugs that cover them, and the floor beneath, positively pulse with color. 

The pride of Exotics, a shop of fine imports including furnishings and accessories, is woven floor coverings. Here, under the tutiledge of Brahim Ilahiane, native of Morocco and an expert in Oriental rugs, you will find carpets from Morocco, Persia, Turkey, and the  Caucasus (old Russia, from the Black to the Caspian seas). All are antique, from 80 to 100 years old, and all beautifuly hand-made and hand-dyed, glowing with rich color that has stood the test of time (and countless feet, no doubt). (FYI: generally rugs are four by six foot or smaller in size; anything bigger is considered a carpet.) Ilahiane also repairs and restores carpets.

His knowledge of rugs dates back to his earliest memories, listening to his mother “sing” rug patterns to his sisters (he has four) and brothers (three). That’s how traditional patterns and designs are passed down through the generations. The weaver “sings” the pattern, “blue blue, red red, gold, green,” and his or her descendants memorize the song. Ilahiane has worked in all aspects of carpet-making, from shearing the wool—the finest found on the belly and sides of mountain sheep—to selling rugs (he worked in Boston, then Santa Fe before opening Exotics in Ridgway). 

Brahim Ilahiane is a story teller and a natural teacher. He also brews an excellent mint tea. When you visit Exotics, sample the tea and let him tell you about the ancient art of rug weaving. It’s gender specific. Man’s work includes shearing, washing and dying the wool. Women card, spin, run the warp and weave. The indigenous people who have long produced these fine rugs are superstitious. If a man performs a woman’s task, he may become infertile or suffer a terrible fate from the “evil eye.”

Ilahiane will explain the difference between Persian and Turkish styles of rug-making. (It’s in the knots, asymmetric or “Sennea” knots most common in Persian rugs, Symmetrical or “Ghiordes” knots common in Turkish. Knots are hand-tied. It takes a long time to make a rug.) Ask him about the archeology of rug making. (The oldest loom was found in Iraq, the oldest rug in Siberia, woven around 400 BC.) Have him explain the religious and tribal significance of the patterns and colors. Many designs, such as the cross, have different meanings depending on the culture of the weaver. Floral patterns are popular with nomadic tribes, for example, who’s hard life includes flowers only in their rug patterns. Hand-woven rugs also include a deliberate fault. In these cultures, only God is perfect, so to weave a perfect rug would be to invite the evil eye. So the weaver saves himself from harm by adding imperfections of color or design.

Ask Ilahiane about the natural dyes, which are of vegetable and insect origin. (Cochineal beetles and onion skins both produce a deep red, for example.) He will also show you the difference between a flat weave (the oldest style, dating back 2500 years) and a “pile” rug. Again, the difference is in the knots. Take off your shoes, walk on the rugs and let your toes tell you the difference.

When you visit Exotics, allow time for a truly sensual experience. The aroma of mint tea mixes with the scents of candles, potpourri and the natural dyes permeating the old carpets. The kaleidoscope of color on walls, floors and furnishings is like a ride on a carousel. And a visit with Brahim Ilahiane is an experience in itself. You’re going to  have a wonderful time.