Textiles/soft furnishings play a huge part in interior design & can completely change the look or feel of a room.
I always find that adding textiles can give a room character whilst being relatively cheap & easy to replace if you want to change the look of something. They also tend to soften a room & give it another dimension.
In a lounge, adding a throw over the arm of a sofa, changing up the cushions on a sofa or placing a statement rug down can add a whole new depth to the room as well as injecting colour.
For bedrooms, new bedding, curtains, cushions & draping a throw over the end of the bed can do the same as well as providing a luxury yet cosy look perfect for resting your head after a long day.
So what should you consider when looking for textiles for your home?
- Feeling –
We’ve all done it when we’ve ordered something online & when it arrives it’s that horrible itchy scratchy course fabric instead of the lovely soft fluffy feeling we’d expect. When chosing soft furnishings it’s especially important to make sure you FEEL the fabric to make sure it’s what you expect before purchasing. Obviously not so important with things like curtains but for things like cushions & throws that will be regularly against your skin, it’s vital.
- Cost –
If you plan on staying at a property for a long time then quality (even custom made/bespoke if you can’t find ready made) curtains will always pay off.
When it comes to other soft furnishings however, I usually try to spend as little as possible as I like to change things around all the time & if I decide I want to change colour schemes, it’s not the end of the world that my £10 cushions won’t go.
- Washable –
Remember if you have young children to buy things that are easily washable (no dry cleaning here thank you!) & easily removable. No doubt after a month you’ll end up with banana smushed into that lovely throw or projectile vomit over your sofa cushions.
- Patterned or plain –
This is really dependant on the look you want to go for. Plain fabrics will add colour without being too ‘in your face’ if you already have lots going on in the room. On the other hand, pattern will add a bit of character if you are searching for another aspect. This also works if you want to add a ‘theme’ to a room, for example when I changed my house around for Autumn, I added burnt orange check cushions & a throw to add that cosy Autumnal feeling.
Love, Charlotte x