Let’s talk textiles!

What are they? “textile. / (ˈtɛkstaɪl) / noun. any fabric or cloth, esp woven. raw material suitable to be made into cloth; fibre or yarn.” (dictionary.com)

So basically—half of our lives are textiles. The clothing you wear, the carpet your feet touch, and even your car’s seat covers. Remember the wool sweater your mother used to make you wear to church? It itched and made you miserable? (well, maybe it wasn’t that bad.) The point is, the sensory aspects of textiles are really important to an overall mood. Just as you wouldn’t want to wear wool in July, you don’t want the wrong fabrics working against one another in your home. Harmony in your design is really important, so let’s share some wisdom on fabric “moods” to help you in your decorating journey.

Natural Textiles

Wool: Wool is yarn naturally sourced from sheep fleece. It is firm, sometimes course, and holds in lots of warmth. It is often used for blankets and rugs. It will definitely cozy up a floor space and is washable!

Linen: Linen is a sustainable, earth friendly, yet elegant, natural addition to your home. It is made from flax plants. It does get a little wrinkly at times, so be sure to use it in places you don’t mind the wrinkle texture, or you can steam when you need to! Linen drapes, pillows, and bedding can make for the most earthy and sophisticated look.

Leather: Tanned hide has been a durable textile for thousands of years. Leather, while very sturdy, can be conditioned to be buttery soft. It is naturally a cooler textile, so it can be used to bring a nice masculine feel to any room. It comes in a variety of colors and pieces, so use it in the form of pillows, sofas, chairs, or ottomans to add a rustic and earthy flair (especially in the fall and winter). It is also available in vegan materials.

Cotton: Cotton is a very washable, lightweight fabric. It has an airy feel and works well in light and neutral colors. Cotton is very popular in the summer because its breathable, but remember it does shrink when it’s dried by a machine.

Jute: Jute, grass, bamboo, and other fibrous textiles are dense and durable. Strips of natural fibers can be woven together to make rugs, baskets, and accessories. Bamboo can be used to make furniture, even. These fibers might shed and splinter so while they bring a very grounded earthy feeling, be prepared clean up the sheds.

Cozy Fabrics

Velvet: Likely originating in Asia, it is lush, thick, and expensive looking. Originally made of piles of silk strands, velvet is warm and rich. Any color of velvet elevates a space to feel so much more vibrant and moody. For many years people decorating their spaces have loved the feeling of velvet drapes, pillows, sofas, chaises, and lining. Its softness makes it a great absorber of impact. Popular at the turn of the century, again mid-century, and resurfacing in eclectic styles, velvet is sure to make a library, bedroom, or living room a place to dream and reminisce.

Fur/Faux Fur: Tall strands of thick faux fur is sure to bring a fun spin to a room. A cozy rug in front of the fire or a soft throw blanket on a bed is perfect for some lucious locks. This brings warmth, so it is well balanced with other less warm options.

Down: Down isn’t a textile, but since we are talking cozy we have to talk about down. Collections of goose down, or faux down, is sure to protect you from the harsh winter temps whether in a coat, pillow or blanket. It is the SOFTEST of softs, and when exchangable with different duvet covers, is very versatile for bedding.

Boucle: This fabric is very popular right now! A soft curly loop—it is sure to bring tons of texture to any space. It creates an interesting focal point and rocks out in a funky chair or sofa. It really brings forth the happy cozy vibes when white.

Other Synthetic Materials

Plastics: While sometimes they can feel cold to the eye, plastics definitely have purpose! Different types of resins, epoxys, plastic fibers, and more can be used in design to create sleek straight lines. Glossy finishes are awesome in modern rooms and can create a nice pop of contrast in monotoned styles.

Polyester: Polyester is very versatile. It’s pretty stain resistant and is more cost effective than natural fibers. It is woven very tightly, which allows for that extra stretch and scrubbing. You might see it in pillows, rugs, and other types of furnishings.

Viscose: Unlike polyester, viscose can stain easily. It is a very soft fabric. We see it in rugs, which is not always a bad thing, because it is so super soft and luscious feeling. It is a semi-synthetic as it is made with a blend of rayon and wood fibers. Don’t be scared of viscose! It can be absolutely beautiful in drapes, pillows and area rugs, just consider other options possibly, it if it’s going in a dining room with a cup-dumping-toddler! (ha!)

These are just a few of fabrics we might come across when styling a room—-and definitely not inclusive of ALL! If anything, we hope it encourages you to be more aware of textures and the feelings they bring out in a room, so let’s talk more about styling with these materials.

What kind of atmosphere are you looking for?

The first step for textile planning, would be defining the goal for the space’s feel, so we can help you decide what textiles to add to get the mood right.

Think about what you envision in the space—does it need to be cozy, structured, professional, or maybe an entertainment space? Once you know what your goal is for the space, we need to determine what style you are looking for. Pro tip: (If you need help defining your style, reach out to us to schedule a consultation!) When you have come to understand your overall sense of style we start building a room that fits your mood.

Let’s have some fun! I’m going to share a few design boards with you. Our goal for this space is extra cozy for fall. I’m going to add textiles to the board to show how it changes the whole feel.

Pre-textile room:

It has a lovely neutral couch from West Elm, a cool greige on the walls, and a natural wood floor.

Adding a little weaves and wisdom:

Mood Board # 2, is so cozy! We brought in a warm toned wool rug from Pottery Barn. It is a hearty fall choice with thick fibers. Some lush velvet pillows also from Pottery Barn, a fun navy pillow from Target with some chunky knit texture, and lovely plaid throw. We also threw in this warm artwork to tie it together. As you can you see natural, dense, textiles will definitely take a space from feeling cold or stark, to a casual and comfortable space with a touch of elegance, perfect for the seasonal changes.

Told you that was fun. (Wink).

Let’s do something else fun! I want to share one of our client’s before and after photos, so we can show you how textiles make such a difference in a room’s overall vibe.

This client had a lovely home. They were wanting to move into a fresh and less rustic-traditional style and have a more neutral and transitional look with some airy vibes and pops of color. The leather furniture that was in the den was making a pretty masculine statement, so we decided to ligthen up the area, bring in a more feminine look, and add some cozy vibes with accessories. We even added some fabric window treatments. Check out our before and after!

We worked on the entire home for this client—but another room we did was their entry seating area.

Their before photo shows more of a masculine and rustic feel. We added some nice neutrals, interesting art, and updated the furniture. We also designed the room on the other side of the stairs! We grounded both spaces with very cozy rugs and soft furniture. I love the velvet powder blue sofa. This was very important to making the spaces feel inviting, which encourages guests to sit and stay awhile. It is also a relaxing place for the homeowners to regroup after a busy week and catch up with family.

Aren’t those textiles (as well as the entire room) transformations awesome?! We are so thankful this client trusted us to bring in the cozy vibes. Textiles and fabrics can be subtle or powerful, it is all about the balance you are looking for. They can be changed all season long or even just a few permanent staples can be important for the overall feeling of your home. Every client is different in their own way and we strive to bring them our confidence, expertise, and ideas.

We hope when choosing textiles to bring a “mood” to your home you use these tips. As always, if you need more help from us, contact us to set up a 1-on-1 session or maybe check out our Authentic Home Masterclass with our CEO Aubrey!