Fabric to me has always been a great way to express myself. It is a way to push your comfort zone by bringing in a pop of color or bold pattern. By using a mostly neutral background (wall color and furniture) fabric can make a statement while simultaneously tying it all together. Fabric is the icing on the cake. It can take an okay room and make it spectacular! That’s not to say I have not made mistakes in the past. Through my missteps, I learned two ways to find the perfect fabric. One is to order fabric samples and the other is to expand your fabric choices. Samples are a must in finding the right fabric. The reason is simply, what you see, is not always what you get. I have ordered fabric and been disappointed in the pattern, color or texture of the material. After this happened a couple of times I decided to take the time to order samples. What a revelation! It was like night and day. Some fabric that I thought would be amazing, turned out to be just so-so, and other fabric I thought would be so-so, turned out to be fabulous. This actually happened recently. I ordered a sample thinking it would be nice for accent pillows. When I received it, I was blown away with how beautiful it was. The colors, pattern and texture needed to be featured in some way. Instead of pillows I will be using this fabric for roman shades in the new kitchen addition. If I had not ordered a sample, I would have missed out. The other way to find fabulous fabric is to expand your choices. I love Joann Fabrics as much as the next person, but their fabric choices are limited. I started exploring online options. I was pleasantly surprised by the vast amount of sources available. This did pose another problem though. There were so many to choose from! I have to confess this part took some time. I learned so much about fabric though. I was introduced to many patterns I was not familiar with and now, they are some of my favorites. Ogee, Shibori, Suzani, Quatrefoil and Ikat to name a few. Where to start? First do not stress! Take some time with a cup coffee or glass of wine depending on what part of the day it is. Have fun with it! I usually begin by doing a general search using the color and use of the fabric (drapery, upholstery etc.). By doing a general search, you will get a large selection of fabrics. At this point, take a sip of coffee or wine and start scrolling. This is where you explore the different patterns available. Once you find a pattern you like, redo the general search using this specific pattern and color. There will again be a lot of choices. I usually pick out several fabrics and go to the website and order samples. Some of the online sites I have had a lot of success with are, Fabric Guru, House of Fabric, Decorators Best, Etsy, and of course Joann Fabrics. I also keep all my samples. The fabric may not be useful for todays project, but maybe in the future. It can also keep you from ordering the same sample again! Oops!
I pulled some images off the internet of ways I am considering upholstering the dining chairs. At this point I have not begun my search for fabric. I am just exploring French chairs and the different ways they have been upholstered.
I am definitely narrowing down the direction I will be taking. Soon the search for fabric begins!
Addition progress, it beginning to take shape!