Every question, honestly answered.

Every rug is hand-washed on our dedicated atelier floor by our master artisans. We begin with a full inspection — fibers, foundation, dyes, and any prior repairs — and dye-test every color before water touches the rug. Antique and silk pieces are washed individually with pH-balanced soap and temperature-controlled water. The rug dries flat on slatted frames, is hand-finished, and is returned to your home wrapped and protected.

An antique wash is a slower, hand-controlled bath calibrated to the age, dye chemistry, and foundation of an antique oriental rug. Water temperature, soap pH, and drying conditions are adjusted piece by piece. It is the only wash appropriate for vegetable-dyed wool and antique silk — a rotary machine would felt the pile and bleed the colors. The antique wash is the foundation of every restoration we do.

Antique and oriental rugs are hand-knotted from wool and silk that machines cannot read. A rotary brush will felt the wool, lift colors, and split the foundation threads. Dry-cleaning solvents destabilize vegetable dyes. Hand-washing — adapting water temperature, soap pH, and contact time piece by piece — is the only method that leaves the rug structurally sound and brighter than before. It has been the standard for fine rugs for centuries because nothing better has been invented.

A standard hand-wash takes 7 to 14 days, calibrated to the age, fiber, and dye chemistry of your piece. Heavily soiled antiques, dye-bleed correction, or oriental rug restoration work (reweaving, fringe binding, foundation repair) typically takes 3 to 6 weeks. Every rug gets the time it needs. We never rush a piece to meet a machine's schedule.

Yes — they are our specialty. We hand-wash every major weaving tradition: Persian (Tabriz, Kashan, Heriz, Isfahan, Bijar, Sarouk, Nain, Kerman), oriental silk (antique and contemporary), Turkish (Oushak, Hereke, Konya), French (Aubusson, Savonnerie), Tibetan, Moroccan, and Chinese art-deco. Each tradition gets a process appropriate to its construction.

Our master artisan examines the rug under bright daylight: fiber composition, foundation construction, knot density, dye chemistry, prior repairs, structural integrity, moth or pet damage, and any condition issue that affects the wash plan. The inspection is recorded and a hand-written plan is prepared for your rug before the first drop of water touches it. We send our findings to you in plain language — never industry jargon designed to obscure.

Each color on the rug is individually tested with a damp cotton swab on the pile, in a discreet area, with the soap and water temperature we plan to use. We watch for transfer onto the swab over a measured interval. Colors that show movement get a calibrated adaptation — cooler water, a milder soap, or a dye-stabilizing rinse — before the full wash begins. No two rugs are tested the same way.

pH-balanced, conservation-grade soap formulated for wool and silk, and softened water held at a temperature appropriate to the rug's dye chemistry. We never use commercial degreasers, brighteners, or solvents. The soap is rinsed exhaustively before the rug leaves the wash floor — we measure it.

Flat, on slatted drying frames, in a temperature-controlled room with steady airflow. Never tumbled. Never hung by the fringe. Never left in the sun. Drying flat preserves the original geometry of the rug; hanging or tumbling distorts the foundation and accelerates wear. Drying time runs from one to several days depending on pile depth and ambient humidity.

The pile is brushed by hand in the direction of the weave, fringes are combed and trimmed where needed, edges are inspected, and the rug is rolled with acid-free interleaving paper. Any small issue that surfaced during the wash — a loose binding, a frayed selvedge — is addressed before the rug leaves the atelier. The rug arrives back at your home in a condition that is ready for daily living.

If you have a pad already, we inspect it and replace it only with your consent. If you would like a new pad, we offer conservation-grade felt-and-rubber pads sized to the rug. Padding extends the life of an antique by softening foot traffic and preventing slip on hard floors. Pricing for pads is added to your quote in advance.

Pickup is complimentary throughout our service area. We call to confirm a window that works for your home or building, arrive in our own truck with our own team, wrap the rug in clean protective material in front of you, and write you a signed receipt. Co-op and condo buildings: we are familiar with COI requirements and will provide one in advance.

Yes, by appointment. Our four ateliers — Westchester, Greenwich, Short Hills, and Ithaca — accept hand-offs by prior arrangement. Drop-offs allow you to meet the master artisan, see the wash floor, and discuss the rug in person. Walk-ins are not accepted because the wash floor is a working surface, not a showroom.

