fashion-forward fabrics

Our homes are an extension of our personalities. A house is a blank canvas. Paint and furniture are indicative of who we are and the story we want to tell. The fabrics we choose for our window dressing and furniture adds extra dimension to help our personality shine through. Although we have our individual tastes, a guiding hand from industry experts can help to give us direction and centre our ideas.

Here are some of the latest trends in fabrics this year that are sure to create beautiful and enjoyable spaces in your home.

Colour

Use lots of colour! It's the best way to accent a room and create cohesion. Julia Weiss of Warwick Fabrics says colour palettes are beginning to warm up, "with natural warm tones, gold and oatmeal offerings." Pumpkin, spicy burnt yellow and oranges are key tones from this trend. Look to your favourite colours, and then choose the more sumptuous interpretations of them. So green would become emerald and blue would turn to an inky denim.

The spring and summer seasons are also celebrated by using pops of colour against neutral backgrounds. Zingy greens or fresh vibrant primaries like citrus yellows are perfect for this. Bright neon colours are favourites of Katrina Glenday of Citta Design and are being off-set by powdery pastel tones.

Pattern

Patterns and prints are making a strong comeback. Think oversized florals, large-scale designs, geometrics with contradicting soft curves, and ikats (ethnic Indonesian fabric). Celia Faris of James Dunlop has seen a prevalence of "innovative yet contemporary interpretations of historical designs, like batik designs with modern colours or traditional toile that has been rescaled and has clashing edgy colours." Digital prints of patterns are emerging in home furnishing following the growing use of digital print in fashion, which allows designers to create large scale prints in many colours.

Watercolour and ink-washed patterns are another trend, adding a beautiful, artistic element to a room. It's like having a painting on your curtains or cushions.

Paint's in good company

Since Resene's foray into soft furnishings, its curtain – and now cushion – collection has gone from strength to strength.

Created to help you find a curtain fabric to go with your favourite Resene colour, the fabrics have suggested complementary paint colours for each fabric colour. The selection includes fashion stripes and patterns through to neutrals designed to complement a wide range of colour schemes.

Select your favourite Resene Curtain Collection fabric and purchase custom-made pencil pleat curtains from your local Resene ColorShop and get them delivered to your home or get your curtain specialist to produce curtains, roman blinds or other drapery to suit. These fabrics are suited for window treatments and other soft furnishing items.

Choose blockout backing for your curtains to help keep the warmth in over winter and keep the room darker by blocking out more sunlight in summer.

See www.resene.co.nz/curtains for the full selection of Resene fabrics and cushions.

Weave and texture

Layering different textured fabrics is a key way to create dimension and depth. Velvet is a delicious example of this trend because of its luxurious texture and the rich, bright colours available. Pair velvets with weighty textured linens, or put crisp cottons with soft voile for a real feel of indulgence. Another wonderfully textured and hardwearing option for upholstery is wool. This part of the world has such an affinity with wool that it makes sense for it to be a popular choice for home textiles.

Developments in technology have changed the way fabric and designs are created, creating more options. As Katrina of Citta Design says: "We do see a lot of interesting and unique fabric weaves, allowing us to create pattern with weave rather than print, which is fantastic."

Style

Personal taste and style is fundamental when choosing any element for your interior, including fabrics. Currently there is a strong desire for individuality. People are tired of the contrived formulas of mass production. Kristine Allen of Textilia has seen an emphasis placed on relaxed fabrics, and vintage effects in textile treatments and finishes. Kristine says there is a high demand for artisan quality and workmanship. "The handcraft influence is more obvious with design reference to knitting, hand-dyed effects, appliqués…"

Bianca Gardiner of Mollers describes this 'rustic organic' trend as "a new type of relaxed luxury". Where "key features of this trend are hand made, knotted and frayed and mixing raw and refined finishes together."

words: Lakshmi Beresford

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