I have a theory about rugs. The most interesting kinds are not those made for the salons and dining rooms of grand and noble homes, but the humbler textiles that once had work to do: Prayer rugs, table coverings, and room dividers made for tents and migratory households.

Among nomads in traditional weaving centers in Anatolia, the Caucasus, and the Iranian plateau, mobility was paramount. Households moved with the seasons, and as a result, textiles were often used in place of furniture, including as floor coverings, blankets, tent flaps, storage bags, and myriad other day-to-day purposes.

What makes these weavings so compelling is their individual character. Well into the twentieth century, there was virtually no commercial demand for tribal and village weavings. As a result, there was little pressure to respond to market forces and adapt motifs and color palettes to the tastes of urban buyers. Instead, they were woven because they were needed. A prayer rug was necessary for religious devotions. A thick-pile bedding rug was necessary as insulation against the biting cold of winter encampments.

This contrasts markedly with the classical carpet tradition. The conventional motifs that dominate—medallions, scrolling vines, and palmettes—were adopted to suit formal interiors, whether among metropolitan buyers or for export to overseas markets.

What makes rural and tribal rugs so relevant for decorating today is precisely their departure from classical norms. Functional textiles (what I sometimes call 'rugs with jobs' introduce layered texture to contemporary interiors, which often strive for a lightness and relaxed informality.

Here are some examples of 'rugs with jobs' that are well-suited to contemporary interiors.