The Light and Dark Side

The fibers in the fuzzy top layer (the pile) of most hand-woven pile carpets do not stick straight up. Instead all the fibers of the pile lean in one direction. Depending on what angle you look at the rug from you will see different sides of the individual pile fibers. Because the different sides of the individual fibers do not look the same and they all lean in one direction, the rug itself looks different from different angles.

Here is an example of the light side of a rug.

For example, from one side of the rug all of the fibers will be leaning away from you. From this point of view you will mostly see the sides of the pile fibers (rather than the ends). Because the sides of the fibers are more reflective than the ends, this is known as the “light side” of the rug. The colors of the rug will look brighter and, depending on the material, the rug can even look shiny.

This is the same rug as seen from the dark side

From the other side all the pile fibers will be leaning towards you. You will see much more of the ends of the fibers. With the ends of the fibers pointing towards you the rug will absorb more light and you will be able to see the litte shadows cast by the fibers. As a result the colors of the rug will appear darker from this side. This side is known as the “dark side” of the rug.

As one walks around the rug it will appear to fade between these two extremes. However, this is not where the fun ends. Rugs do not have to lie flat and the pile fibers don’t always lean the same amount. Some parts of the rug may have been pushed down by a footsetp. In that part of the rug, the colors will be different. This can even cause a pile rug it shimmers as one walks by it.

The colors and luster of the rug change depending on where you are, where someone has walked on it, or even where someone has run their hand across it. This effect makes pile carpets a very dynamic form of art and one that visually responds to observers.