In-depth Descriptions of Navajo Rug Styles

There are more than 21 styles of Navajo design styles. In most cases they are based on specific designs from certain areas of the Navajo Nation.

Bistie American Indian Rug with brown, black and red wool colors

The Schoch First Phase Chief’s Blanket - By John O'Hern

The discovery of a Navajo masterpiece.

By John O’Hern

The weaving of wearing blankets is part of the Navajo (Diné) creation story, present in Navajo culture from the beginning. Spider Woman, who wove the web of the universe, taught the Navajo people to weave. She is present in their lives today, residing atop Spider Rock in Canyon de Chelly.

An Early Classic First Phase Chief’s Blanket, Diné (Navajo), circa 1830, also known as the Schoch First Phase. The first phase measures 54 inches long by 73 inches wide, as woven. In the collection of the Bernisches Historisches Museum (BHM), Bern, Switzerland, by purchase from Marie Karolina Ruef, Lorenz Alphons Schoch’s widow, 1890. BHM Catalog #1890.410.0027. Cataloged by BHM as a “Sioux trade cloth.” Photograph by Joshua Baer. © 2021 Joshua Baer & Company, Santa Fe. Used by permission. All reproduction rights reserved.

The Navajo philosophy of Sa’ah Naaghai Bik’eh Hozhoo guides life in balance and in harmony with the natural world and the universe. Balance occurs in the physical world with a reverence for the four cardinal directions, the four sacred colors and the four sacred mountains that border Navajo Country.

Balance is the theme of the Beauty Way Chant, part of which reads:

In beauty I walk
With beauty before me I walk
With beauty behind me I walk
With beauty above me I walk
With beauty around me I walk
It has become beauty again

To the south of Navajo Country, or Dinétah, were the Hopi. To the north were the Utes. Navajo wearing blankets were admired by the Hopi and Utes, who bartered with the Navajo for their blankets. Navajo blankets woven longer than wide were called “serapes” by the Spanish. Navajo blankets woven wider than long were called either “chief’s blankets” or “mantas.” The term “chief’s blanket” came into use because chief’s blankets were expensive. Only the high-ranking members of the Utes and the Plains tribes could afford them. According to Joshua Baer, an appraiser of Navajo blankets in Santa Fe, “Anglo-American explorers and military officers began collecting Navajo chief’s blankets during the 1840s. Between 1840 and 1860, the rate of exchange for one chief’s blanket was either 10 buffalo hides, 20 horses, or $50 in gold. In 1850, $10 was one month’s pay for a cavalry officer in the U.S. Army. The $10 gold piece, or ‘eagle,’ contained one-half of one ounce of gold.”

Karl Bodmer (1809-1893), Kiäsax, Piegan Blackfoot Man, 1833, watercolor and graphite on paper. Joslyn Art Museum, Omaha, Nebraska. Gift of the Enron Art Foundation, 1986.49.395. Photograph © Bruce M. White, 2019.

Navajo chief’s blankets were valued by the Ute, the Sioux and the Cheyenne because of their beauty, but also because they were so tightly woven as to be nearly waterproof and could be worn as a coat in the daytime and used as a blanket at night. Examples of early first phase chief’s blankets are scarce today because they were worn aggressively until they were worn out.

Early chief’s blankets featured broad stripes of blue, brown and white handspun Churro yarns. The handspun brown and white yarns were un-dyed. The handspun blue yarns were dyed in the yarn with indigo. Baer explains, “After the introduction of rectangular, target designs during the 1840s, and the subsequent introduction of concentric diamonds during the 1850s, Navajo chief’s blankets with no designs came to be known as ‘first phases.’ Chief’s blankets with rectangular designs came to be known as ‘second phases’ and chief’s blankets with concentric diamonds came to be known as ‘third phases.’” First-phase chief’s with broad brown and white stripes are referred to as man’s style, in contrast to the woman’s style chiefs blankets which have narrow stripes.

An Early Classic First Phase Chief’s Blanket, Diné (Navajo), circa 1830, also known as the Schoch First Phase. The first phase measures 54 inches long by 73 inches wide, as woven. In the collection of the Bernisches Historisches Museum (BHM), Bern, Switzerland, by purchase from Marie Karolina Ruef, Lorenz Alphons Schoch’s widow, 1890. BHM Catalog #1890.410.0027. Cataloged by BHM as a “Sioux trade cloth.” The image has been enhanced to show how the first phase may have looked in original condition. Photograph by Joshua Baer. © 2021 Joshua Baer & Company, Santa Fe. Used by permission. All reproduction rights reserved.

First phase chief’s blankets with brown, white and blue stripes are known as Ute style first phase chief’s blankets. Blankets with thin red stripes between the blue and brown stripes are known as bayeta first phase chief’s blankets because of their use of raveled bayeta yarn. The Navajo weavers were adept at dying their handspun yarn blue with indigo but weren’t able to dye their handspun yarn red with cochineal. Produced in Mexico, cochineal is the dried and pulverized larvae of ladybugs. In the 17th century, cochineal was declared the property of the King of Spain and shipped to Spain where it was used to color woolen cloth in vats.

In response to Spain’s attempts to monopolize cochineal, the British developed a red dye from lac, a scale insect found in Bengal. Red bayeta cloth was woven and piece-dyed in Seville, Spain, and in Manchester, England, then exported in bolts to North America. Bayeta was then shipped from ports in New Orleans and Charleston to St. Louis where it was transported by mule to merchants in Santa Fe, Taos, and the Chama Valley. When bayeta arrived in Navajo Country, Navajo weavers raveled the woven cloth to obtain red yarn to weave into their blankets. Between 1830 and 1860, bayeta was Navajo weavers’ primary source of red yarn. Navajo weavers also used a red knitting yarn from Germany, known as Saxony.

A Classic Bayeta First Phase Chief’s Blanket, Diné (Navajo), ca. 1850. The bayeta first phase measures 57 inches long by 71 inches wide, as woven. Collected, 1851, by Samuel W. Woodhouse (1821-1904), a surgeon and naturalist who accompanied the Topographical Engineer Corps on the Sitgreaves Expedition to explore the Zuni and Colorado Rivers. Inherited by Woodhouse’s son, Samuel W. Woodhouse Jr. (1873-1943). Purchased by the Museum of the American Indian (MAI) from Woodhouse Jr., 1923. Image courtesy of the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI), Washington, D.C. NMAI Catalog #11/8280.

Baer explains the incorporation of red yarn in second and third phase blankets and subsequent variants: “Second phase chief’s blankets have horizontally banded fields with rectangular foreground designs, usually in the form of either concentric squares, concentric rectangles, or pairs of solid rectangular bars. Ute Style second phases have no thin red stripes between their design elements. Bayeta second phases have thin, horizontal red stripes of raveled bayeta between their design elements.