Rugs are tagged, photographed front and back, logged into our atelier ledger, and stored flat on a clean, climate-controlled rack until the wash slot opens. Antique and silk pieces are stored in a separate area away from heavier wool. Nothing is double-stacked. Nothing is left on the floor.

Yes. After inspection, we send you a written wash plan with photographs. If anything unexpected surfaces during the wash — dye behavior, a hidden repair, a foundation weakness — we contact you before we proceed. You are not surprised by anything when the rug comes back home.

Always in our atelier. Never shipped to a third-party wash plant. Never out of our family's care. The same artisans who pick your rug up are the ones who hand-wash it, finish it, and return it to your home. This is the difference between an atelier and a service that subcontracts the work.

Cleaning is the wash — removing soil, oils, dust, and surface staining while leaving the rug structurally as it arrived. Restoration is structural — reweaving missing pile, repairing foundation, binding fringes, rebuilding selvedges, color-restoration on faded areas. Most rugs need only cleaning; an antique that has been used hard often needs both. The inspection tells us which.

Both, where appropriate. Pre-treatment is targeted at specific problems — pet odor, set stains, foundation weakness — and applied by hand only on the affected area. Post-wash treatment is conservation-grade: lanolin restoration for wool, neutralizing rinses for silk, and a final hand-brushed finishing pass. Treatments are never applied as a blanket process. Each rug gets what it needs.

The Cohen family has hand-washed and restored rugs for more than a decade. Our master artisan trained inside the discipline — apprenticed on the bench, washed by the thousand, restored by hand. Conservation training is continuous, not a one-time certificate. We are also happy to provide references from museum conservators and designers we have worked with.

Yes, by appointment. Many of our HNW clients and the designers we work with visit the wash floor between steps — to see a particular rug in progress, or to discuss a restoration decision in person. Call ahead and we will arrange the visit.

Yes. Moth treatment is part of our restoration discipline — we inspect every rug for larvae, hand-wash with treatments calibrated to antique wool, and re-weave the foundation by hand where moths have weakened the structure. Every rug leaves the atelier moth-free, and we send each piece home with guidance on storage and rotation to prevent recurrence.

Color restoration is one of the hardest crafts in the field — and it is something we do by hand, in our atelier. After a calibrated wash to lift surface oxidation, our artisans selectively re-tint with light-fast dyes that match the rug's original palette. Never a flood-dye that flattens the piece. We restore depth on a sun-faded Sarouk, Kerman, or Heriz without erasing the age of the rug.

Yes. Oriental rug restoration is hand-done in our atelier: fringe binding and replacement, selvedge and edge repair, foundation re-knotting where the structure has been weakened by moths, water, or wear. For antique pieces, we color-match yarn and tension to the original weave so the repair disappears into the rug.

Not when it is done properly. Every color on the rug is dye-tested before the wash, and vegetable or natural dyes from antique pieces — which are fragile by nature — get a calibrated adaptation. Silk and antique wool each receive treatment appropriate to their condition. Every rug in our care is fully insured. We have returned pieces our clients had given up on.

Often, yes. Water-damaged rugs need to be hand-washed quickly to stop dye migration and prevent mildew in the foundation. Bring or call us as soon as possible — the first 48 hours matter most. If the foundation has been weakened, we can re-knot and re-bind by hand. We have returned pieces our clients had assumed were lost.

Yes — and this is a craft of its own. Pet urine penetrates the foundation, sets dye, and produces odor that ordinary cleaning cannot reach. We hand-treat the affected area with enzymatic agents calibrated to wool and silk, then hand-wash the whole rug to restore the pile. Severe set stains may need a second treatment; we will tell you honestly during the inspection.

Sometimes, yes. Dye-bleed correction depends on which color has run, how long it has been set, and the fiber it has migrated into. Our artisans work hand-controlled bleach-reverse and dye-lifting agents over multiple passes — never a single aggressive bath. Set bleed on an antique is the hardest case in the discipline; we will be candid about what is possible before we begin.

Yes. Antique Chinese rugs — Peking, Ningxia, art-deco — have their own foundation construction, dye palette, and pile depth that requires a different hand than a Persian or a Turkish piece. We hand-wash with the temperature and soap calibrated to the silk-on-cotton or wool-on-cotton construction, and restore color and depth without flattening the carved-pile profile that defines these rugs.

