Artsy Rugs

About Artsy Rugs

Artsy Rugs is a rug store at 300 University Avenue in downtown Palo Alto. It sells hand-knotted area rugs and describes its showroom as a gallery where customers can see and touch each piece. The store calls itself "not just another rug store" and treats each rug as a one-of-a-kind work, sourced on buying trips around the world.

The owner, Servet Abi, is a third-generation rug dealer. According to the store's About page, he has worked in the hand-knotted rug business for 19 years. He has worked in several states and started several companies. The store says its rugs come from weaving regions including Turkey, Iran, India and Pakistan. It looks for pieces with careful finishing such as hand washing and hand shearing.

The rugs

Artsy Rugs sorts its stock by style. The online catalog, which lists more than 1,000 rugs, covers:

• Traditional and antique: classic Persian and Oriental designs, including older pieces.
• Transitional and contemporary: softer palettes and modern patterns, with collections such as Jolie and Dream among recent arrivals.
• Vintage: including vintage Oushak rugs from Turkey.
• Tribal, Moroccan and flatweave: rugs with bolder geometry and lighter construction.
• Silk and custom: silk rugs and made-to-order pieces.

The catalog can be filtered by size, from 2 by 3 feet up through 10 by 14 feet, plus oversize, round and runner shapes. Prices and availability change as rugs sell, so call before visiting if you have a specific piece in mind.

Services

• Help choosing a rug: share photos, floor plans or a designer's notes and the staff will suggest options.
• Free in-home consultation: staff visit, measure and recommend rugs. The store also offers in-home showings so you can see how a rug looks in your room through the day.
• Custom design: the store says its designer can create a custom rug in the gallery with you.
• Cleaning, repair and restoration: for Persian and Oriental hand-knotted rugs.
• Rug pads: cushioned or thin non-slip pads installed under new or existing rugs.
• Appraisals: for insurance, resale or trade-in value, based on comparable sales.
• Interior design trade program: trade pricing and project support for designers.

Rug care and value

The store's service pages explain a few points worth knowing before you buy or sell. Making a hand-knotted rug takes many steps, from spinning and dyeing the wool or silk to tying each knot, so finishing quality varies a lot between rugs. Ask staff to show you the back of a rug, where the knotting is easiest to see. A rug pad is a separate underlay that, the store says, extends a rug's life, stops it from slipping and protects the floor from wear and noise. Artsy Rugs installs thick cushioned pads or thinner non-slip versions depending on the rug.

On value, the store notes that a rug's worth depends on size, dyes, age and design. What a rug sells for often differs from a store's asking price. Its appraisals use comparable and actual sales. The store asks clients to say up front whether they want an insurance value, a fair retail value or a trade-in figure.

Who it suits

Artsy Rugs is a good stop if you are furnishing a home and want to compare many hand-knotted rugs in person rather than buying from photos. The in-home showing helps with the hardest part of rug shopping, which is judging color and scale in your own light. Owners of older Persian rugs can use the cleaning, repair and appraisal services. Interior designers working on Peninsula homes can apply for the trade program.

Tips for visiting

• Measure the room and note where furniture sits before you go. It makes the staff's suggestions far more useful.
• Book an appraisal in advance and tell the store why you need it, since insurance and resale values are figured differently.
• The store is on the main downtown shopping street. Our University Avenue shopping guide covers the stores around it. Our real estate guide is useful if you are new to town and furnishing a home.

Location and getting there

Artsy Rugs is at 300 University Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94301, in the Downtown area of Palo Alto. Our Downtown guide covers what else is around.

The nearest train stop is the Palo Alto Caltrain station, about 0.3 miles away. That is roughly a 7 minute walk.

Parking: street spaces and city garages with posted limits (see parking in Palo Alto).

Hours

Hours from the business's own website, checked October 30, 2026.

What is nearby

• Curry Pizza House, restaurant, under 0.1 mi
• KEEN Garage, store, under 0.1 mi
• Nick The Greek, quick-service spot, under 0.1 mi
• Wells Fargo University Avenue, service business, under 0.1 mi
• Alegio Chocolate, bakery or dessert shop, under 0.1 mi
• University Avenue, under 0.1 mi
• Cogswell Plaza, under 0.1 mi
• Lytton Plaza, 0.1 mi

Other home, furniture and garden nearby: DUXIANA (under 0.1 mi); Design Within Reach (under 0.1 mi); Avocado Green Mattress (under 0.1 mi); Visual Comfort & Co. (under 0.1 mi). Browse the full home, furniture and garden list.

Before you go

• Ask about delivery times and fees for large items before you buy.
• Measure doorways and stairs at home before ordering furniture.
• Stock changes with the seasons. Call ahead if you are looking for a specific item.

About this listing

Checked October 30, 2026 against Artsy Rugs website; About Artsy Rugs; Services; Contact and hours. How our listings work. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Frequently asked questions