Rugs seen as reflection of one’s life

Saeid Maralan once traded a Persian rug for an S-Class Mercedes.

“Seven years later, the car was worth $14,000,” he said. “The owner of the rug is now asking $250,000 for it.”

Maralan speaks lightly of the experience because he is part of a 200-year-old family business, originally from Iran’s Tabriz and Selver regions, that deals in the finest Persian rugs.

The company, Sirous & Sons, recently opened their newest location on Ocean Ave. in Laguna Beach.

Maralan believes Lagunans are able to appreciate the complexity and history of Persian rugs because of their innate approbation for fine art.

“People in this town appreciate art more than merchandise,” Maralan said. “I’m in the right place, and I’m very thankful to be here.”

Characteristic designs carried by the company include fish and florals, as well as the border-and-medallion style of the Heriz region; Heriz rugs are known for their durability and relative affordability.

“They’re not only furnishings,” Maralan said. “It’s really amazing how they appreciate over time. It’s a kind of investment that is not like a bond or stock — you get to enjoy each individual rug.”

He also sees beyond a rug’s color and design.

“When I look at a rug, I see 10 years of a person’s life,” he said. “I don’t see merchandise. In this way, you learn to see the world through the eyes of an artist; it puts a human face on the piece.”

A rug depicting a hunting scene that hangs in the gallery took 12 years to make, he said.

“We have a lot of unique pieces, and that’s what we are known for,” Maralan said.

The family has produced several master artisans; masters are the only makers who can work their signature into a rug.

One such master, Ahadi, is a museum-grade restorer of deteriorated rugs, using period fibers and natural dyes, including saffron, walnut and pomegranate.

“His talent is irreplaceable,” Maralan said.

He also creates rug “portraits,” including most of the U.S. presidents, Maralan said; each presidential portrait takes about three years of full-time work to produce.

The company also creates such portraits based on photographs of their customers.

“The majority of our inventory is Persian rugs,” Maralan said, although the store also carries designer machine-made products, or rugs from other countries.

Thin, double-sided Kilim carpets, originally designed by nomadic people, are also carried; they have become popular in the States due to their heavy marketing by stores like Pottery Barn.

Maralan said that modern rugs are imitations of Persian designs; Versace’s famous yellow-and-black patterns, for example, are based on rugs from the Qom region.

“That design is almost 2,000 years old,” Maralan said.

Many pieces in the shop are museum-quality; Maralan showed one that was more than 500 years old, yet still retains its vivid, saffron-yellow intensity.

Some pieces in museums are more than 2,000 years old.

The oldest surviving carpet in the world is dated from the 5th century BC; it depicts deer, warriors and other elements.

Iranian regions are known for their particular designs.

“Each city stays in their own style of unique design, regardless of what the market is asking for,” Maralan said.

As families or groups work on rugs, they often sing while they work.

“When the tone of the song changes, it means the color has to change,” Maralan said.

Maralan said that the age of a piece is more important than the design in pricing a rug; to that end, many modern designers try to make their new creations look antiqued, with artificial wear to the coloration.

Maralan said he has even heard of people leaving rugs in the middle of the street, so cars and trucks would “age” them faster.

Although they are meant to be walked on, Maralan recommended that their owners use common sense regarding their use.

“You don’t want to use a Rolls Royce as a pickup,” he said.

Sirous & Sons also has stores in San Clemente and Corona del Mar, in addition to its newest shop.

For more information, call (949) 715-1222.