Fabrics

What makes a good furnishing fabric?

A good furnishing fabric is chosen according to how it will be used, not just how it looks. Curtains need the right drape and light transmission, while upholstery requires a construction that works on seats, backs and seams. So start with the use and then choose colour, texture and pattern. For pure pattern comparison, there is the fabric patterns page.

Where can I find patterned furnishing fabrics?

At Brittfurn you can compare furnishing fabrics from several established textile houses and then move on by pattern, brand or style. If you are mainly looking for stripes, florals, checks or geometric expressions, fabric patterns is the natural next page. Here the focus is instead on how the fabrics are used, how the materials feel and how they work in a project.

Which fabric is best for curtains?

A curtain fabric should be chosen according to how much light you want to filter, the drape you want and how much fabric volume the window needs. Lighter weaves give a softer drape, while denser qualities create more weight. See the fabric in daylight and evening light before you decide, as colour and texture can change noticeably between different lighting conditions.

How do you choose fabric for a piece of furniture?

Choose fabric for a piece of furniture based on its shape, how often it is used and the surface the pattern will cover. A large motif may need more fabric for neat pattern matching, while a plain or small-scale quality is easier on complicated seams. For technical questions about durability and care, always check the product information for the quality in question.

What sets different upholstery fabrics apart?

Upholstery fabrics differ in fibre, weaving technique, surface, weight and how they respond to light and use, among other things. Velvet, for example, gives a different depth from linen or a dry weave. The difference also shows in how the fabric shapes itself over padding and edges. That is why seeing the fabric on a piece of furniture in the visualisation tells you more than a flat screen image.

Can I get help choosing fabric?

Yes. Start by comparing the fabrics on the product pages and use the visualisation tool when you are logged in to see colour and scale in a room. You can then book a complimentary consultation and bring photos, measurements and material samples. In the showroom at Sturegatan 20 we can compare fabric samples for curtains, furniture and bespoke solutions.

Choose fabric by task, not just by colour

A page with more than two thousand fabrics needs to help you sort, not pretend that everything goes with everything. So start with what the fabric is meant to do. A curtain should drape well and handle light. An armchair needs a fabric that can be shaped over the padding. A cushion can carry a larger pattern or a more delicate surface because it is easier to change. On fabric brands you can choose by design house, on fabric patterns by motif and on fabric styles by expression. This page is broader and is above all meant to help you understand use.

A neutral quality such as Linara Fabric 3 can be a practical anchor when the room already contains pattern. Romo Fabric Arturo gives a different kind of surface and depth. For a more pronounced expression, Zoffany Fabric Seymour Spot or Sanderson Fabric Mickey Stripe can take a clearer role. The point is not to find the most expressive fabric, but to decide which surface should carry the most information.

Curtains are about light, drape and quantity of fabric

On large windows, the drape of the fabric becomes almost as important as the pattern itself. A motif that looks concentrated close up can become calmer when repeated at full height. Romo Fabric Celino, Islay K Fabric and Follies H Fabric show different routes when you want to work with texture and motif. If you would rather go straight to an individual design house, there are G P & J Baker fabrics, Colefax & Fowler fabrics and Sanderson fabrics, among others.

Always think about how the fabric hangs vertically at the window. A fabric judged flat says very little about how it looks in folds. Think about the room's other surfaces too. If the wallpaper is already busy, the curtains can be calmer; if the walls are restrained, the curtains can carry more of the colour. On wallpapers you can compare the expression of the wall with the textiles before you commit to the whole.

Upholstery calls for an eye for scale and seams

On a piece of furniture, the fabric is broken up by seats, backs, armrests and piping. A pattern therefore changes more than it does on a curtain. Magnolia Fabric and Brantwood Cotton Fabric can give two entirely different kinds of rhythm, while Zoffany Fabric Woodville and Zoffany Fabric Goya add further variation in the scale and direction of the motif. Try the pattern across an imagined seat width rather than just looking at the repeat in isolation.

If the furniture will be used intensively, read the technical information for that particular quality. The broad fabrics page owns the questions of material and use; the pattern pages then help you choose visually. For larger projects, bespoke may be relevant when fabric, furniture and curtains need to be coordinated.

Build a palette that can handle more than one fabric

It is rarely a single fabric that decides whether a room feels well considered. The whole emerges when fabrics with different texture and scale are given clear roles. Zoffany Fabric Chambalon Trail, for example, can carry a larger motif, while Colefax & Fowler Fabric Wave can introduce a different movement. Lay them next to the floor, timber and wall colour and judge them in the same light they will live in.

From the product page, you can use the visualisation tool when you are logged in before moving on. For those who want to compare fabrics, there is a complimentary consultation and the showroom at Sturegatan 20 in Stockholm. Do bring photos and measurements; that makes the conversation concrete and the choice less dependent on the memory of a colour you saw on a screen the evening before.

Let the fabric work together with the furniture

When a fabric is to be used on a piece of furniture, it is worth seeing it on a piece of furniture in the visualisation, where rounded edges and upholstered surfaces are visible. Think about how sheen, weave direction and pattern change once the material no longer lies flat. For curtains, it helps to think about how the folds divide the motif. That makes it easier to choose between a fabric that looks best by the metre and a fabric that actually works in the finished interior.

Choose fabric by area of use

A curtain fabric should drape beautifully, while an upholstery fabric needs to withstand everyday wear. Use the filters to compare colour, pattern and brand. Always check the product's properties before ordering so that the quality suits curtains, upholstery, cushions or headboards.

Explore linen fabrics for curtains, velour and velvet or striped curtain fabrics. Once you have found the right expression, you can see the fabric on a piece of furniture via the visualisation on the product page and compare the options before you decide.

Fabrics from leading design houses

Go straight to fabrics from Colefax & Fowler, Sanderson, Romo and Zoffany. You can also discover selected qualities from Morris & Co and Designers Guild.

See the fabric on a piece of furniture first

Colour, texture and lustre are affected by the light in the room. So do start with the visualisation on the product page and see the fabric on a piece of furniture before ordering by the metre. The visualisation requires you to be logged in. Then compare your favourites against the setting where the fabric will be used.

Which fabric suits a sofa or armchair?

Choose a fabric intended for upholstery and check durability, material composition and care instructions. The Martindale value describes how many rubs the fabric withstands in a standardised test; the right level depends on how often the furniture is used.

How do you choose curtain fabric?

Start from how the fabric drapes, how much light you want to let through and the expression of the room. Fabric weight, width, pattern repeat and any lining affect both the result and the amount of fabric required.

Why see the fabric in the visualisation?

The visualisation on the product page shows the fabric on a piece of furniture, so that you can judge colour, pattern and scale before you decide. It also helps you compare the fabric with wall colour, wallpaper, rug and existing furniture.

How much fabric do I need?

The amount depends on the dimensions of the product, the width of the fabric, the pattern repeat and how the pattern is to be positioned. Bring measurements and photos to Brittfurn's design studio at Sturegatan 20 in Stockholm for help with calculation and material selection.