In all things interior design, it’s smart to start with the big picture.
Choosing staple pieces of furniture – like the couch you and your family will snuggle into to watch a movie together or the chair where you’ll get lost in many good books – should require some thought.
Will your couch stand on a colourful, Moroccan-inspired rug? What pillows will sit on the cushions? Are you going drape a throw over the sofa arm? Is there a focal point of the room you wish to accentuate?
The planning process also demands consideration of all the elements that bring a room together – the artwork, flooring, architecture, and fabrics. When choosing fabrics for varied pieces of furniture and décor, the textures, patterns and colours need to compliment one another and highlight each other’s best strengths.
Having a background in fashion – through my father who was a tailor – has made me aware of the artistry of beautiful fabrics. There is value in having one special fabric, even if it’s a little high on the special (pricey) side. When it sets the tone of the room, it will simply make your heart sing.
Using this year’s design trends, HillTop Interiors guides you in selecting furniture fabrics that are timeless.
Go Neutral
People are moving away from overly-patterned statement pieces. Now, furniture needs to fit into the popular trend of Modern Rustic design, a cooperation that practices the simple and sophisticated aesthetic of modern design while keeping and incorporating the rustic elements of wood, stone and steel.
Neutral furniture allows rustic décor to shine, and it can be refined by choosing a fabric that has some texture to it. Take chenille, for example. The yarn-based fabric is elegant and sometimes, iridescent, depending on what angle the light shines upon its fibres. To create a seamless look for your Modern Rustic home, pair a light oatmeal coloured chenille couch with a hand-woven throw and jute rug, and let the clarity of a simple approach with natural touches wash over.
Try Something Casual
Linen fabric is the perfect pick to achieve the polished Wabi Sabi, one of this year’s most talked about design trends. The Japanese philosophy accepts and embraces imperfection, an aesthetic that is challenging to master in the home, but furniture fabric can help.
Picture a grayish coloured couch. Stonewash woven pillows rest effortlessly in the corners, without fluffing. A cable knit throw is carelessly tossed over the side of the couch. Books and magazines are left open on the coffee table, inviting visitors to peek into your day-to-day. Friends and family are inclined to sit down and rest their cup of coffee on the coffee table, without concern for a coaster. They sit on a linen-fabric chair and feel a sense of comfort, warmth, familiarity – they feel at home.
This design trend is the epitome of nonchalant, and it works.
Invest in a Sophisticated Material
This year, crypton is making a mark on furniture world. As the only textile that is stain, water and bacteria-resistant, it is an easy choice for big families with small children, or for those who are looking for furniture that lasts.
The innovative fabric comes in a variety of colours and subtle patterns that have a grainy, textured look and feel. Colours like the Bella Buff or Bella Mascarpone are perfect additions to a modern home, or those using the Modern Rustic approach. For something bolder, try some darker crypton colours, like a Suede Burgundy or Veldt Charcoal.
