5 Ways: Coordinating fabrics
Have you ever walked into a home and drooled over the way all the fabrics were pulled together perfectly? I have. Surprisingly, it’s not that difficult to do. You don’t need to be a proper interior designer to figure it out. It just takes a bit of practice and an eye for proportion.
The best place to start is with a clear idea of what overall look you’re going for. Will it be a feminine room or masculine? Here are some tips to show you how you to coordinate fabrics perfectly to create those different looks – all using the same fabric as a starting point.
Creating different looks with one fabric
I’m starting with this funky linen fabric from Jim Thompson. It’s called Night Jasmine. It comes in five colors – this one is Aquamarine. This could be used for curtains, a duvet cover, slip cover, pillows, etc…
1. Masculine
It is possible to create a masculine look with a floral – especially one like this that’s a little wild. It’s not so froo froo. To create the look, I used darker colors to coordinate by using a solid brown upholstery weight fabric from Duralee called Armand. The texture will give a sofa more depth. I chose a stripe next. Schumacher’s Seneca Cotton Stripe stripe is wide enough to stand up to the boldness of Night Jasmine. Something too thin would look skimpy. Use this in a family room, living room – even a bedroom.
2. Feminine Stripe
Here, I’ve done a bit of the reverse, creating an instantly more feminine look. This Swing Stripe, from Schumacher, picks up on the rose color as well as the brown. The Byron eyelet, from Fabricut, adds to the feminine look. Again, it’s not so dainty that it won’t hold up. Use the eyelet on windows. Team it with a solid for pillows. I’m thinking bedroom.
3. Rosie wallpaper
This is a fun option for a bedroom or even a den, or other room with some paneling mixed in. I’m envisioning Night Jasmine for side panels at the window. Next, a white cotton duck (this one from Pindler & Pindler) for roman shades with Robert Allen’s Al Fresco Ball trim at the bottom. Use solids for the furniture because we’re creating a huge WOW factor on the walls with Isabella, a large-scaled wallpaper from Graham & Brown.
4. Super-Bold Suzani
This is a little over the edge, so give me your opinion. I’m going for super-bold in a large room. Night Jasmine is on the window again becasue this huge Suzani (46″ vertical repeat) Teodolinda from Rubelli is on an over-sized sofa. I’ve shown the overall print in the corner. I’ve pulled the yellow out with this Suffolk Check from Schumacher.
5. Sophisticated Feminine
Can you use two florals in the same room? Of course! Just pay attention to location. Night Jasmine at the window and bed with Crewel Birds from Schumacher (sorry, discontinued) on a pillow nearby. It will sit on a slip-covered chair covered in white duck. Buron eyelet, from Fabricut, for shades on the window trimmed with Robert Allen’s Al Fresco Bead. This is going in a bedroom I’m working on now.
Coordinating Tips
- Let scale be your guide. A large print needs a mid to large-scaled stripe or check or floral to go with it. You can go larger or smaller. The key is to be aware of what you’re putting where. A small check on a huge print will disappear.
- Let color fix the mood. Traditionally, browns and blues are more manly, roses more girlie. Having said that, a warmer red will be more masculine than a cooler one.
- Texture is important. If you’re using a solid with a large print, a slubby or tweedy texture will be more butch than an eyelet or softly draping fabric. Again, think about the mood.
- Mix patterns up – even florals. This is a tougher thing to accomplish correctly. Just practice at the store. The easiest way to get this right is to use one print with lots of colors and the other with only two.
Do you have a tip for coordinating fabrics? Let’s get a good list going. I’m always looking for good advice – I never stop learning.