“Third phase chief’s blankets have horizontally banded fields with diamond-shaped foreground designs. Ute Style third phases have no thin red stripes between their diamonds. Bayeta third phases have thin red stripes of raveled bayeta between their diamonds.

“Navajo chief’s blankets that combine second and third phase designs are called variants. Chief’s blankets with designs appropriated from Navajo dress halves, mantas, poncho serapes or serapes are also called variants.”

An installation of the three phases of Navajo chief’s blankets can be seen at the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. The Nelson-Atkins Museum in Kansas City, Missouri, has what Baer considers to be one of two Ute style first phase chief’s blankets in mint condition. The Nelson-Atkins also has as a chief’s blanket variant with a spur pattern in cochineal-dyed bayeta wool, circa 1840.

A Classic Second Phase Chief Blanket, Ute Style, Diné (Navajo), circa 1850. The second phase measures 56 inches long by 75 inches wide, as woven. Collected, 1851, by Samuel W. Woodhouse (1821-1904), a surgeon and naturalist who accompanied the Topographical Engineer Corps on the Sitgreaves Expedition to explore the Zuni and Colorado Rivers. Inherited by Woodhouse’s son, Samuel W. Woodhouse Jr. (1873-1943). Purchased by the Museum of the American Indian (MAI), New York, from Woodhouse Jr., 1923. Image courtesy of the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI), Washington, D.C. Image courtesy of NMAI. NMAI Catalog #11/8281.

The Nelson-Atkins Museum describes its first phase blanket as “a broad horizontal configuration of contrasting and subtly colored bands…often described as a distillation of the Navajo’s desert plateau and mountain landscape.”

A characteristic of Navajo looms is that they were often set up outdoors where the weavers looked through them at the landscape as they worked.

The widespread trade in chief’s blankets is documented in a watercolor by Karl Bodmer (1809-1893), a young Swiss artist who accompanied the Prussian naturalist Prince Maximilian of Wied-Neuwied (1782-1867) on an expedition through the Missouri Valley from 1832 to 1834. Prince Max, as he was known, believed the Indigenous tribes of central North America were on the verge of extinction. He had set out to document their cultures before they disappeared.

Bodmer was a prodigy who would amaze audiences by creating an accurate sketch or watercolor in less than an hour. Prince Max would often use him to impress the people they met on their expedition. In 1833, on one leg of their journey, Bodmer painted Kiasax, a Piegan Blackfoot chief, wearing a Ute style first phase chief’s blanket with pairs of blue stripes. It is the earliest known painting of a Navajo chief’s blanket.

A Classic Third Phase Chief Blanket, Ute Style, Diné (Navajo), circa 1855. The third phase measures 58 inches long by 78 inches wide, as woven. Collected between 1855 and 1860 at Fort Laramie, Dakota Territory (now Wyoming), by Thomas S. Twiss (1802-1871), U.S. Indian Agent for the Upper Platte River). Acquired by Daisy M. Barnett (1874-1937), at an unknown date. Purchased by the Museum of the American Indian (MAI), New York, from Barnett, 1921, with funds donated by MAI Trustee Harmon W. Hendricks (1846-1928). Image courtesy of the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI), Washington, D.C. NMAI Catalog No. 10/8457.

They met Kiasax aboard the steamer Assiniboine owned by John Jacob Astor’s American Fur Company. They also took advantage of Astor’s steamer Yellowstone, which they rode from St. Louis 900 miles north to Fort Pierre and Fort Union.

Prince Max’s choice of the scrupulously accurate Bodmer resulted in some of the finest paintings of the region and its people. The prince was as meticulous in his written descriptions as was Bodmer in his paintings and drawings. In a journal entry from March, 1833, he describes Massika, a Sauk man he met in St. Louis. “The area surrounding the eyes and ears is red, often also the cheeks; with others the entire head is completely red, except for a white spot on the forehead and a black one around mouth and chin; this gives them a dreadful appearance…Their ears are pierced along the upper edge with three or four holes, and from them hang short strings of blue and white wampum, like tassels.”

George Catlin (1796-1872), St. Louis from the River Below, 1832-1833, oil on canvas, 193/8 x 26¾”. Smithsonian American Art Museum. Gift of Mrs. Joseph Harrison Jr., 1985.66.311.

Prince Max’s collections were dispersed in museums in Bern, Berlin and Stuttgart.

George Catlin (1796-1872) traveled to the West five times in the 1830s, painting portraits of its Indigenous people and amassing artifacts from their cultures. He wrote in 1841, “St. Louis…is a flourishing town, of 15,000 inhabitants, and destined to be the great emporium of the West…[It] is the great depot of all the Fur Trading Companies to the Upper Missouri and Rocky Mountains, and their starting-place; and also for the Santa Fe, and other Trading Companies, who reach the Mexican borders overland, to trade for silver bullion, from the extensive mines of that rich country…I have also made it my starting-point, and place of deposit, to which I send from different quarters, my packages of paintings and Indian articles, minerals, fossils, etc., as I collect them in various regions, here to be stored till my return; and where on my last return, if I ever make it, I shall hustle them altogether, and remove them to the East.”

Lorenz Alphons Schoch traveled from Switzerland to St. Louis in 1832 and collected between 1833 and 1837, at the same time Prince Max and Bodmer were on their expedition and Catlin was collecting artifacts. Schoch was the son of a Swiss instrument manufacturer. Among the artifacts he collected is a war shirt that appears in George Catlin’s painting Mix-ke-móte-skin-na, Iron Horn, a Warrior, 1832.

George Catlin (1796-1872), Mix-ke-móte-skin-na, Iron Horn, a Warrior, 1832, oil on canvas, 29 x 24”. Smithsonian American Art Museum. Gift of Mrs. Joseph Harrison Jr. 1985.66.153.

Judy Thompson wrote The North American Indian Collection: A Catalog for the Berne Historical Museum in Switzerland. She comments, “Although European trade goods had reached the Plains area by the early 1700s, Plains Indians had little direct contact with white men until the mid-19th century. Collections as early as the Schoch material (1837) are therefore rare. Lorenz Alphons Schoch (1810-1866) was a Swiss from Burgdorf, Canton Berne. He went to the United States in 1832, where he lived in St. Louis for several years and apparently came into contact with various Indian tribes in his role of merchant or trader. Schoch returned to Switzerland in 1842. His collection was purchased from his widow in 1890.”

A Classic First Phase Chief’s Blanket, Ute Style, Diné (Navajo), ca. 1850. The first phase measures 51 inches long by 70 inches wide, as woven. In the collection of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City. Ex- Fred Harvey, Kansas City. Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, from the estate of Fred Harvey, 1933. NAMA Catalog #33-1430. Photo: Joshua Ferdinand.

