For amateur interior designers, among the most commonly
overlooked of home decor tends to be fabric. In interior design, fabric
is a must but unfortunately, many people fail to see how fabric fits
into the grand scheme of interior design. With fabric, it is important
to remember that you are mixing in different textures and of course,
colors, into your decorating ideas. Once you know a few of the basics,
you’re good to go!
Wall Art
If you’re ever
stumped for wall art, why not consider using fabric? Whether it be in a
bedroom design or a dining room design, fabric is extremely versatile.
You can choose to cover your entire wall with it, or create a few
different pieces of hanging wall art.
For example, next time
you’re at your local fabric store, pick out a fabric or two that you
love. Make sure to choose fabrics that will reflect the existing design
in your room or that will reflect the update you are looking to make.
You will also need a canvas in the size of your choice and tacks or
staples. Be sure to have them cut the fabric large enough so that it
covers your chosen canvas size.
Then, once at home, simply lay the
fabric face down and lay the canvas on top, also in the face down
position. Next, start stapling or tacking the fabric around the edges of
the canvas. Be sure to pull tight to eliminate any loose pieces or
wrinkles that may occur. Once you’re done, flip it over and hang it
where desired. Now you’ve got a customized piece of wall decor that
reflects your home and didn’t cost you an arm and a leg.
Fabric and Furniture
Every
single room of your home has furniture in it, in fact it’s a basic
concept of interior design. If you’re lucky and you have a piece or two
that need reupholstering, now is a great time to have fun with some new
fabric. Just be sure that when you are choosing fabric for furniture,
especially for furniture that is heavily used, that you choose the
appropriate type of fabric. Ideally, you should opt for fabric that is
labeled as an upholstery fabric.
Remember to also pay attention to the type of fabric
(cotton, wool, etc,) because you will need to clean it just as you
(hopefully) cleaned your old couch.
Purchasing fabric to
reupholster a large piece of furniture may be more expensive; but you’ll
get to have exact say on what color, pattern or texture is used in your
home. This is a big plus that many people tend to forget about when
they are purchasing new furniture instead of reupholstering old
furniture that is still in good shape but just require new fabric.
Throw Pillows and Blankets
The
last way you can customize your home using fabrics is to sew your own
throw pillows or blankets. Throw pillows are among the easiest way to
update existing interior design concepts in a home, especially if you’re
on a tight budget. Plus, since it is typically such an inexpensive
project, it is easy to sew new covers seasonally or yearly to update the
look of a room.
Keep in mind that these are just a few places
where fabric can help you customize the look and feel of your home
decor. So, think outside the box and get a little creative. With fabric,
you’ve got nothing to lose because it can easily be swapped out if you
decide you don’t like it!