Preview: The 2011 Potomac Country House Tour

With walls lined with tapestries, corners filled with tribal garments, tables piled with ceramics and shelves bursting with blankets, may feel that they have accidentally wandered into a museum when touring the home of Mahin Ghanbari.

Growing up, Ghanbari was fascinated by the craftsmanship of Iranian women who would weave colorful works of art without the help of modern technology or an artist’s technical knowledge of color and balance. By the sixth grade, Ghanbari was hooked on the stories of the weavers behind these textiles and she began a lifelong mission to collect and preserve their work.

Ghanbari’s passion for her collection dances in her eyes as she speaks of individual pieces, some of which are hundreds of years old, though she will not pick a favorite.

“Mothers can not say which child they like more,” Ghanbari said. “They are all the same. I love them all."

Ghanbari goes to great lengths for this love, spending thousands of dollars on a perfectly preserved artifact and contracting searchers outside of the country to look for the garments, tapestries and blankets for her. A lot of luck and hours of searching go into finding each rare piece, Ghanbari said. Because of the delicate nature of the fabrics the pieces deteriorate quickly.

But this doesn’t keep Ghanbari from using the pieces for the purposes that they were created—to be used as house hold items.

"I want to live with them,” Ghanbari said. “I have a connection with them." Though countless pieces are currently displayed through her home, Ghanbari said this is just a fraction of her collection, which she hopes to keep together for future generations of textile lovers to enjoy.

"My plan is that if I can get some money in my hands I would love to buy a place—like a private museum," she said.

Opening her house to visitors of the Potomac Country House Tour has a two part benefit for Ghanbari. First, she is happy to participate in the St. Francis Church outreach program, Ghanbari said.

Secondly, she said, she feels this is something she can do to give back to the Iranian women who spent so many hours weaving the collection with so few resources.

"It just amazes me, how they did it," Ghanbari said. “It’s sharing this experience that makes me happy."

The Ghanbari home is featured in this year's Potomac Country House Tour. Proceeds from the tour benefit the outreach programs of , including Habitat for Humanity and .

Click through our preview photos of the Country House Tour to see more.