Yes — silk rug cleaning is one of our specialties. Antique silk Qum, Hereke, and Kashan pieces are washed individually, never in a batch with wool. Water temperature is held low, soap pH is exactly neutral, contact time is short, and drying is flat in a controlled environment. The silk emerges with its luster restored and the foundation intact.

Yes — and these are some of the most rewarding washes we do. Decades of compressed dust deep in the foundation, oxidized oils on the surface, and dulled colors are exactly what the antique wash was designed for. The rug emerges with its original depth, weight, and color returned. The inspection tells us whether it needs one wash or two.

Yes — and we recommend it. A rug stored dirty becomes a moth attractant; rolled-up oils and proteins are precisely what moth larvae feed on. Hand-wash, dry, hand-finish, and roll with acid-free interleaving paper for storage. We can also provide climate-controlled storage on a monthly basis if you do not have space at home.

Atelier only. In-home rug cleaning — the chemical-and-extraction service offered by most companies — cannot reach the soil that lives in the foundation, cannot dye-test, cannot dry the rug flat, and cannot restore color or repair the structure. The complimentary pickup is part of how we deliver atelier-grade work without inconvenience to you.

Yes. Hand-reweaving — knot by knot, on the original foundation, with yarn we color-match to the rug — is part of our restoration discipline. Small holes can be made invisible. Larger areas can be rebuilt over multiple weeks. We will photograph the area, send you a restoration plan and quote, and proceed only with your written approval.

Yes. An antique whose warp and weft have grown brittle from age or sun exposure can be hand-reinforced — new warp threads woven into the original foundation, weak weft replaced where necessary. The pile remains the original; the structure is rebuilt underneath it. This is conservation-grade work that adds decades to the life of the rug.

Yes. Selvedge rebinding — hand-overcasting the side cord that finishes the edge of the rug — is one of the most common repairs we do. Frayed ends are similarly hand-stabilized with a kilim weave or fringe rebuild. Without this repair, the rug will continue to unravel; with it, the rug stops where it should.

Yes. The antique wash exists on a spectrum from a light refresh — for a rug that is structurally sound and just dusty — through a full conservation wash for a piece that has not been touched in a generation. The inspection determines which intensity is appropriate. We never apply more wash than the rug needs.

After. Construction dust is fine, abrasive, and gets driven deep into the foundation by foot traffic during the project. A clean rug rolled and stored before the renovation begins, then re-washed afterward if needed, is the best practice. We can store the rug between those steps if you do not have a clean dry place at home.

Often, yes. Smoke-damaged rugs need a specific neutralizing pre-treatment before the wash, then a long hand-controlled bath to lift carbonized particles from the pile. Char damage on the edge or end can sometimes be hand-rebuilt. Bring or call us as soon as possible — the longer smoke residue sits, the more deeply it sets into the fiber.

Yes. Complimentary pickup and delivery throughout Manhattan, the Hamptons, Westchester County, Greenwich, Stamford, Scarsdale, Bedford, Darien, New Canaan, Westport, and Short Hills. We wrap and transport every rug ourselves — never third-party couriers. Call us or fill out the form and we will schedule your pickup.

We operate four ateliers across the Northeast — Westchester NY, Greenwich CT, Short Hills NJ, and Ithaca NY — by appointment. Most of our clients prefer the complimentary pickup, but you are welcome to come see the wash floor and meet the family. Call ahead to schedule a visit.

Yes. We are familiar with the COI (certificate of insurance) requirements of Manhattan co-ops and high-rise condos, and we will provide one in advance to your building's management. Service-elevator scheduling, freight-only access, and doorman hand-off are all standard for us. We arrive on time, in clean uniforms, with the documentation your building requires.

Yes — summer is one of our busiest seasons in the East End. We schedule Hamptons pickups by route on specific days each week (Friday through Sunday in peak summer), wrap rugs in our truck at the door, and return finished pieces on the next route in. Plan for an extended schedule during high season; advance booking is encouraged.

Yes. Our Westchester atelier serves the full county — White Plains, Rye, Larchmont, Chappaqua, Pound Ridge, Katonah, Armonk, Mount Kisco, Pleasantville, and beyond. Complimentary pickup throughout the county. If you are in a borderline area, call us and we will confirm.

