Fabrics are that magic spells in your home that can go either way – they can wash your home with grace or ruin it with naivety. It is a statement on its own. But the thing is that not many people know things about fabrics unlike the top interior designers in India do. The home looks dull? Choose sheer drapes in warm pastel colours. Such is their beauty. So we spoke to Radvi about what people should know about fabrics for their homes. Radvi’s has a professional team of designers and architects and they guided us well through this path of fabrics.
We will be discussing different types of fabrics, their uses, and some other related things about them.
Types of fabrics you can use for your interiors!
Interior designing is not just about furniture and colours and decors. It is just the peak that is visible to the mind. A thousand things get contemplated upon before the final outlook of the home appears graceful. Interior designers work on around 8 elements of interior design –
- colour, shape, line, light, space, mass, texture, and pattern.
And then these 8 elements have hundreds and thousands of sub-elements. When we talk about fabric, we talk about three things –
- texture and pattern
- fabric type
- fabric colour
These three factors get decided upon what interior style the homeowner has decided to go for. For example, if the desire is to opt for Rustic Interior, things will be different; if the style chosen is Minimalist, choices will be different again. All the top interior designers in India work this way.
This is why many people fail to bring the interior to perfection. When we talk about fabrics, the first thing is to understand them. We will be discussing things one by one. Fabric is made up of fibres, which is the smallest unit visible to the eyes. Fibres make up yarn, and yarn makes up the fabric.
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There are usually two types of fibres –
- Natural fibres
- Cellulose – plant-based. For example, cotton, jute, banana, etc.
- Protein – animal-based – wool, silk, etc.
- Man-made fibres
- cellulosic
- synthetic
1 – Natural Fabrics
Cotton
Cotton is made from the fruit of the cotton plant. It comes in many forms like short, long, carded, combed, mercerised, etc. Cotton is a good fabric type that goes easy in the summers. It is thin, light, and gentle. Dyes go easily well on cotton. But the bad thing about cotton is that it gets wrinkles, fades, and shrinks by time. Mercerised cotton takes away the issue of shrinking. Radvi’s has a professional team of designers and architects and it can make your home look exceptionally different using its years of experience.
Use cotton for draperies in summers, walls, upholstery, covers, padding, rugs, etc. Choose better quality cotton that is treated for abrasion, fading, and flammability.
Linen
Linen is another cellulosic fabric made from the fibres extracted from the stalks of flax plants. It comes in three types
- tow linen – short staple
- demiline
- line linen – long staple
The good thing about linen is that it is crisp, strong, and appealing. Line linens are smooth, lustrous, and durable. Short fibres have low abrasion resistance. Linen might be stiff and inflexible for some. Use it for upholstery, bed covers, draperies, table linens, kitchen linens, etc. Dry clean is often recommended for linens. However, table and kitchen linens could be washed with hot water and machine dried. The cost structure is moderate to high.
Jute
Jute fibre gets extracted from the jute plant. There are usually two types available – burlap and gunnysack. It is inexpensive, strong when in dry condition, and can be dyed in bright colours. It cannot be used for bedsheets or upholstery because it has a harsh texture. Though you may use it for crafts, wall coverings, and blend in the drapery fabric. This fabric type is highly flammable. Ask your interior designer if you so want to use this fabric type.
Wool
This is a protein-based fibre that gets extracted from animal wool. Animals that are generally bred for wool are sheep, goats, camels, rabbits, etc. Wool is flame resistant, is durable, has great resilience, and dyes well. This makes it one of the best fabrics sought. There are different types of wool out there –
- Virgin – 100%
- Worsted
- Woollen
- Mohair
- Cashmere
Although wool might seem like a great choice, some people get allergic to it because of it being protein fibre. Their body reacts to this protein and causes rashes and other conditions. Know if you are one of them. Dry clean it. Or wash it through professional wet methods like using Ezee Wash. Look for top interior designers in India to decide where to put these fabric types in your interior.
Silk
One of the most expensive fabric types. Silk has a feel to it that makes one feel rich and elegant. It is extracted through the filaments of silkworm cocoons. Silk fabric has a lustre, smoothness, and excellent drapability. It does not get harmed by organic acid or wetting. The bad thing about silk is that it has low alkaline resistance and can be eaten by moths. Silk must be treated well to avoid these things. You can use silk almost everywhere in your home. Though know that silk costs some money.
Man-made Fabrics!
When humans could not find enough fibre in nature, it created some by itself. All the top interior designers in India consider man-made fibres while deciding interiors. Here is a guide for you.
Rayon
Rayon is a man-made cellulosic fibre made using cotton linters and wood chips. It is highly absorbent and is closely smooth to silk. You may use it for draperies, trimmings, bedspreads, rugs, slipcovers, etc. Dry clean it for it to last longer. The cost structure is low to moderate. Know that it burns readily so it should not be used near hot and electrical appliances.
Acetate
It is similar to rayon but is mixed with acetic acid. All the qualities are almost similar to that of Rayon except absorbency. The bad thing is that it is prone to mildew, has low resistance to abrasion, and damages off in the sunlight.
Non-cellulosic man-made fibre / Synthetic
The most common synthetic fibres are
- Nylon
- Acrylic
- Polyester
- Vinyl
- Lyocell
- Olefin
Man-made fabrics have many complexities in them and thus you must always consult an expert before choosing one.
When deciding on fabrics for interior design, make sure that you are keeping in mind the architectural style you have opted for. Radvi is one of the top interior designers in India. Radvi’s has a professional team of designers and architects and it can help you with not only fabrics but almost anything related to real estate. We all know how hard it is to keep looking for different companies for different services. Radvi has been providing almost all services related to home construction and design for over three decades. Check them out and get consulted.