How this collector styles her 4-room HDB flat in Singapore with vintage tribal rugs

When Carolyn Fu went on her first work trip to Pakistan in 2018, her colleagues asked if there was anything she wanted to do. “I said yes, I want to look at rugs!” she quipped enthusiastically. After all, Pakistan is a world-renowned centre for handmade rugs, where generations of artisans have perfected the craft.

At the time, Fu, 44, had just moved into a rented apartment while waiting to buy her own flat. “Once I had my own space, I wanted to commemorate it with a rug,” she explained.  

Her colleagues took her to a carpet warehouse in downtown Karachi, where she spent three hours sifting through seemingly endless stacks of rugs. “The warehouse was packed with rugs and there was no air-conditioning. It was summer in Karachi, so it was hot outside,” Fu recalled.

Inside, the air was thick with dust. One by one, the seller began unfurling rugs for Fu. “At first, I couldn’t quite articulate what I was looking for. I only had a rough image in my mind of the kind of design I wanted. When you’re shopping for rugs for the first time, it can get overwhelming fast. As soon as they start unrolling them, you’re just standing there like, "Oh my god, where do I even begin?"

Three hours flew by, and Fu eventually settled on a beautiful Afghan Silk Herati rug in ivory with a subtle, faded pattern. Estimated to be around 40 to 50 years old, the rug found its perfect place in her study when she eventually moved into her own 4-room HDB flat in 2020.  

That rug hunting experience sparked a deep appreciation in Fu for the beauty and craftsmanship of rugs. “It takes a lot of work, skill and patience to produce a rug. I just started wondering, why do people talk so much about other art forms, but not so much about rugs, even though they’re an art form too?” she mused. 

As Fu began to read up more on rugs and spoke with rug sellers, she developed a particular admiration for vintage tribal rugs, woven by women from nomadic tribes. “Vintage tribal rugs are even more fascinating as they are made by nomads, who weave them as they travel. None of them were formally trained; it’s knowledge handed down through generations,” she shared

Many of the cultural symbols woven into the rugs also carry deep personal meanings. "They are woven into the rugs as a way to convey [the weavers’] hopes and dreams, their wishes for protection or a happy life. I just found that aspect so fascinating,” said Fu.

A CANVAS FOR RUGS

Over time, Fu’s collection grew from just one rug to around 20 pieces in her current collection. She collects them mostly from Türkiye and parts of Central Asia. While her passion for collecting stemmed from her desire to decorate her own home, she admits it eventually “got out of hand”. “I ended up acquiring more rugs than I have floor space for,” she laughed.

Fu also started an Instagram page (@micasa_fucasa) to share her love for tribal rugs and to showcase pieces from her collection. A quick scroll through her feed also reveals her passion for home decor and styling. Over time, she began occasionally selling rugs through the page.

The mid-century modern inspired aesthetic of Fu’s four-room HDB flat in western Singapore, where she lives alone, is perfectly enhanced by her vintage tribal rugs, which have a “beautiful patina from age and from use”. “I want my place to have a very lived-in feel, and vintage rugs lend that kind of vibe very easily,” shared Fu.

Fu purchased the flat in 2019 and moved in in July 2020 after renovations. The walls of two bedrooms were hacked to make way for a study and a specious walk-in-wardrobe, connected to the master bedroom.

The apartment is a warm, inviting space rich in textures and colours, brought to life by an eclectic collection of vintage items, books, prints, travel memorabilia and other objects. It’s also the perfect canvas for showcasing Fu’s treasured rugs that she amassed over the years. There are rugs in almost every room – from the study, to the living room, walk-in-wardrobe and bedroom. “I really love the way these rugs add so much character, warmth and persona to my home,” she said.

THE ANTIQUE APPEAL

When stepping into the space, one of the first rugs visitors will chance upon is an old Persian Karaja Heriz rug, located in the walkway adjacent to her dining area. “It’s unique because the size of Heriz rugs is usually not this small,” shared Fu. The rug features three geometric medallions in the centre field and the warm reds and blues stand out vibrantly against the dark hardwood floor of the home.