Another item in the Schoch collection in Berne is a blanket cataloged by the museum as “Sioux Trade Cloth.” Baer believes it is the earliest documented example of a Navajo first phase chief’s blanket. It is illustrated here by his interpretation of the item if it is restored. He bases his hypothesis on five criteria:

Its collection date (1832-1837) establishes the Schoch First Phase as the earliest Navajo chief’s blanket with a documented collection history.
The absence of pairs of blue stripes in the Schoch First Phase makes it a unique example of the Navajo first phase style, and raises the possibility that the first phase was woven during the late 18th century, which would make it the earliest known example of a Navajo chief’s blanket woven in the man’s style.
Ticking along all of the edges of its brown and white bands is unique to the Schoch first phase. Of the approximately 150 other known classic Navajo chief’s blankets, none have ticking along all edges of their horizontal bands.
The Schoch First Phase’s configuration of three brown stripes and four white stripes above and below its central panel links the first phase to three of the best-known classic Navajo chief’s blankets in either museum or private collections. [The Twiss Third Phase Chief’s Blanket, Ute Style, Navajo, circa 1850, in the collection of National Museum of the American Indian, is illustrated here, on Page 43.]
The location of the Schoch First Phase in the Bernisches Historisches Museum (BHM) in Bern, Switzerland, and BHM’s catalog listing of the first phase as a “Sioux Trade Cloth,” establish the Schoch First Phase as an undiscovered example of early classic Navajo weaving.
A Classic Chief’s Blanket Variant, Ute Style, Diné (Navajo), ca. 1840. The variant measures 53 inches long by 72 inches wide, as woven. In the collection of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City. Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust. NAMA Catalog #33-1432. Photo: Joshua Ferdinand.

Before Baer’s interpretation of what he refers to as the “Schoch First Phase,” the Navajo chief’s blankets with the earliest documented collection history were the classic bayeta first phase chief’s blanket, Navajo, circa 1850, also known as the Woodhouse Bayeta First Phase; and a classic second phase chief’s blanket, Navajo, circa 1850, also known as the Woodhouse Second Phase. Both were collected at Zuni Pueblo, New Mexico Territory in September, 1851, by Samuel Washington Woodhouse (1821-1904), who was a surgeon and ornithologist with the Sitgreaves Expeditions of 1849 and 1851. Both the Woodhouse First and Second Phase Chief’s Blankets exhibit no wear. They were probably purchased from their weavers. The blankets were acquired in 1923 by what is now the National Museum of the American Indian from Woodhouse’s son in 1923.

Baer remarks, “The Schoch First Phase is an extraordinary work of American art. The first phase is also an important part of American and Native American history. My hope is that the BHM will allow the Schoch First Phase to travel to the United States. This will make it possible for the first phase to be seen by contemporary Navajo weavers, and by the American public.”

Jul 29, 2025
Beth Barth

Whirling Log or Swastika?

JB Moore Crystal with Whirling logs. Circa 1910-1920

The Whirling Log or sometimes referred to as a "falling log" or "swirling log", goes back thousands of years in human culture. One of the oldest symbols made by humans, the Whirling Log dates back some 6,000 years. Scholars generally agree it originated in India.

In the Navajo culture the Whirling Log, represents part of their creation story, well being, good luck and protection. The Whirling Log is often confused with the swastika due to their similar appearance. The Whirling long is square and rotates where as the swastika is diamond shaped and angled symbol.

Navajo Whirling Log Nazi swastika

The Whirling Log symbol in Navajo culture comes from the tale of the Whirling Log.

The Whirling Log Tale - part of the Navajo creation story

Below is a simple rendition of the story.

The hero in the story is an outcast from his people. He decides to leave and sets out on a long journey to seek peace and security. At first the 4 Gods try to persuade him against going, but seeing his determination, they help him hollow out a log in which he travels down the river.

Along the way he has many misadventures which ultimately result in his gaining important ceremonial knowledge. In one such instance he and his craft encounter a whirlpool, hence "whirling Log" and is captured by the Water People who carry him down beneath the water to the home of Water Monster. Black God threatens to set fire to Water Monster's home and the hero is released, but not before being taught by Frog how to cure the illnesses caused by the Water People.

When he finally reaches the lake that is his destination, the gods catch his log and help him to shore. Wandering about on land the hero comes upon a whirling cross with two Yeis (Holy People) seated on each end. From them he learns the knowledge of farming and is given seeds. He then returns home to his people to share these gifts.

Until the late 1800s, when J. Lorenzo Hubbell and J.B. Moore opened their trading posts in Arizona and New Mexico, Navajos portrayed the Whirling Log solely in their religious ceremonies in the form of sand paintings. But by 1896, with prodding by Hubbell and Moore, the symbol proliferated on Navajo rugs.

In 1940, in response to Hitler's regime, the Navajo, Papago, Apache and Hopi people signed a whirling log proclamation. It read, "Because the above ornament, which has been a symbol of friendship among our forefathers for many centuries, has been desecrated recently by another nation of peoples, therefore it is resolved that henceforth from this date on and forever more our tribes renounce the use of the emblem commonly known today as the swastika . . . on our blankets, baskets, art objects, sand paintings and clothing."

Navajo whirling log proclamation

Jul 29, 2025
Beth Barth

Navajo Sandpainting Weavings

The 'Navajo Sandpainting Weaving'
Preserves Tradition and Ceremony

The Navajo Sandpainting Weaving is ranked among the Navajo tribe's best known and best loved art forms. The original Navajo dry painting is traditionally performed for religious or medicinal purposes; it is a sacred practice. Sandpaintings are used in ceremonies designed to summon supernatural forces, they represent the Navajo's religious world and are customarily part of ceremonies that will heal and restore a patient that is out of balance.

The Navajo Sandpainting Textiles: an artform that owes it's existence to weaver, artist, and Medicine Man, Hosteen Klah (also spelled Hasteen, Hastiin). From Native American Roots.net:

In the 1880s, Klah began to learn weaving from his mother and from his sister. He first began to learn the Navajo medicine ways – chanting and sandpainting – from his uncle. In learning the Nightway ceremony, Klah worked under the guidance of Laughing Singer and Tall Chanter. While most Navajo singers can master only one or two complete chants, Klah mastered at least eight. Among the ceremonies which he mastered were the Hailway, the Mountainway, the Nightway, the Windway, and the Chiricahua.

Among the Navajo, the purpose of the chant is to cure the sick. For the chant to work, it must be repeated exactly by the singer. Learning a chant takes a considerable amount of intellectual work: each one is like memorizing hundreds of lines of song or poetry. When a singer contracts to perform a ceremony, he undertakes a great deal of responsibility for not only the patient, but also others who are present at the ceremony.

