Fourth and final instalment of a series of articles on how to choose fabrics and materials correctly to decorate your home better.
In our first article we dealt with the most appropriate kinds of fabric for your sofa (Keys for choosing decoration fabrics (I)) that you can currently find on the market. In the second, we gave you some keys for creating the right ambiance that you want in your home (Keys for choosing decoration fabrics (II)). In the third, we provided a series of tips for transmitting sensations by way of a perfect fusion of fabric type, the colours and colour combinations (Keys for choosing decoration fabrics (III)).
Today, to wind up this series, we are offering a few more clues on aspects to be taken into account when choosing the best possible fabric for your home. And we're not just talking about textures and colours... So, keep reading and don't miss out on these essential notes for decorators like you!
Resistance
Buying a sofa is something that depends a lot on whether you have children or not. When you're going to have a bunch of wild Indians invading every corner of the house, choosing a durable and sturdy fabric is probably the best bet when it comes to getting the right sofa. Faced with the dangers of kiddie behaviour, and probably pets thrown into the bargain, we recommend you opt for fabrics with a higher degree of resistance, like chenille or canvas. In the long run, your pocketbook will thank you for it.
Eternity Collectionfrom Visual Textures Fashion&Protection by Aquaclean.
Textures you'll love
If you happen to have a large living room, you've got space enough to express yourself to the full! The good thing about having lots of space is that you can be more daring when it comes to choosing colours and textures. There are certain fabric types and fabric shades that produce a sensation of crowdedness or stridency when used in very small areas.
Kabuki Collection by Aquaclean
So take advantage of those extra metres and play around with chromatically attractive colours and patterns. At present, animal prints and geometric designs are all the rage in decoration. For cushions, curtains, and upholstery for chairs and sofas. These colourful fabrics will give your room a uniquely personal touch.
Durability
How long do you want the upholstery on your sofa to last? A few years ago, the average turnaround time for a sofa was 6 years. Today, replacing an old sofa often stretches out to 10 years. And, sometimes, finding the right sofa at the right time is quite a challenge, don't you think?
The fabrics used in a room not only make a statement about your choice of style, but they also help to create an ambiance that people will like or not. Because nobody really wants to come into a house where the furniture looks new but the curtains or cushions are all the worse for wear.
This is why it is essential to look at the more technical aspects of fabrics, so they won't age prematurely, without you and your guests having enjoyed them to the fullest possible extent. There are things like tension of the fabric weave or the weft, abrasions supported by the fabric, or light fastness that will indicate approximately what useful lifespan a certain fabric has. That's why it is so important to get professional advice when choosing a fabric, to make the most of what you plan to do, and so you don’t sit around for another 10 years crying over a bad purchase.
Fabrics such as chenille or corduroy are practical for long-lasting projects, since the fabric of these yarns remains stable for a long time, in addition to being stronger fabrics in terms of absorption of continuous impact and rubbing.
Thickness does not equal quality
Sometimes when we're looking for fabrics that are more resistant, people think we have to go for the thicker ones, when in fact thickness is no guarantee of anything. The issue is not the thickness of the fabric, really, but the way the fabric is treated and woven. No matter how thick a fabric is, if it is not well woven, you can't get good results over the short or long term. There are some fabrics made like sandwiches with several layers, offering substantial thicknesses. But this is not synonymous with higher quality or better resistance, because it's the surface of the fabric that comes in direct contact with abrasion during use. So be careful on this point!
Quick cleaning
Until recently, a stain on a sofa was a total drama at home, but today, new designs and the evolution of technology are making it increasingly easier to remove a stain from sofa upholstery.
Novara collection from Rustika by Aquaclean.
An example of this are fabrics treated with our innovative Aquaclean Technology®, which gets all kinds of occasional stains off your upholstery using water only. It is highly recommended for homes with children, teenagers and pets.
And this was our last article on how to decorate using fabrics. We hope it has been useful to you if you are considering using fabrics to decorate your home space. Try it and you'll see how easy it is. And you already know: if you have any doubts at all, just get in touch with us and we'll try to be of assistance right away.