Yes. Our Greenwich atelier serves Greenwich, Old Greenwich, Riverside, Cos Cob, Stamford, Darien, New Canaan, Westport, Norwalk, and the adjacent Fairfield County communities. Pickup and delivery are complimentary. Most pieces are washed in the Greenwich atelier itself; a few specialty restorations route to Westchester.

Yes. Our Short Hills atelier serves Short Hills, Millburn, Summit, Chatham, Madison, Maplewood, South Orange, the rest of Essex County, Morris County, and Union County. Complimentary pickup throughout the service area. Call us with your ZIP code if you are uncertain whether we cover your town.

Yes. Our Ithaca atelier serves Ithaca, Tompkins County, Cortland, Lansing, and the surrounding Finger Lakes communities. Complimentary pickup throughout the service area. We also accept pieces from collectors and antique dealers beyond the immediate area by prior arrangement.

Yes, for high-value pieces and by prior arrangement. We have washed and restored rugs shipped from across the country and internationally. Inbound shipping is arranged by you with our guidance on packing and carrier; outbound is by our preferred carrier with full insurance. The wash itself is the same atelier-grade process every rug receives.

Yes. For very large rugs, room-set installations, or pieces that the owner does not want to move until a wash plan is agreed, our master artisan visits in person within the tri-state area, by appointment. House-call inspections are complimentary above a minimum project value; call us to confirm.

Yes — a meaningful share of our work is on behalf of designers, antique dealers, and collectors who place pieces with their clients. We offer project-level pricing, trade accounts, white-glove staging, and confidential handling for high-value provenance. Contact our atelier to set up a trade relationship.

Call us. We have washed rugs for clients across the country and abroad through arranged shipping, and we routinely accept pieces from collectors and dealers outside our standard tri-state range. The atelier work is the same regardless of where the rug is shipped from.

Pricing depends on size, fiber, age, and condition. A standard hand-wash on a contemporary wool rug starts in the low hundreds; antique oriental, silk, and restoration work scale from there. Every quote is honest and transparent — you see the price before we begin. We never up-charge after the rug is in our care.

An antique requires the antique wash — slower, hand-controlled, calibrated to fragile dyes and brittle foundation — and is priced accordingly. A contemporary wool rug receives a hand-wash that is still by hand, still on our atelier floor, but adapted to a structurally sound piece. The price difference reflects the labor and the care required, not a markup on age.

Restoration is quoted by the hour or by the project, depending on scope. Small repairs — a frayed fringe, a short binding — are typically project-based. Larger restorations — hand-reweaving an area, foundation rebuild, color restoration across the field — are quoted in writing after inspection with photographs. You approve the scope and price in writing before any restoration begins.

Quotes are complimentary. Quotes are binding — the price you see is the price you pay. The only adjustment we ever make is if you ask us to expand the scope (a binding repair we found during the wash, for example), and that expansion is quoted to you in writing before we proceed. No surprises at the end.

Payment is due upon completion, before delivery. We accept all major credit cards, ACH transfer, and check. For larger restoration projects, we may take a deposit at the start of the work, with the balance due on completion. Trade and project-level relationships have their own agreed terms.

Yes. Interior designers, antique dealers, and collectors who place pieces with their clients have project-level pricing, trade accounts, and confidential handling. Contact our atelier to set up a trade relationship. We are accustomed to working under your own brand and on your own schedule.

Every rug is fully insured from the moment we pick it up until the moment it is back in your home. Our team is bonded, our wash floor is supervised, and our family takes personal responsibility for every piece we accept. We treat each rug like one of our own.

Loss and damage during pickup, transport, atelier residence, restoration, and return. The policy is held against the declared value of the rug, which you can set on the receipt at pickup with reference to a recent appraisal if you have one. We will share certificate-of-insurance details with you on request before any pickup.

Yes. For high-value antiques and museum-grade restorations, we provide written condition reports with photographs before, during, and after the work. These reports are also useful for appraisal documentation and insurance purposes. There is no additional charge for the report on substantial restoration projects.

Yes — and we will tell you honestly if that is our advice. Some antique pieces are so structurally fragile that a wash would do more harm than good; some are best stabilized and left alone. We make the recommendation in writing after the inspection, with the reasoning explained in plain language. We would rather not take the work than do work that should not be done.