In 1917, after 24 years of study, Hosteen Klah performed his first Nighway Ceremony (Yeibichai). The nine-day ceremony was perfect in chant, symbol, and ceremony and established him as a great singer.

In 1911 Hosteen Klah wove a blanket of yeibichai dancers which portrayed sacred masks. Local singers felt that this was sacrilegious and demanded that Klah have a ceremony to expel the evil and that he destroy the weaving. Instead, Klah sent the weaving to Washington and experienced no negative effects.

In 1917 Klah took Franc Newcomb, a trader’s wife, to a Nightway ceremony. After the ceremony, she attempted to draw from memory the designs from the sandpaintings which were used in the ceremony. She was unsuccessful and Klah sketched them for her in pencil. Newcomb then made these into watercolor reproductions and hung them in her bedroom so that the other Navajo would not be offended. After seeing that no punishment occurred, Klah then did an additional 27 paintings for her.

In 1919 Klah began to weave sandpainting rugs which were based on the chants he was qualified to sing. His first sandpainting weaving was a whirling log design from the Nightway ceremony.

Klah’s last sandpainting weaving, The Skies from the Shootingway ceremony, was done in 1937 and was not complete at the time of his death. The work was finished by his nieces, Gladys and Irene Manuelito.

Over the years, Klah worked with a number of non-Indian scholars and allowed them to record his songs, ceremonies, stories, and sandpaintings. His only Navajo student – Beaal Begay – died suddenly in 1931 and so much of his knowledge was not passed on in the traditional Navajo way.

One of the Anglos who worked with Klah was Mary Cabot Wheelwright (introduction through the Newcombs) who founded the Museum of Navajo Ceremonial Art in 1937. She had been permitted to record many of Klah’s songs and erected the museum to preserve his medicine knowledge and his sacred objects.

The museum is now known as the Wheelwright Museum. The Museum displays many of his drawings and paintings of sand paintings, as well as his sandpainting weavings. The Wheelwright is no longer actively involved in the study of Navajo religion, however it maintains growing, world-renowned collections that document Navajo art and culture from 1850 to the present. It also presents changing exhibitions on traditional and contemporary Navajo and other Native American arts.

Hastiin Klah with one of his sandpainting tapestries at the Newcomb’s trading post, Navajo, New Mexico, ca. 1927.  Photograph probably by Arthur or Frances Newcomb. Hosteen Klah (Hastiin Tłʼa, 1867–1937)

Jul 29, 2025
Beth Barth

The First Step In Navajo Weaving - Carding & Spinning Sheep's Wool

Navajo weaving is both an art form and a labor of love. That’s because these highly-detailed rugs, blankets and weavings aren’t just for comfort; they tell an historic tale of a proud people through beauty and innovative creativity.

The origin of these well-woven textiles may have been passed down in story from Spider Woman who taught the first weavers to weave by using sunlight, white shells, lightning and crystals.

Here is more information about the historic methods of working with the wool after it is shorn from the sheep.

Traditional Hand Carding
Historically, fleece and fibers were prepared before they could be used for weaving. Hand carding is the process of separating and straightening wool fibers using wooden paddles with wire “teeth” or bristles.

It works like this: the top “card” hooks its teeth into the wool in one direction, while the bottom “card” hooks its teeth in going the opposite direction. The weaver then works to gently tease and pull apart the wool creating evenly distributed layers, varying fiber lengths, eliminating any foreign matter inside, and improve fiber resiliency.

There are also two types of teeth which can be used—coarse and fine. The coarse cards are for fibers like mohair or wool, while the fine teeth can be used on soft fibers like cotton or angora.

Navajo Weaver Clara Sherman Carding and Spinning

Spinning the Perfect Thread

There are many forms in which to spin wool and the Navajo have a few techniques that can be used to form the perfect thread. The most famous and historic method is the Navajo spindle, also known as a drop spindle.

This type of spindle is generally categorized into three classes—center whorl, bottom whorl and top whorl. They all have varying degrees of speed and balance, but they can also produce different threat thickness. These “hand spindles” involve spinning a stick with a weight top while the yarn twists and winds around the shaft.

Most of the historic weavings on our website are made with hand shorn, hand carded, hand spun Native Wool.

Jul 29, 2025
Beth Barth

How to Care for Your Navajo Weaving

How to Clean a Navajo Rug
As both a work of art and a functional piece of décor, it’s essential that you maintain your American Indian textile with proper care and attentiveness. That’s why we want to give you a comprehensive list of ways to clean your Navajo Rug to extend its life and quality.

Basic and Extended Cleaning
Here are just a few things you should remember for proper care of your Navajo

√ Avoid machine washing, steam cleaning or ironing.
√ Never “whip” or use a beater bar on Navajo textiles.
√ Do use a smooth floor attachment to vacuum your rug by hand.
√ Turn and or rotate the weaving from time to time to help with even wear.

If your weaving does need an overall cleaning, you can use a foam rug cleaner for wool rugs offered by Woolite. To remove minor stains, OxiClean has a good stain remover. We have been known to use white wine to blot out red wine (and then sometimes to finish it off with a little OxiClean)

Safe, Bug-Free Storage
If you own multiple Navajo textiles and routinely swap them out for décor changes or to maintain their quality, it’s important that they are stored properly. As such, there are several methods you should use to protect your wool from sunlight, moths, or moisture. These include:

Rolling rugs in the direction of the warp threads.
If folding, also fold in the direction of the warp for the first folds to prevent creasing.
For museum storage you can also use acid-free tissue paper or unbleached muslin while rolling.
Textiles can be placed in a cedar chest or any chest or cabinet can work with added cedar chips or herbs (such as lavender) to ward off moths.

Avoiding Sunlight
Direct sunlight can fade the colors in your Navajo weaving. We recommend using a UV treated window or film on windows to reduce (in some cases eliminate) sun damage. When placing Navajo rugs in or around your home, try to avoid direct raw sunlight, spots of light shining in through windows, or broken illumination. Also, rotate your rug regularly to keep colors and fabrics balanced.

Hanging Instructions
Apply Velcro to a thin piece of wooden lathe about ¼” thick and 2-3” wide; the length of lathe should be just shy of the length of your weaving. Tack the wooden lathe to the wall with small nails for proper security.

You may also keep the sticky back on the Velcro and tack the full strip to the wall, but you may need a few more small nails for this process. Then simply press the weaving to the Velcro. This method works well when hanging a weaving on a curved surface or around a corner.

Both methods make it easy to vacuum or rotate the weaving. We recommend 2-3 times per year.

Note: Historic weavings may need an additional strip of Velcro sewn to the Weaving, so it can adhere to the Velcro on the wall.

To see all of our Native American Collections click here

Jul 29, 2025
Beth Barth

What is My Rug Worth?