The Heriz rug is estimated to be around 90 years old. “It’s this whole romantic idea that these rugs were made all these years ago and they have survived the test of time,” said Fu on why she finds herself drawn to vintage rugs. “It’s also the idea of owning something that has been kept with care by someone or by a family that appeals to me. Why buy a new rug when there are all these old ones that look just as beautiful?”

The oldest rug in her collection is an antique Caucasian Kilim, featuring four Memling Gul motifs in the centre field, estimated to be more than a hundred years old. Caucasian Kilims are handwoven rugs that originated in the Caucasus region and are known for their geometric design.

Due to the rug’s muted colour palette, “at one glance, you can tell it’s a really old rug,” said Fu. On closer inspection, the rug reveals signs of wear, with several areas carefully patched up over the years. These repairs not only preserve the rug’s integrity but also add to its charm, hinting at the generations of hands that have cared for it over the years.

Another old rug from Fu’s collection is a Turkish Jijim, estimated to be around 100 years old. Turkish Jijims are flat-woven rugs traditionally used by nomadic communities in the Mediterranean region, either as floor coverings or wall hangings. The rug is rich in symbolism – the central square represents the living space of a home, the star signifies power, while the ‘S’ motif represents water. At the heart of the rug lies a small blue bead, reminiscent of the Nazar, a protective charm believed to ward off the evil eye.

SERENDIPITOUS FINDS

While on holiday to countries such as Türkiye, Fu makes it a point to go rug shopping, in search of pieces to expand her collection. Over time, she formed relationships with several rug sellers, who now send her pictures of rugs she might like, allowing her to grow her collection even when she’s not abroad.

Sometimes, she stumbles upon unexpected treasures in the most unlikely places. During a trip to Tokyo – a city not typically associated with rugs – she discovered a small square rug in a vintage shop in Shimokitazawa. Now placed beneath a stool in her bedroom, the rug is likely a Persian Baluch, a type of handwoven rug made by the Baluch people, a nomadic ethnic group from Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. Given its size and design, it may have once been the face of a saddle bag, traditionally used by nomads travelling on horseback or camels to store their belongings.

The tiny rug adds a sense of cosiness in her bedroom, along with a Yastik rug placed by the side of her bed. “Yastik” in Turkish means cushion or pillow, which hints at the rug’s traditional use. A Caucasian Sewan Kazak adds a pop of colour to Fu’s walk-in-wardrobe with its vibrant hues of orange, green and blue. “The centre shield medallion was something, at the time, I hadn’t seen before,” quipped Fu on what initially drew her to the design.

The rug ended up being a serendipitous find. While it was made in Konya, Türkiye, it is a reproduction of an antique Caucasian design. Fu made the connection only after chancing upon a similar design in a book on tribal rugs. “I might have seen it before, but it didn’t stick out to me. Somehow, it might have lodged into my sub-conscious, so when I saw the rug at the shop, something must have clicked,” said Fu.

FROM PASSION TO OBSESSION

While Fu’s home may not have the space to accommodate all the rugs in her collection, from time to time, she enjoys unrolling different pieces to air them out, as well as to simply admire their beauty. “I like being surrounded by beautiful things, and these rugs to me are works of art. I get a lot of joy and contentment from being surrounded by them every single day.”

Another hobby of hers is delving into books on rugs to expand her knowledge. “There’s so much more for me to discover and learn about these rugs. The knowledge that I have, honestly, is just the tip of the iceberg,” said Fu.

Having rugs in the house, of course, has its own challenges, especially when it comes to maintenance. “It really isn’t practical to have so many rugs while living in a tropical place like Singapore,” Fu admitted. To keep them in top condition, she sends her rugs for deep cleaning once a year and vacuums them at least once a week. “You must not shy away from that if you want to have rugs in your space,” she advised.

Like many other collectors, Fu’s passion for rugs has become almost an obsession, with her collection constantly growing. Then comes the question – could she ever live without her rugs? “Probably I can,” she answered with a smile. “But it would probably be way less colourful or joyful without them than with."