When decorating a home or designing the look for a room, the wallpaper, paint and flooring are important but they only tell part of the story. If you want to add your own personal style and panache to any space, the finishing touches are generally provided by your choice of soft furnishings.
Anything from elegant throw down rugs, the cushions on your sofa or your curtains can make the difference between an uninteresting, even drab, room to one that catches the eye and feels like home.
Opting for High-End Soft Furnishings
Designer fabrics and furnishings can certainly add opulence and a sense of grandeur to any home. While they can be the expensive option, getting it right can transform your space and set it apart. Most people go for this option when they hire an interior designer to work through their brief.
It takes a good eye to spot how different fabrics and items fit together to create an overall impression and it’s something not all of us are good at. If you do have an eye for design, then searching for the right furnishings can be an enjoyable and artistically fulfilling experience. Many top soft furnishing stores are now online so you don’t have to travel large distances to find what you are looking for.
Stores such as Designers Guild in London and Mairi Helena in Edinburgh are good places to start.
Making Your Own Soft Furnishings
The DIY approach: adding a very real personal touch by creating your soft furnishings. While you need a certain level of creative skill and sewing knowledge, producing your own designs can be a terrific way to design a room.
You can, for instance, dye your own materials or make new, exciting designs from old fabrics. It’s a fantastic way to decorate a space when you have a limited budget. You can also pick up materials at local boot sales or transform cheap end of line stock from your local store. The internet also gives you access to a greater range of materials and products.
Tips for Using Soft Furnishings in Your Home
Combinations and compatibility are key when adding soft furnishings to your home. If you want to change the look of your room but don’t want to get out the paint brush or change the carpeting, then working on those soft furnishings is the next best thing.
The first area you need to focus on is the colour scheme. Mixing and matching the right hues can mean the difference between a serene room that makes you feel at ease and one that simply jangles your nerves the minute you walk through the door.
Don’t be afraid to combine block colours with some funky diagonals and zig-zag designs, though you should be careful not to overdo it. Adding in assorted styles and soft furnishings from different eras can add quirkiness and elegant throws will lift furniture if it has seen better days.
The right fillings for cushions are also key. The last thing you want to do when you slump down on your sofa is hit a hard cushion that has no give. Using fillers like goose feathers or one of the new synthetic varieties is a clever idea if you are more concerned about comfort.
Whether you are going for high-end, upmarket soft furnishings or decide to make your own, the good news is that there are plenty of choices. Try to have an overall idea for what you want to achieve and don’t be afraid to experiment.