Here at Nizhoni Ranch Gallery we get our fair share of inquiries about Navajo rugs people have inherited from family members or picked up at a thrift show or estate sale. Most stories begin with something like "my grandmother bought a weaving from a trading post while vacationing in the Southwest".

The main question we are asked is "what is it worth?" The answer is: it depends... In valuing weavings we suggest keeping the following things at the forefront:

Size, Condition, Complexity of Design, Age, Tightness of weave, Types of dyes used (natural vs aniline) and provenance.

Size
Yes, size matters - a lot. Big rugs are rare which of course increases value. Past and present weavers typically weave small to medium size rugs. One reason is limited space. The larger the rug, the larger the loom. Many Navajo live in homes that have low ceilings and low square footage, which makes it nearly impossible for many weavers to take on large rugs. Another is the amount of time it takes to weave large rugs. Large rugs can take a year or more to complete. Weaver's payday typically come when they sell their rug. Which means fewer weavers then and now take on large rugs.

Navajo Weavers at loom

Condition
The condition of a Navajo Rug will of course affect the value. Pay attention to any damage, if it is clean, if there is any fading (one side is lighter than the other), if the wool colors have runs, stains, etc. There are talented rug restores out there, yet some issues just cannot be fixed. Navajo rugs that have serious damage may not be worth the original cost or even the cost to restore it. One rug restoration company we highly recommend is: Enver From Denver.

Age
Early 1800's to 1950
Navajo rugs before the 1950's we consider historic or antique. Navajo weavings started to become popular at about the turn of the century. Navajo Textiles from 1800's have a much higher value - and they don't have to be in perfect condition. Here is an episode from Antiques Roadshow. Worth the watch and this weaving is worth up to 7 figures. This episode brought us all to tears here at NRG.

1940 to 1970
In mid 1900 the Southwest was all the rage. The Navajo keyed in on this and began weaving rugs for tourists. A perfect and inexpensive souvenir that could easily fit in a suitcase to take home. Navajo weavers would set up along side tourist routes. Few tourists could resist a beautiful piece of art. The weavings were small in size, designs were simple yet colorful, not always finely woven and not with the best wool. These weavings typically have a moderate value. Not necessarily a valuable family heirloom, but a warm reminder of who passed it down.

Throw Navajo Weaving : 3432 : 14" x 23" (1'2" x 1'11") : $700

1970 to Present
Today's Contemporary Navajo rugs, can range from UNDER $500 up to many thousands of dollars. The number of Navajo weavers working today is dwindling. Many Navajo are not learning this sacred Navajo weaving tradition, as it is a very time consuming, the pay is inconsistent and requires discipline in learning the art form. Below is a weaving from our Exclusive Navajo Churro Collection that represents some of the best weavings of today.

Burntwater Navajo Rug : Elsie Bia : Churro 1779 : 50" x 72" (4'2" x 6') : $ 9,000

Complexity/Tightness
There are 28+ Styles of Navajo Rugs. Some Styles are more difficult to weave than others. Complexity and tightness of the weave affect the value. Generally speaking, the tighter and finer the weave, the more valuable the piece. Teec Nos Pos is generally considered one of the most intricate design.

Navajo Churro Collection,  Teec Nos Pos, Geraldine Phillips, 6"1" x 12'1", Churro wool, Circa 2015  Geraldine won Best of Category for large rugs in 2015. Churro # 1574 , $16,000

Natural Dyes vs Aniline
Using natural dyes vs aniline dyes (commercial chemical dye). Natural dyes add value because of the extra time it takes to hand dye the wool. Hand dying wool with natural dyes can take almost as much time as weaving the rug. See a previous blog we wrote on natural dyes:  An Organic Experience

Chinle : Navajo Rug : Helen Bia : Churro 1703 : 26" x 36" (2'2" x 3') : $ 4,000

Provenance
Provenance is the history and ownership of the weaving. When the history of a weaving can be verified it takes on a whole new value. Again we go back to the Antique Road Show Episode with the well known Ute Chiefs blanket. The provenance (proof) went all the way back to Kit Carson.

First Phase Ute Blanket, circa 1850, PBS Antique Roadshow

The Bottom Line

If you want to get an accurate value on a weaving, contact a certified appraiser that specializes in Native American art, or better yet Navajo weavings. Nizhoni Ranch does not do appraisals, as we are not certified appraisers.

Jul 29, 2025
Beth Barth

Don't Fall for a Knock Off Navajo Rug!

2,575 Surprised Older Stock Photos - Free & Royalty-Free Stock Photos from Dreamstime - Page 6

Oh, the thrill of stumbling across a beautiful weaving at a spectacular price. Here at Nizhoni Ranch some of our clients have interesting stories about coming across an estate sale, consignment shop, garage sale or auction house where they hit the jackpot or crapped out.

Yet, the old adage "if something sounds to good to be true, it probably is". Probably is the downfall for some. The definition of probably is: without much doubt, reasonably true, likely. Probably is trouble - it gives a ray of hope to those who want to believe.

Then there is the Antique Roadshow situation. As AR passed through Tucson in 2001 a man took in a blanket he inherited from his grandmother. The blanket was originally given to his great grandfather by Kit Carson. The blanket was used on his bed as a child then later sat on the back of a chair for years. After watching the appraiser almost pass out and then being whisked away by security, he was told the weaving was a Ute First Phase Blanket, circa 1850's. A national treasure worth (at that time) $350k to $500k. Today that very weaving is valued somewhere around 1+ million. A beautiful story that remains one of AR's finest moments - a must see and a tear jerker!

So what is one to do? Pay close attention to:

1 - Fringe

Almost all Navajo weavings will not have fringe. There are only 2 exceptions. Textiles woven with Germantown yarn. Fringe is added after the weaving is completed. Take a look:

Germantown Saddle Blanket, PC 119

The other Navajo weaving that has fringe (only on one end) is a Gallup Throw. Gallup throws became a popular and inexpensive tourist souvenirs. They are woven with a cotton warp. Once finished the warp is cut then knotted. A typical contemporary Gallup Throw sells for somewhere between $50 to $100. See below:

Ganado Throw

2. Warp

Warp strings run vertically and made on a continuous loom that contains the actual warp threads, this is the foundation of any Navajo weaving. You can check this by running your hand along the side of the rug to feel whether the warp threads run the length of the rug or whether they’ve been cut. In Mexican-made copies, the warp strings run horizontally and threads are cut and then sometimes hidden, making it more difficult to detect.

Mother and children Navajo weaving rug

Navajo woman weaving on an upright loom with vertical warp strings.

3. Lazy Lines

Lazy lines appear as a diagonal line in the weave of the fabric. During the weaving process, the rug maker would move to work on adjacent sections of the warp, resulting in the subtle diagonal lines referred to as lazy lines. Note: not every Navajo weaving has visible lazy lines.

