It would seem that wall carpets have irrevocably gone down in history and become synonymous with bad taste: for a long time they were mercilessly ridiculed on the net, considering them an absurd Soviet tradition. But today they are gradually returning to the interior – with a new look and in a new status. What is a carpet on the wall – greetings from the past, a dust collector or a fashionable attribute? The tradition appeared not only long before the USSR, but also before our era: the oldest wall carpet is dated minus the 5th century from the birth of Christ. Nomadic peoples lined tents and yurts with carpets and hung them at the entrance instead of the door. The walls of European castles were decorated with woven tapestries (in fact, the same carpets), and in the 13th century, Persian and Turkish carpets were first brought to Europe. Tables and sofas were covered with exotic decor – and, of course, they hung them on the walls with might and main. Bright and colorful carpets on the tables can be seen in all their fleecy glory in the paintings of the 17th century Dutch artist Jan Vermeer. Carpets came to Russia under Peter I, becoming by the middle of the 19th century an invariable attribute of “oriental rooms” in rich houses. Well, in Soviet Khrushchev houses with thin walls, they performed several important functions at once: they provided heat and sound insulation, served as decoration and a symbol of prosperity – a good carpet cost 500 rubles (2–3 average salaries). Do you know what traits of the Russian character do not like the Europeans? 
A bit of history
During a year, up to 2–3 kg of dust can accumulate in a medium-sized carpet.
Oblivion and new life
At the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries, carpets, especially wall carpets, abruptly went out of fashion, becoming a relic of the “soviet past”. As it usually happens, the attribute, so beloved until recently, had many shortcomings: in particular, they suddenly remembered that these were not the most hygienic products. This is partly a justified claim: up to 2–3 kg of dust can accumulate in a medium-sized carpet per year. (depending on the degree of cleanliness of the air in the house and the frequency of cleaning), not to mention other debris and small parasites living in the pile.
Today, at a new round of fashion, wall carpets are regaining their lost positions: they serve as a bright accent, help to zone a room or “make friends” with each other multi-colored interior details. Another thing is that it is no longer customary to cover the entire wall with a carpet – it should occupy no more than a third of its width. Today, carpets of unusual shapes and small sizes are relevant, they are often placed in a frame or even under glass, like paintings. New materials do not allow modern carpets to become dust collectors, and household cleaning equipment has advanced a lot over the past years, so the ancient ritual of carpet beating on a yard horizontal bar or on fresh snow has remained in the last century.
What else to read on the topic
- 6 Soviet habits that were laughed at, and now the whole of Europe does it
- 10 Russian foods and dishes that , according to foreigners, it should be sold in every country in the world
- 10 Russian names that foreigners laugh at