A family practice built on museum standards
Since 1984, one approach: treat every rug the way a museum would.
The rug doesn’t know it’s not in a museum
That’s how the founder explains the standard he applies to every piece that comes through our Skokie workshop. The conservation chemistry, the hand washing, the controlled drying — it’s the same methodology he developed working alongside conservators at some of the world’s great institutions.
The fibre responds the same way whether the piece is in a climate-controlled conservation studio in Paris or in a dining room in Lake Forest. That is the founding principle of Ahmadi Rug, and it has not changed since we opened the workshop doors.
The people behind every rug
Ghorban AhmadiFounder · Master ConservatorFrom 1984 to 1993, Ghorban trained under conservators whose work served the Louvre, British Museum, and State Hermitage collections. He returned to Chicago in 1993 and established a private conservation practice serving the region’s rug dealers, interior designers, and homeowners — which became Ahmadi Rug.
CredentialsConservation training: Louvre · British Museum · Hermitage · IICRC certified · 40+ years experience
Bobby AhmadiOperations · Client RelationsRICA Certified Appraiser · The RUG IndexThe founder’s son. Joined the formal business in 2020. Handles all client intake, estimates (within 2 hours), pickup coordination, and business development. When you call, you are speaking with Bobby.
Bobby holds RICA certification through The RUG Index — the industry’s only standardized credentialing body for rug appraisers — qualifying Ahmadi Rug to issue appraisal reports accepted by insurance carriers and estate courts.
Contact directly
Four decades.
Three institutions.
One family.
Ghorban Ahmadi trained in Tehran and spent nearly a decade training under conservators whose work served the Louvre, the British Museum, and the State Hermitage collections. The same standards guide every piece that passes through our Skokie workshop today.
Bobby Ahmadi joined the workshop full-time in 2020, having spent years on the floor learning every service by hand before running any of them. He is the person clients speak with — every estimate, every pickup, every question about a rug in progress. Bobby holds the RICA designation through The RUG Index, a standardized appraisal platform for hand-knotted rugs. He also operates The RUG Index platform, which issues provenance certificates for hand-knotted rugs sold and commissioned through Ahmadi Rug.
- 1984–1993
Museum-trained conservation
Ghorban Ahmadi spends nearly a decade training under conservators whose work served the Louvre, British Museum, and State Hermitage collections.
- 2000s
Private conservation practice
Relocates to Chicago and builds a private practice serving rug dealers, designers, and homeowners across the Midwest.
- 2020
Formal studio established
Bobby Ahmadi joins the family business full-time. Skokie workshop expands to 10,000 sq ft.
- Today
Full-spectrum studio
Care, conservation, appraisal, and bespoke custom rug design under one roof — the only studio of its kind in the Midwest.
- 40yrGhorban Ahmadi — 40 years in rug conservation
- 10kft²Ahmadi Rug — Skokie workshop opened 2020
- 5.0★Google rating · 79+ reviews
- 3Museum institutions
Ahmadi Rug and The RUG Index
Bobby Ahmadi founded The RUG Index — an independent certification and verification platform for fine rugs. Every RICA-certified appraisal issued by Ahmadi Rug generates a verifiable record on The RUG Index, creating a permanent chain of custody for your most valuable pieces.
Visit therugindex.com- Hosts the five-pillar RUG Index valuation methodology
- Issues the RICA appraiser credential
- Stores signed appraisal certificates with verification URLs
- Provides a free public valuation tool for any rug
Ready to meet the team?
Bring your rug.
Trade partners and clients are welcome at our Skokie workshop by appointment. See the dusting equipment, wash floor, and drying process firsthand.
The Rug Owner’s Care Guide
10 pages covering fiber care, rotation schedules, spill response, moth prevention, and when to call a professional. Written by Ghorban from 40 years of conservation work.