Lazy lines in Navajo weaving

Lazy lines at diagonal angles

4. Cost

Like all Navajo weavings, the values vary based on the age, quality, size, design complexity and condition. A 3 x 5 contemporary weaving, with good design, good condition and nice wool starts around $ 2,000. Below is a contemporary Teec Nos Pos / Red Mesa weaving. Teec Nos Pos is one of the most intricate of designs. This was woven in 2017 by Elsie Begay and measures approximately 5' x 9', $9,000.

The U.S. Department of the Interior, Indian Arts and Crafts Board have published a very informative pamphlet on How to Buy Authentic Navajo (Dine') Weavings. Call 888-278-3253

Bottom line, buy through a reputable source and keep all receipts and other documents. Reputable, meaning they stand behind the weaving and if it's not as portrayed, they will return 100% of what you paid.

If you are fortunate enough to have a weaving pop up outside of a gallery or reputable dealer and told it is Navajo, buyer beware. We believe if you love a weaving, the price is right and will still be happy if the weavings turns out to be something other than Navajo - go for it!

Happy Hunting!

Jul 29, 2025
Beth Barth

Deliberate Imperfection? You bet!

Intentional Flaw? Deliberate Mistake? Perfectly Imperfect?

Recently a new collector inquired about how much would a weavings value and collectability be diminished if the weaver made a mistake in the mirror image of the design. The answer is zero.

Navajo are deeply religious. They believe nothing is perfect, except for the Gods. They were given the gift of weaving by the Gods and taught by Spiderwoman herself - an important deity to the Navajo. To honor the Gods, Navajo weavers deliberately incorporate an imperfection.

Daisy Taugelchee

As protection from harm, a textile is sometimes woven with an insertion of a foreign object. This may be a small piece of feather, hairs or a piece of sinew from an animal.

It is taught that if a feather falls from a bird in flight and is caught before it touches the ground, the feather becomes a symbol of deliverance and should be woven into a textile. Hairs from a goat, a bobcat, a bear, shavings of bear claw, granules of corn and unknown red or black fibers can be woven into a textile. Items of protection and power are woven into textiles secretly. The weaver does not want them to be seen easily. Saddle blankets, for example, can contain a wide array of special items, including a piece of sinew from animals such as cougars, wildcats or even squirrels, whose strength gives the animals added quickness, regardless of size.

Pollen is considered a very sacred substance and is used ceremonially as an offering to the Holy People in a gesture of supplication and protection. A knot, often erroneously thought to be where the ends of a broken warp were tied together, usually contains a pinch of pollen and is woven into the textile quite purposefully by the weaver to seek protection from harm.

Often times one must closely study weavings to find the deliberate mistake. Here at the gallery we enjoy looking for and finding the change up in the design. Even our eyes miss them sometimes. It becomes a bit of a game. Some weavings may only have one, others have a few. When we find a weaving with several flaws we imagine the weaver may have been overly superstitious and wanted to ensure the Gods would be pleased and no bad luck would follow.

Some of the most important pieces collected have fairly obvious deliberate imperfections. One example is the 3rd Phase Chief Blanket which is on the front cover of Navajo Textiles by Nancy J. Blomberg. That 3rd Phase is part of the William Randolph Hearst Collection. Without working too hard we came up with 7 imperfections in the design.

Here is a weaving that we currently have available. Can you find an imperfection? At the bottom of this blog we will share what we have found. Warning - this is a tough one but give it a shot.

JB Moore Navajo Rug : Historic : PC 104

There is another deliberate imperfection called the Spirit Line or Spirit Pathway. Navajo believe that when weaving a rug, the weaver entwines part of her or his spirit into the rug. The spirit line prevents the weavers spirit from being trapped and allows weaver's spirit to safely exit the rug. Spirit Lines are found in rugs with a border - however not all bordered rugs have spirit lines. It is up to the weaver as to how they will incorporate their personal deliberate imperfection. Look to the top right corner of the weaving below for the Spirit Line.

Navajo Double Saddle Blanket : Historic : PC 83 (no longer available)

Not a surprise we adore Navajo weavings and are honored we can share our collections with the world. While we have been in this business for more than half of a century there is still much to learn about Navajo weaving, past and present. Without a doubt Navajo have been given the gift of weaving by the Gods and for that we cannot be more thankful.

Here is the answer from the challenge above.

Here is another to try. Enjoy!

Teec Nos Pos Navajo Weaving : Historic : PC 88

Jul 29, 2025
Beth Barth

Navajo Land and People

A storied culture that began more than 500 years ago, the Navajo people got their name from the phrase Teva Navahu; which means “highly-cultivated lands.” This designation seems rather apt, especially given that we now know that they are widely considered the largest of all Native American Indian tribes in the world.

More hunters and gatherers than raiding warriors, the Navajo culture really began to flourish in the four corners area of the Colorado Plateau. It was here that they were first contacted by the Spanish, who drove them off their lands and further into New Mexico and Arizona.

By the middle of the 1800s, many of the Navajo were captured during the Scorched Earth Campaign and forced to walk more than 350 miles east to Fort Sumner; those who lived were hardened by the journey and years of war.

navajo people

Later that same century the Navajo, the only indigenous people allowed to return to their home land, were released to return to their reservation. They found solace in their surroundings, raising their sheep and creating gorgeous textiles that gave them a prosperous edge in the changing financial times.

In 1906, John and Louisa Wetherill, ranchers and traders by nature, started at trading post which gave the Navajo people an outlet to trade their goods with those heading west to seek their fortune. And over the next 20 years, those trading posts expanded giving them even more opportunity to share their beautiful wares and textiles with people all over the country.

In the last decade, the rich history of the Navajo has steadily (and thankfully) been passed down from generation to generation. Families remain strong and close; the heritage can still be found in the language, the people, and their craftsmanship; and old traditions and pride still permeate the very fiber of their unique society.

And whether it be the exclusive textiles created with each generation, the world-changing code talkers of World War II, or the beautiful culture that impacted the very essence of society, the Navajo have long been a driving force behind what it means to be a Native American.

Navajo Indians: Matriarchal Society

The Navajos are matriarchal and descent is traced through the mother. While the basic unit of social cooperation is the biological family, the term “family” is considerably broader in it’s application to Navajo society than it is in the white American world. A biological family, historically, lived in a cluster of hogans and nearby, usually within shouting distance, lived the “extended family.” An extended family would consist of an older woman, her husband and unmarried children, and her married daughters together with their husbands and unmarried children.

An extended family might also consist of unmarried, widowed or other relatives of the older woman of the household. Historically an extended family lived together in a designated vicinity and changed the place of residence as a group as the weather or foliage for the livestock dictated. Within the extended family labor is pooled to a great extent in herding and other productive activities. A man living with his wife’s family may also participate in the work activities of his own extended family.

