I love to layer – I think it started with my wardrobe and wanting to get more mileage out of some of my favorite pieces – but quickly translated into my design philosophy. Although I won’t compromise on the foundation pieces and always encourage clients to invest in great furniture, comfortable sofas and chairs made with solid hardwood frames that will be worth recovering in 10 years, experience has taught me to be clever when it comes to pulling a look together. My tool of choice: fabric.
The right fabric can be completely transformative – taking a safe, neutral sofa and either quietly or boldly taking it in a strong design direction through layering. It can bring colour, pattern, texture, life to a space. Fabric is THE design lifeline.
But beautiful fabric can be expensive – there I said it. Of course, there are deals to be had. Institutions like Designer Fabric Outlet in Toronto, even Fabricland Home Centres are havens for the design savant on a budget. But you better know what you are looking for and pack a whollop of patience because the finds will be buried among the less desirable.
Another word of caution – for the most part, outlets get ends – yardage that the bigger fish would not accept because of imperfections. These are usually not visible or obvious but in the case of large repeat patterns or when you need lots of yardage for a window covering, the risk of seeing the flaws increases. The pattern may be off-line, there may be pulls, slubbing, etc.
There are days that I love the hunt and have the time for it – although they are few and far between. On the days that I don’t, I just use less of the fabrics I love. With half a yard, I can make one side of cushion – using a remnant or less expensive yardage for the reverse.
I try to use really beautiful fabric exclusively for layering – it is a way to keep costs down without the style compromise. But in the event that we are working with a client who isn’t keen on neutral anchor pieces – like sofas and chairs – I opt to do one occasional piece in something smashing. A sofa takes around 16 yards to cover – an occasional chair can be as few as 3 yards depending on its scale. Even with one piece, the punch can be transformative of the space.
The message: don’t compromise on the pieces that you hope to get years of life out of. Do find fabric you love and figure out a way to make it part of your space. A little can go a long way.
Next Week – The lowdown from Kravet Fabrics.