1. Medallion: They may appear in many different styles, sizes and number. A central medallion may be superimposed on a field that is either left empty or filled with a repeated motif or an overall pattern.
2. Repeated Motif: A rug is said to have a repeated motif design when the field is filled with multiple rows of the same motif. This type of design is often found combined with the medallion design.
3. Allover Pattern: The allover pattern has a field filled with a number of motifs that are neither a repeated nor a regimented form. The pattern may contain palmmettes and flowers along with a network of wines and tendrils as in the famous Shah Abbas pattern. Alternatively a vase, tree, garden and other patterns may be also used.
4. Open Field: Open field rugs contain a large expanse of a solid color in the field surrounded by a series of borders. Open field design rugs are frequently produces in Talish, Kazak, Tibet, Nepal and Sultanabad, etc.
5. Panel: The field of a panel design rug contains compartmentalize design divided into square, rectangular, onion dome, diamond shaped, lattice or trellis patterns. Besides these, a variety of motifs like flowers, trees, buteh, stars, palmettes, etc. may also be used.
6. Portrait: Portrait rugs began to appear by the end of the 18^th century. In these, the field depicts landscapes, historic monuments or events, scenes from daily life or folk-lore and even copies of famous European paintings.
7. Prayer: Prayer rugs often have a prayer niche (mehrab) or arch at the top of the field. Religious motifs like stars and urns may also appear. The designs may be curvilinear or rectilinear depending upon where the rug was woven.

Some popular motifs used in oriental rugs are booteh, herati, Zil-i-Sultan, Mina Khani, Gul-i-Henna, Gul-i-Franc, Gul and Memling Gul.