He often visits the homes of his mother and sisters and lends a helping hand in harvesting and other group activities. A man will sometimes pasture his livestock with that of his mother or sister rather than with the property of his wife and children.

Until recently there was no conception of joint property ownership between husband and wife. As a result Navajo women have always enjoyed a favored and somewhat more “liberated” position in their society than have their white counterparts. A woman controls the hogan, built on land that was set aside for her by her family; she owns the children, which belong to her clan, her sheep, the product of her sheep and other livestock, her jewelry and all blankets she might weave and the income from the sale of any of her property. A husband owns what he has inherited from his own family and all goods which he has bought out of his own earnings which, nowadays, often includes a pick-up truck. Either partner may sell or trade what he owns, though one usually consults with the other about any major transactions. …………. Raymond Friday Locke

THE NAVAJO INDIAN HOGAN: Shelter and Center of their World

Beautiful Rainbow of the Navajo. At the center of the Navajo world is their shelter, the “HOGAN”. Navajos do not refer to their mode of living as a way of life… It is THE way of life …

The ancient hogan, known as the “forked stick hogan” was a conical hut constructed of three forked poles covered with logs, brush and mud. Called the ” mail” hogan by the Navajos, examples of this swelling can still occasionally be found in the western part of the reservation. More common today is the “female” hogan, a circular or 6 sided dwelling constructed of logs or stone, (below) with a doorway facing east and a smoke hole in the center of the roof.

The dome-shaped roof is formed of cribbed logs covered with dirt. (top photo) The fire is placed on the hard-packed floor beneath the smoke hole and a flap or hinged door covers the doorway. Traditionally the hogan lacked windows and was ventilated by the smoke hole in the roof and the east-facing doorway. Nowadays not only do the hogans have windows but they may also contain stoves, chimneys, beds and even a refrigerator and a T.V.

Navajo Hogon
Today white prototype houses and even mobile homes are common on the reservation, but families that live in such dwellings also construct a hogan nearby. Many of the People have retained their native religion and Navajo ceremonies can be conducted only in a hogan.

Most Navajo families own 2,3, or several hogans and more than one permanent establishment if they own sheep. A family that owns several hundred sheep and other livestock might have as many as 5 or 6 separate clusters of buildings scattered over a large ara as the animals must be moved from place to place at various seasons of the year. Too,variations in the weather and the water supply may require that a family live in one place during the summer and another during the winter. Usually however, each family has one location which is its main residence at which there are more or less permanent corrals, storage dugouts, several hogans and temporary shades or bush hogans for summer use.

Navajo Hogon
The Navajo hogan is more than just a place to eat and sleep and the concept of it as a “home” bears little resemblance to a white person’s attitude toward his dwelling place. The hogan is a gift of the gods and as such it occupies a place in the sacred world. The first hogans were built by the Holy People of turquoise, white shell, jet, and abalone shell. The round hogan is symbolic of the sun and its door faces east so that the first thing that a Navajo family sees in the morning is the rising sun…. Father Sun, one of the most revered of the Navajo deities. The construction of a new hogan is almost always a community affair. Once completed, the new hogan is consecrated with a Blessing Way rite whereby the Holy People are asked to “let this place be happy.”

Navajo Hogon
Also nearby, but out of sight, will be at least one sweat hogan. The sweat hogan is small scale replica of the old-style forked stick hogan but without the smoke hole. It is constructed of three sticks with forked ends which are fasten together in a tripod. Two straight sticks are leaned against the apes from the east to make the sides of the door. It is heated by placing hot rocks within, the door being closed with several blankets. The sweat hogan provides excellent bathing and purifying facilities for the Navajos in their land of scarce water. As in virtually everything a Navajo does, there are prescribed rituals that must be followed in taking a sweat bath. Four verses of the Sweat Bath Song must be sung before a Navajo can leave the sweat hogan, which the Navajo call the Son of the She Dark, to plunge into cold water or dry himself in the sand. The bather then re-enters the sweat hogan and sings four more verses of the song. He repeats the ritual until the entire song has been sung.

navajo hogan
Traditional structured hogans are also considered pioneers of energy efficient homes. Using packed mud against the entire wood structure, the home was kept cool by natural air ventilation and water sprinkled on the dirt ground inside. During the winter, the fireplace kept the inside warm for a long period of time and well into the night. …………. Raymond Friday Locke

Athapascan Ancestors

navajo land and people |
First there was a beautiful and rugged land. And then came the people to the land and they called themselves Dineh. But they, the descendants of those Athapascan-speaking people would come to be known by many names. Dineh (or Dine), their name for themselves, cannot be translated exactly into English as there are no articles in the Navajo Language. The translation, “The People,” is formally permissible and accepted by most linguists and anthropologists, but Dinehcan also be translated as “men,” or “people” or even “earth people.”

According to Navajo tradition their ancestors, after many generations of wandering through inhospitable lands, came together and settled in a new land in this, the fifth world of their mythology. This land was called Dinehtah- the land of The People.

Today over 170,000 Navajos live on their reservation which encompasses about 27,000 square miles of rugged, semi arid land in the states of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah. The Reservation, which is about the size of the state of West Virginia.

Navajo Song:

“This is your home, my grandchild!”
“My grandchild! I have returned with you to your home,
“Upon the pollen figure I have returned to sit with you, my grandchild!”
He says to me as he sits down beside me;

“Your homes are yours again – Your fire is yous again – Your food is yours again – Your mountains are yours again, my Grandchild,”
He waves to me as he sits down beside me. Navajo Song

…………. Raymond Friday Locke

“Dine – The People”

~With beauty before me, it is woven
~With beauty behind me, it is woven
~With beauty above me, it is woven
~With beauty below me, it is woven
~And in beauty, it is finished.
Navajo weavers’ song………..

Jul 29, 2025
Beth Barth

History of Navajo Weaving

Historic Navajo Rug

There are many tales and stories regarding the rich Navajo history in America. None may be more intriguing and exciting than that of Spider Woman. A deity that holds a special place in the Navajo culture, it is believed that she is the one that taught the Navajo to weave.

It's said that the first loom was made from sky and earth cords, and that the weave itself was made from sunlight, lightning, crystals and white shells. For more tales about Spider Woman, Read "Spider Rock, Home of Spider Woman".

However, anthropologists believe is was the Pueblo people who taught the Navajo how to create Native American hand-woven blankets and that Navajo artists were influenced in part by the Spanish who had introduced cotton to the Pueblo long before 1650.

Initially, the Pueblo men would weave the textiles; but the Navajo, being a matriarchal society in which the women owned the sheep and were the ones to weave with the wool.

