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Authentically Designed
We frequently venture into the realm of fabric and its many facets. For many furnishings projects, we start concept development by sifting through our specialty fabric bins (sorted by color), pulling a handful that speaks to us. We spread them out on the work table to play and prune our selections, until we feel we have captured the visual essence of the client and project. This becomes our start.
We choose to begin with fabrics because they immediately induce a feeling. Their textures, colors, and patterns tell a story, whether formal or casual, bold or subtle, layered or simple. They recall associations to your mother’s living-room drapery, your childhood bedspread, or your favorite artist’s work. Sometimes one beloved special fabric becomes inspiration for the rest of the roomand leads the charge. This fabric should have presence in the space, be front and center, maybe for accent pillows or a headboard.
After pulling a variety of fabrics, we consider specific furniture pieces for which they would be appropriate, for example seating, drapery, pillows, headboards, and bedskirts.
Different applications call for different types of fabric durability, construction, and weight. Upholstered pieces that receive high use such as sofas, dining-chair seats, and lounge chairs require a heavy-duty fabric. Protective finishes such as Scotchgard, Teflon, or Nanotex can be professionally applied to fabrics to give them a longer lifespan. Printed or embroidered fabrics of ligher weight are perfect for pillows, drapery, and dining-chair seat backs. That being said, sometimes a lighter fabric should be knit-backed to give it extra strength for use on a medium-use upholstery piece. Most fabrics are subjected to the Wyzenbeek or Martindale Method abrasion or rub tests, both of which indicate how quickly a fabric shows wear. Their score on this test (usually printed on the fabric tag) indicates its ideal types of use.
Pattern layering can be fun to experiment with and add visual interest to a space. Textile designer Sherri Donghia said, “I dress homes the way I dress myself – layers and collages, bits of old things mixed with new, like a patchwork. Eclectic style is hard to achieve, but it’s always personal.” You cannot go wrong with fabric selection if you follow a few simple tips: (1) Vary the scale of fabric patterns; (2) Vary type of pattern (i.e. floral, stripe, check) to create interesting contrast; and (3) Stick with a color palette. It could be a sophisticated use of color from a piece of artwork or an antique textile, or just keep it simple with one color and neutrals, but whatever you do, stick with your story. If you happen to be a more savvy fabric person, the fun is limitless, mixing different style floral, paisley and checks, stripes with stripes, etc., but it does take an artful eye.
Adding fabric-covered pieces not only visually softens a room, but adds acoustic value as well. If you have a space where there is a lot of sound reverberation, often it is because all surfaces are hard materials, so adding something upholstered creates opportunities for trapping sound. Mohair, boucle or felted fabric are thicker and have pockets for absorption, as opposed to those with a shiny or flat “hand” — theway a fabric feels to the hand.
The fabric world is vast, but is a very exciting place to explore. If it feels overwhelming, a professional interior designer can help navigate the course to create a palette and aesthetic that speaks to you.
Heather Van Luchene, ASID and Steffany Hollingsworth, ASID are partners in HVL Interiors, LLC, an interior design firm offering professional residential and hospitality design services. Both are New Mexico licensed interior designers. They can be reached at (505) 983-3601 or info@ hvlinteriors.com.