Designers will often play with a variety of fabrics to create a desired look. They use fabrics in the same way that a painter uses paints on a palette. Fabric is an essential tool in the decorator’s toolbox. Fabrics are generally used to provide a splash of color or a piece of texture. In a room, fabrics can be used to accent the decor or showcase it. For the uninitiated, choosing the proper fabric can seem very overwhelming. When one is in a fabric store, just making sense of the rolls upon rolls of fabric can make design choices seem next to impossible. It is important to understand the role that fabric plays in the function of a room, and knowing the types of fabric that are available can make these choices much clearer.
It makes sense to say that fabric provides covering for furniture and accessories. It covers windows, pillows, and furniture protecting them from stains, use, light, and wear. But it is important to note that while fabric serves this utilitarian function, fabric can also open up the special possibilities of a room. Through a choice of color and material, fabric can give a small room a sense of being much larger, and fabric can bring brilliant focus to a large empty room. This is the pure aesthetic function of fabric. Fabrics can be classified in very simple ways: synthetic and natural; printed and woven.
Natural fabrics are less likely to find their way into home furnishings than synthetic ones, but they do offer distinctive advantages over manufactured fabric if used correctly. Cotton is one of the oldest fabrics people have used. It offers lightness and breathability and is resistant to fading. Cotton stains easily and when soiled is very difficult to clean. For this reason, a cotton blend offers a better choice since many of the accessories in a room are not cleaned with the same kind of regularity as clothing.
Silk is another natural fabric with a long history of use. It was first developed for use in textiles in China. The most commonly used silk is harvested from the cocoons of the larvae of the mulberry silkworm. The fibers in silk have a prismatic structure which allows incoming light to be refracted at different angles. This gives silk its prized shimmering, multicolored quality. The major drawback with silk is that it is not durable, and is very prone to wrinkling.
Leather is produced from the hides of animals. Because of its durability, it is often used in upholstery. Leather can add a rich, glowing quality, and is usually limited to more muted, earthy palettes. It is excellent in repelling stains, but leather is prone to scratching and wear, and must be oiled properly to prevent cracking over time.
Synthetic fabrics were developed to offer cheaper, more durable alternatives to natural fabrics like cotton and silk. The advent of manufactured textiles began with the development of rayon in France in the 1890’s. As a material, it is more of an artificial fabric since it is made from cellulose. It is used to imitate the feel of silk, cotton, wool, and lined. Rayon is soft, smooth, cool, and highly absorbent. It dyes easily, but is not very durable.
Olefin is a true synthetic fabric. It is has rugged qualities, and is used in the manufacture of ropes. It is highly resistant to stains, mildew, abrasion, and sunlight. It offers warmth without the weight, and keeps its strength in wet or dry conditions. Due to its resiliency, this fabric is most often used in carpets and carpet backing, upholstery and draping, wall covers and slipcovers.
Two very commonly used synthetics are polyester and nylon. Polyester and nylon are not really a fabric used on their own with decorating. Instead, they are used in the creation of blends that add strength, durability, and stain resistance to other kinds of fabrics. Whereas polyester adds strength, nylon gives qualities more associated with silk, particularly elasticity. In contrast, acrylic fiber is widely used in textiles, and is primarily used in the creation of a wool alternative. It is an excellent alternative to natural fabrics since it has strong color fastness and durability. It also resists wear, shrinkage, staining, and tearing. This is excellent when considering a fabric that needs to be washed often.
As far as prints and weaves are concerned, this is not as complicated as it may sound. Printed fabrics have their designs and patterns printed on them. These can include geometrics and stripes. Woven fabrics such as jacquards incorporate their designs in the weaving. Tweeds are rough weaves with twill or herringbone patterns, and velvets are tufted fabrics with very short piles.
The use of fabrics allows the individual to express their personality with confidence. There are a number of fabric choices available to complement the many functions of a room and the accessories and their use.
Sally Ford writes for several craft blogs. Several online sites offer home fabrics for all types of sewing projects.
