BOSS UP Your Home With Custom Fabrics
There are so many advantages to hiring an Interior Designer when redesigning your space, and one of those perks is the customization that goes into every detail of the design. What I'd like to focus on in this blog entry is the endless possibilities and outstanding results that can be accomplished by using custom fabrics.
Have you ever scanned through a designers Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or other social media platforms and noticed photos of fabrics? Whether you have or haven't, this is a huge indicator that this designer is worth taking notice of. Putting together fabrics for a project isn't an easy task. It takes focus, determination, patience, and a whole lot of creativity & caffeine (my two favourite things!). When designers source fabrics for a project, we literally go through hundreds, if not thousands, of different patterns, colours, and applicability (upholstery vs drapery fabrics, etc.). This process is necessary when creating a vision for a clients space. What I personally adore about custom fabrics is they truly tell a story of what we, the designers, are imaging the end result of your home to look like. They give a design presentation life and vibrancy which will then give your home the same results.
Custom fabrics can be applied to any item in your home that is upholstered, toss cushions, and draperies. If you're starting from scratch and purchasing all new furniture, we recommend selecting custom fabrics for your sofas, chairs, dining chairs, benches & ottomans, and upholstered beds/headboards. When we have this freedom, you gain an exclusive look in your home, knowing that no one will be repeating the same design concept, and you gain the quality of having fabrics suited to your needs. What do mean by that, "suited to your needs?" Let me give you a very quick lesson on the quality of fabrics:
Something that designers focus on using, especially for upholstery, is a high "double rub" count. Double rubs is an important measurement of the durability of the fabric. When the fabric is being tested for wearability, the fabric is repeatedly rubbed using a mechanized arm. Every back and forth motion of the arm counts as one “double rub.” This rubbing motion is meant to replicate the abrasive effects of normal use and the friction that occurs when you sit and stand. The test continues until there are signs of significant wear, which is defined as two yarn breaks. According to the guidelines, approximately 3,000 double rubs is equal to one year of use. Fabrics that can withstand more double rubs will offer more durability and longer-lasting performance.
When sourcing fabrics for upholstery, we focus on high double rub counts. Standard residential is 25,000. This may sound like a lot, but in homes that have children, pets, company, enjoy entertaining, this honestly isn't up to my personal standards. When looking for fabrics for your sofas, sectionals, chairs, and any additional seating, I'm looking for 90,000 PLUS. Does this lower the range of fabrics available to you? Absolutely not. As I said above, there are literally thousands of fabrics and so many options available.
In addition to the high double rubs, another thing we look for is the wash-ability of the fabric. (You would be surprised how many fabrics are dry clean only!) This will ensure that your fabrics will look amazing for years to come and are extremely user friendly.
Next, let's talk about the cost of doing custom fabrics as I'm sure you're thinking about. Yes, custom fabrics will cost more BUT what do you gain in return? Higher rub counts, washable and maintainable fabrics, high design, and an overall customized appearance to your home. Does this out way to cost of upgrading to custom fabrics? 100%. TBH, custom fabrics don't have to cost that much more! There are plenty of outstanding quality fabrics that are extremely reasonable price points, and this is something we will happily source for you. We work with you and with your budget and only make suggestions that suit you and your family's needs.
As the title of this blog post says, "BOSS UP" your home with custom fabrics. Even if you're not doing all new furniture, let us bring in some custom fabrics with draperies, toss cushions, and maybe a couple accent chairs, and you'll be amazed at the effect it has on the design of your space.
Until next time, cheers!