What began with weaving women's dresses (two identical blankets sewn together), eventually became single blankets (mantas), then Chief's blankets, and evolved on to different styles and designs of blankets and rugs.

Over time, the Navajo Indian rug scene became more beautiful, diverse and sought after with each passing year. Yarn's changed, from natural hand-carded, hand-spun, and hand-dyed yarns, to Germantown yarns, to native wool spun in small mills, to some of the prized Navajo Churro wool pieces of today.

Spider Woman's teachings can still be found in modern-day craftsmanship, as the Navajo weaving is done the same way it now as was on the first Navajo loom: using a hand-made upright loom, with one continuous warp, and each stand of woolen yarn is placed into the warp, by hand, one strand at a time. That is why if a Navajo rug is cut of compromised in anyway – it will not unravel. This is a process that cannot be mechanized – making the Navajo weaving one of the most unique in the world.

From the very first "Black Design Blanket" Spider Woman created; to the gorgeous Two Grey Hills or historic Storm Patterns weavers craft today, each textile has one thing in common; they are carefully and spiritually created by expert hands who understand the value of earth and the gifts it gives us. Navajo weaving is a transformation of what mother nature offers to us to give life, the Navajo have used this gift to live off of the land and prosper for hundreds of years.

Jul 29, 2025
Beth Barth

Navajo Style in Interior Design

Ralph Lauren graces the cover of Architectural Digest and House Beautiful, and shows the whimsical way he uses Navajo weavings to grace and embrace his home, using them as rugs on the floor, wall hangings, and across the back of a couch or chair.

Top designers of today recognize the elegant beauty of the Navajo weaving and incorporate them into homes they design. Joe Nye, named one of the top designers by Architectural Digest said of one home, "The Navajo weavings were the thread that pulled everything together. They helped make the statement I was looking for."

Tamara Hawkinson designer and freelance writer, featured the Getzwiller's home in the 'Legends of the West' section of "The Desert Home". Steve Getzwiller is an authority on Navajo weaving and even penned a book on the subject, 'The Fine Art of Navajo Weaving'.

"The Arts & Crafts furnishings blend easily with the Steve and Gail Getzwiller's Native American pots, baskets, and other artifacts. Yet it is the colors and patterns of the Navajo rugs - some on the floor and others hanging on the walls that define the space." Tamara Hawkinson.

"People are interested in the rugs' decorative qualities, aesthetic value and emotional connection to the life and traditions of a distinct and fascinating culture" says David Roche, Sotheby's specialist in American Indian Art (now Director of the Heard Museum Phoenix Arizona), "There's an excitement to these textiles and a universal quality."

Navajo Weavings are also in demand for the value they represent today, yesterday, and in the future. They sell at increasing values in auctions around the country, such as Sotheby's. "Navajo weavings will always have value, both monetary and aesthetic." says Steve Getzwiller.

The Nizhoni Ranch Gallery also offers Navajo weavings for sale by appointment at the Nizhoni Ranch Gallery in Sonoita Arizona, just south of Tucson. Nizhoni is the place to see beautiful things. --Mickie Stevens

Design with A Southwest Focus

Navajo Rug Interior Design One of the most important things to consider when designing with Southwest area rugs is that different rug designs look wonderful when mixed together. With their bold, geometric designs, you might first assume that Southwest area rugs would "clash" with one another. Instead, Navajo rugs and weavings look warm and beautiful when used in multiples.

Picture a large, rustic living room with a hardwood or even a stone floor. Imagine several Southwest area rugs in different designs scattered across the floor for warmth and beauty, and another hand-woven Navajo rug hung on the wall. A room like this is the perfect backdrop for every type of activity, from family game nights to romantic evenings in front of the fire. It's also an ideal setting for housing other art works, from stained glass to sculpture to other Navajo pieces such as basketry or pottery. Navajo rugs and other weavings offer qualities few other design items can match. They are timeless and durable. They are tranquil and even spiritual. Plus, well-made rugs usually appreciate in value over time, making them excellent family heirlooms. They are an investment you can enjoy from the moment they arrive in your home.

Interior Design Elegance

Navajo Indian rugs create a great decorative "balance." For example, woven Navajo pieces feature a masculine geometry, balanced by a feminine intricacy. Navajo rugs often use deep, rich colors that balance earthy warmth with understated reserve. Finally, Navajo rug designs and hues offer the perfect balance of playfulness with gravity. Lively yet dignified; warm yet serene; masculine yet feminine--is it any wonder these versatile rugs create such a sense of tranquility and harmony? That is what the Navajo are all about harmony, balance is one of the desired states and their ceremonies are designed to bring balance and harmony to all participants.

Navajo rugs and wall hangings look amazing in a variety of spaces and alongside numerous decorative styles, but they look especially beautiful when paired with other earthy, natural materials. For instance, a hand-woven Navajo rug would look terrific near a leather couch. A rich, luxurious shade of chocolate, tobacco, or cognac leather would work beautifully with the deep reds, grays, and blues of traditionally styled Navajo Indian rugs.

In addition to leather, Navajo rugs look fabulous against wood, stone, or brick. Architects like Frank Lloyd Wright and design movements like the American Arts and Crafts movement relied heavily on Native American designs and materials. Today, Navajo weavings can make everything from a stark office to a stone, stained glass and wood living room look simultaneously more important, warm, and inviting. Adding just a single piece to your home or office will add great beauty; decorating with multiple pieces will absolutely transform the space.

Navajo Rug Interior Design

Interior Design Services

Steve and Gail Getzwiller have helped many clients with interior design ideas using Navajo rugs and other Native American art forms. They are experts in making all elements in a room balance. Both have a great respect for negative space, which also shows in the Navajo weavings Steve designs. Their own home is a masterpiece of interior design, which has been featured on Home and Garden Television's "Homes Across America." It features Navajo weavings, including historic, Churro, and "The Next Phase Blankets"; Arts and Crafts furnishings; and more. It is beautifully balanced, historically significant, and spiritually uplifting all at the same time.

Steve has been known to load his vehicle up with rugs and baskets and travel to a client's home, whether that's in Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Nevada, California, or elsewhere. Once there, he will assess the home's strengths and then try different weavings and accent pieces in place, all to make a very beautiful and comfortable living space. This is always fun, as the possibilities are vast. Plus, having the opportunity to try different looks in your home is an adventure in itself!

There are a limited number of rugs posted on the website, so please contact us to let us know what you're looking for in a piece and we can send you images of available weavings. All weavings have a 100% satisfaction guarantee.

Of course, you are invited to come to Sonoita in person and have our full inventory at your disposal and the opportunity to see and hold these historic/antique and contemporary rugs. The gallery is uniquely set up in a home setting you you can see what pieces will look in a home and inspire you with design ideas!