A Guide to Indian Home Textiles.
“Nature uses only the longest threads to weave her patterns, so that each small piece of her fabric reveals the organization of the entire tapestry” is a beautiful quote by Richard Feynman, a great physicist. As a designer, the one thing that we always feel is fabrics, breathe life into spaces. Since they are an essential aspect of Interior styling, using the right fabric for the right space is an absolute must to bring visual harmony to the house.
There are two categories of fabrics, Natural and Synthetic. As the name suggests, natural fabrics have fibres sourced from plants and animals while synthetic ones are created by a combination of natural and non-natural fibres.
1. Cotton
Cotton, a natural fibre is sourced from soft cotton fibres and is one of the most versatile fabrics. Widely used, durable, affordable, easy to maintain and an extremely breathable fabric, this is an ideal choice in hot and humid climates. They can be used to make bedsheets, bedcovers, pillow covers, curtains, throws in places which have a tropical climate. They can also be used as an upholstery material for sofas and chairs.
Pro tip: Cotton fabric can be used throughout the year, even in places which have colder climates. If you are wondering about that, just layer your cotton bedcover with a wool duvet. You can change it back to a cotton duvet during summers. On similar lines, use throws which feel warmer for your sofas like a throw made out of fleece.
2. Silk
Silk, another natural fabric feels very soft to touch and gives a luxurious feel to your homes. Usually, they are used in formal dining rooms and master bedrooms to bring in the X factor. While silk as a fabric can be pretty much used for all kinds of upholstery, they are expensive to buy, not easy to maintain and require regular cleaning from professionals for their long durability.
Pro tip: Adding silk pillows to your sofas is the most economical way to add a royal touch to your homes. Throw in some stunning looking silk pillows that contrast your sofa colour.
3. Leather
Pure leather is another natural fabric sourced from animal skins. It is durable, wrinkle free and is one of the most used fabrics for upholstering couches, chairs and sofas. They are expensive when compared to cotton and silk but cost lesser to maintain in the long run and are more durable. Natural leather is a breathable material. The more it ages, it gets softer and has a more appealing look to it.
Pro tip: Want to have a statement piece of furniture in your home? Buy a leather sofa or a just one leather lounge chair. You could use that as a focal point for your design.
4. Linen
Linen is a natural fabric made from fibres from a plant called flax. It is strong, durable and one of the most used fabrics for bedding materials. It is soft to touch, comfortable, easy to maintain, light weight and can be used in different climatic conditions. It gets dried quicker than cotton but is on the pricier side.
All fabrics mentioned here are Natural fabrics. They are sustainable, reusable , recyclable and can be easily disposed.
Pro tip: Choose fabrics based on your budget, the places where it’s used and your ability to maintain them in the long run. Remember to use plain and printed fabrics together to break the visual monotony and bring a nice contrast.
Happy shopping!
