4 Things to Think About When Choosing Fabrics
Your selections for your home’s interiors are more than just a choice, they weave the narrative of the life you live. Your home serves your lifestyle, and it represents what you love and what you need. Interior selections that elude you end with consequences from mismatched aesthetics to discomfort or—worst of all—regret.
Fabric selections are one of the most transformative in your interiors. Each environment is draped with the essence of what you love to look at, how you love to feel, and how you live in your home. Without a well-informed approach to your fabric selections, your whole environment can unravel into disappointment.
Delve deeper into the selections you make and the smartest questions behind them…learn these top 4 things to think about when choosing fabrics for your home and redefine your living experience!!
Ask yourself: where in the home will the fabric be used?
The environment that your fabric selections will be used in guides you on which types of fabrics to use.
For example:
- If your fabric will be used in a room with a LOT of natural light, favor selections that are colorfast (or the sun will damage it quicker over time).
- Do you have kids? Pets?! For fabrics used in environments with potential messes, favor the performance fabrics that are easily cleaned and abrasion-resistant.
- For any areas with regular high traffic, ALL the above qualities are important!!
Not sure how one performance fabric matches up to the next? Learn the benefits of each principal class of performance fabric…
Ask yourself: what items will the fabric be used on?
Are you looking for the perfect fabric selection for your drapes?
Or are you playing with possible selections for the upholstery on a custom sofa?
The items you’ll use your fabric selection on play a HUGE part in what fabrics to choose. Especially if your fabric will be used for upholstery, that taps a new list of questions to ask…
- Are you using the fabric on cushions people will sit on? You’ll need a fabric that is more resistant, and retains its texture and shape…
- Are you going to use the fabric over the arms of a piece of furniture? How are those arms constructed? If they have cording or if they’ll be rested on a great deal, abrasion-resistance fabrics are a must. EXPERT TIP: remember that the cording will wear down first, so be extra mindful of the fiber type used!!
Ask yourself: how is the furniture constructed?
How the furniture piece is constructed is “part two” of the question above.
If you’re selecting upholstery for sofa cushions, do you have one single cushion or two or three different ones? The longer the cushion, the more “comfort creases” you’ll have in your fabric.
Another example: if your furniture is filled with feather down versus foam, that makes a BIG difference in its shape and the look of the fabric upholstery. Furniture cushions that you have to fluff and puff require another “to-do” when it’s time to clean, but they’re also DIVINELY comfortable. Fabrics used to upholster these down-filled cushions will have to be airy and enhance the full shape of the cushions after a good fluff.
Another consideration few homeowners are told by furniture manufacturers: the materials used in cheap furniture literally include cardboard to form arms and furniture backs…and this has implications for the fabric upholstery. Tightly wrapped upholstery and thicker fabric types can actually affect the shape of any cardboard-supported parts of this furniture.
…A hand-tied sofa with springs and hardwoods will last a LOT longer, of course, because it’s better built. Its construction will help your upholstery last longer, too…
Ask yourself: what do you KNOW about the fabric?
If you’re selecting a fabric or selecting a piece of furniture with the upholstery details in the fine print, what do you know about that fabric?
Here are some things to know about key fabric types…
- Linens will stretch over time (whereas other fabrics don’t)
- Velvets used where someone sits will get crushed over time
- Not all performance fabrics are created equally!!
- Performance fabrics will still wear and do still require maintenance, even if it’s less than others…
- If you don’t have a performance fabric, you can still treat it…and re-treat performance fabrics after time
- You MUST know the care instructions for a fabric before you treat it with anything—even water will instantly stain some fabrics, like silk…then you’re stuck sending furniture in for restauration!
Another thing to know about yourself is whether you prioritize performance, look, or feel. There are some simple questions to learn this about yourself, too!
Watch to learn more about furniture selections, upholstery, and more…
The tapestry of your home is woven in the interior selections you make. And in the case of decisions that impact the look AND feel and performance of your environment, knowledge is power.
Know the questions to ask so you can transform spaces into oases of comfort and style.
As you embark on your fabric selection journey, don’t forget to reach out to us for any question you have. And join our private design community to share what you dream of for your home!!
