Vendor Spotlight on…Passerine
We love all our vendors and we’re so lucky to work with such talented and passionate people—so we thought we’d introduce you to some of the companies that we find ourselves sourcing from again and again. Frankly, we couldn’t have completed our Maine project without them! This week, meet Georgia of Passerine, our go-to source for the most beautiful antique rugs.
How did Passerine get its start? I’ve always worked in corporate jobs, but when I bought my first house, I was really passionate about making it my own and figuring out my design identity. I fell in love with the look of curated designer spaces. While sourcing for my house, I popped into an antique shop and found an old rug and I knew that was the look I wanted. But I knew nothing about rugs at the time, but rugs became my obsession, so I found myself in more little shops until I found suppliers that had the look I’d been searching for. I studied up on rugs for a year, trying to figure out where to buy from—there was some expensive trial and error. I got to a point where I realized I wanted to turn this into a side business (I still have a day job!). In early 2019 I had saved up enough to purchase my first wholesale collection and I started an Etsy shop and I’ve been running this business fully e-commerce ever since. I absolutely love working with such talented designers to source rugs.
Sounds like there’s so much to learn! What helped you the most? Well, there were a few things I’ve really focused on: I met a lot of rug sellers and I developed a valuable mentoring relationship with a local rug appraiser. They’ve taught me so much, from the age of the rugs to how they’re created and what the origins of certain rugs are. I spent my first six months regularly having these meetings. I’ve really tried to be liberal about sharing the education. I’ve found that people like the pattern and style of a rug, but they also seem to like knowing the history as well. There’s such incredible diversity. I can totally geek out about the symbolism!
Why buy vintage? There’s something so nice about a one-of-a-kind piece, it makes your space feel so much more curated. The individuality makes the home feel more personal. I focus on vintage rugs that have a lot of wear, which I think offers really interesting texture. Plus, I love the sustainability factor with vintage too. I typically source antique rugs, which are 90 to 100 years old and I love rugs that have been antique washed. Prior to the 1940’s wool was typically dyed using veggie-based dye and this is the only kind of dye that responds to this chemical wash. It softens the rug’s original pattern and mutes the colors. There’s still the history and story there, but the rug has a new look and some new life in it. It’s so interesting to see how the chemical wash can manifest differently, like a red dye can turn beige or brown. A lot of rugs I purchase are village rugs, that were intended for local sales and they’re a little less perfect in their designs and quirkier. A rug is a conversation piece and a true piece of art, my goal is to arm the customer with enough knowledge to understand its true value.
Tell us a little bit about your involvement in our Coasters’ Chance project! Blair designs in context. So, when she described the sourcing for a former ship captain’s home on the coast of Maine, I immediately started looking for watery blues and colors that felt earthy and grounded. She also mentioned driftwood and raw elements and the fact that they were converting a barn into a living space, so I wanted to bring some elevation and elegance, while keeping the colors in context. We sourced the blue rug in the great room, which created a foundation for the room, the fragments for the staircase, and the main bedroom upstairs. The upstairs rug is really special, it’s a village Mahal and I was looking for four months to find just the right coloring for this room. I wanted to bring in some of the earthiness, so I chose chocolate browns that echoed the warmth of the wood in the room.
What is your business ethos? I’m never going to be the rug store with the most rugs, but I want every rug I have to be the best. I make sure every rug I sell is something I’d want in my own home!
How much can someone expect to spend on a vintage rug? There are so many factors that impact rug price. But you need to consider the labor that went into it. The bigger the rug, the more expensive it will be. A higher knot count means it takes more time too. The average 9x12 rug from my store took a single weaver months to weave! You also need to consider the demand for the components of the rug. For example, if you want a rug with olive coloring in it, it’s important to understand that it wasn’t an original dye color—it occurs only in rugs that had specific wool vegetable-dyed in certain colors, so it’s much rarer, which can drive the price up. If you want a hard-to-find size or a color that doesn’t commonly occur, there tends to be high demand and low supply. A really special, good condition 9x12 antique Persian rug can run you anywhere from $7,000 – $14,000.
Smart ways to find a great buy? Think outside standard sizing. Can you cheat how you’re laying out the rug, or can it get layered over a sisal or jute rug? Also, be open to styles you might have overlooked. Maybe there’s a medallion in center of the rug that you’re not into, but if you’re putting it in the dining room, bedroom, or living room and furniture will cover that element, you can make that work. Just try to be a little more flexible and think of the vibe you’re trying to impart.
Images by Erin Little Photography and Erin McGinn Photography
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The Roweam Yuletide Collection is a nostalgic homage to the timeless beauty of classic holiday décor, reimagined for the modern home with a warm, vintage charm. Drawing inspiration from the grand traditions of Christmastide, this collection marries old-world elegance with contemporary flair, evoking the joy and wonder of holidays past.