Upholstery Fabrics

Weave a mix of materials into the fabric of your home. Whether you are a fan of patterns or like to keep things plain, the fabrics that you choose to use play a huge part in developing the style of your home.

The soft side of any home encompasses a great range of items: upholstery, curtains, throws, blinds and bed linen to cover just a few. Now there are certain fabrics that will be ideal for certain jobs and others that are so versatile that you can put them just about anywhere.

Light linens will make super curtains but are not good for upholstering chairs that will get a lot of wear and tear; velvets are ideal for upholstering pieces but don't make up into good loose covers.

The most important role of fabric is to bring colour and comfort into a room. If you imagine a space decorated in plain neutral shades, then the inclusion of a blind in a contrasting colour adds interest to the room. If you think about a bedroom that is predominantly dressed in cool colours, then a fluffy chenille throw on the bed introduces a cosy touch. Let's approach this by looking at some rooms. There may be places where you can use fabric that you hadn't considered, for example in the bedroom. Is your headboard hard wood or iron? Would a padded or fabric-covered headboard be a better option if you love to sit in bed and watch TV or read? I don't mean that you necessarily have to have a fitted, frilled and pleated design - very country house hotel - you can have a reasonably plain one. A large oblong of fabric that you simply fold over the headboard and tie in place has the advantage that you can take it off to wash it. Still looking at the bed, if you have invested in underbed storage, would the addition of a valance make the set-up look more attractive? Once again, you don't need to have frills. A neat kick-pleat valance sits flat all the way around the bed - it looks smart rather than flamboyant and if made to match the headboard brings a scheme neatly together.

Dressing the bed offers a perfect opportunity for introducing stacks of lovely fabrics. Although most of us use duvets, there is something wonderful about getting into a bed that has been made up with sheets, blankets and an eiderdown or bedspread. Of course you can layer these on top of a duvet too but for the sake of neatness make sure that the various layers are large enough to completely cover the edges of the duvet beneath. Layering with fabric like this means you can have some fun with colours and patterns. Combine plain fabrics with chintz and checks. Use stripes with ginghams and simple florals - make sure that the colours match and you can introduce all sorts of different designs to the bed. And never forget to pile it up with lots of lovely cushions in addition to your pillows.

The lounge is home to all sorts of items that will need to be dressed with fabric: chairs and sofas, pouffes and footstools and of course the windows. When you are thinking about the fabrics for this room, remember that one of the functions of fabrics can be to bring different textures into a space. Imagine that you are having loose cotton covers on your sofa - you might choose a damask to upholster an armchair that will sit beside the sofa and a heavy velvet or suede for the footstool. You could then pick heavy linen for your curtains or blinds. It's quite astonishing how much of an impact this can create. On a simpler scale, just draping a woollen throw over the back of a chair adds interest to the space.

Another room where fabrics can be used for visual impact is the dining room.

If you think about the combination of a tablecloth, napkins, upholstered seats, table runners and again the window treatments, there are plenty of places to play with different patterns within your chosen colour scheme. If you have a designer wood or glass tabletop that you wish to show off, then use a table runner in place of a tablecloth. The contrast of, say, a washed white wood table and a green checked runner bordered with a floral fabric is pleasing to the eye.

Remember that the comfort of your guests is important when they sit down to eat, so if your chairs have hard seats think about having some padded tie-on cushions made to match your runner - it's a neat way to pull a scheme together.


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