The best textiles to use for decor and design
With a little decor and design know-how you can transform a home into a stylish version of its former self. You don’t need to be one an interior designer to achieve an exquisite result – use our tips on the best textile choices, from colours to patterns and everything in between, and get ready for a brand new look.
How fabric decor and design create transformation
One of the most important things you need to know is how to use different fabrics in home interior design to their best effect. It’s all about looking at the whole picture and seeing where you can add colour, pattern and texture to achieve the best results in a new setting.
You need to look at the collective space and the people who live there and to consider what they want out of this large or small space. Then you can consider how to create a beautiful, cohesive set of rooms that depict the people who live there.
If you’re embarking on a designers project and you don’t know your customers well, you need to ask them questions to find out what they are looking for. People often find it difficult to explain exactly what they want; they’re quite verbal about what they don’t like, but find it hard to communicate what they do. Of course, if you’re decorating your own home, it’s a whole lot easier.
There are so many different fabrics available for decorating, which makes it difficult to choose. The best thing about transforming rooms into beautiful new spaces is that you can actually personalise fabrics to fit them.
Here at maake we have a huge selection of base fabrics – 74 to be exact –– that you can print on. Why not create your own? This makes home interior design so much easier. Then find out how to print on fabric here, so that you know the sustainable printing method we use for your interior design creations.
If you do choose any of the patterns and designs in our library, be aware: the independent artists who feature there earn commission every time you choose one of these designers creations. So make sure to purchase through our links.
Choosing the right décor fabric
Each room will have its own set of new design fabrics that will create its own individual look and feel. But before you start choosing fabrics – remember: fabrics differ from fabrics that you wear. For inspiration, take a look at these inspirational warm winter décor ideas.
What to look for in a fabric
We use decor fabrics for curtains, upholstery, quilts and all sorts of home ware (tablecloths, serviettes, kitchen and tea towels, bedspreads etc). This textile is medium-weight, which is heavier than most of the material we use for clothing. It’s also extremely durable. For decor and design, you want a textile that will look good when it’s covering a sofa or chair, that will last long and be easy to keep clean.
Consider the following when you choose to buy a textile to use for home décor. In fact, make sure you read this before you click on links to retailer sites:
Durability
Consider what the new décor material will be used for. Is it a throw cushion or one that will be sat upon? A set of curtains to frame sunlight pouring into the room? Or are you looking for play room or living room ideas for couch upholstery?
Perhaps they are easily replaceable items such as cloths, serviettes and tea towels for la dining room table? Consider how hard-wearing the textile needs to be for its purpose.
Also think about how often people will be using the fabric.
Are you looking at particular material for a kids’ playroom or family room? Do the family pets love to sleep on the couch? Or is the room a study, with only one inhabitant? Then choose the textile for that living area accordingly.
Colours
If you can, create an image in your mind – or, even better, type it up on your computer or notebook – of how the room will look when it’s complete.
Make sure that the colours of the walls, the carpet or floor and the fabrics used for a piece of furniture, cushions, curtains, etc all go well together.
Think about your color choices – do they make the room look smaller? Darker? Lighter?
maake has created a great tool to assist your colour choices. Our Colour Atlas is designed to fit on 1m of fabric; it features more than 2,400 shades with their codes to assist designers in colour matching and selection.
Texture
Texture is as important as pattern in a room in a living area. Textures add another dimension to a room but keep to the motto: less is more. Simplify the look and add just one textural element, whether it’s new upholstery, wallpaper on a gallery wall, a stunning carpet or curtains. Again, think about who will be using the room and make sure that the textured material is going to last.
Price
Playing with patterns, color and samples
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The rule of thumb for patterns in home decor and design is that they should have similar colours or shades. Decorators usually follow the 60/30/30 décor and design rule to balance a room; this means that 60% of the room will be in one fabric, 30% in another and 10% to add a touch of interest, perhaps in items on a coffee table.
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Be creative and play with colours and patterns. It’s easy to do this if you get fabric samples of each of the patterns you’re considering using and then look at how well they go together.
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maake offers a selection of services to get this right
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You can purchase our sample book to see how different bases look when they are printed on for home décor, or
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You can order a sample of a particular material with your chosen pattern on it. Or you can create your own pattern.
Fabrics 101
There are certain fabrics that interior designers will use time and again in design – and for very good reason. The texture and quality of these design fabrics are ideal for your home interior.
Every item on this page is beautiful to look at, hard wearing, and colours print beautifully on them. Of course, price varies according to the textile and design, so make sure to take your budget into consideration before you start.
Decor fabrics we use in the trade
To help you, we put together a very informative blog on maake’s top 5 textile choices for interior design – check it out!
Also, bear these fabrics in mind for the items you choose:
- Acrylic: Popular material because it’s soft and has a texture similar to wool, acrylic is extremely hard-wearing, doesn’t crease or shrink and resists stains. It also doesn’t fade easily. You’ll find it in many heavy traffic areas in a home.
- Cotton: It's hard wearing, inexpensive and extremely durable and versatile, and cotton is also a natural material that we often use for curtains, upholstery, cushions and home decor accessories.
Sure, it isn’t as plush as silk, but cotton does the job as it comes in several weights and weaves, offering a range of textures. Also, colour, design and patterns print beautifully on cotton fabrics.
It’s ideal for rooms with lots of traffic and wear, such as kids’ bedrooms, family rooms, living areas, a dining room or a guest’s powder room.
- Leather: You’ve probably seen photographs of sumptuous leather home interior settings in the pages of Elle Decoration and other popular design magazines. As it's extremely durable and luxurious, we use leather often to upholster couches and chairs.
It’s soft, sumptuous and comfortable and this is why we choose it, usually in shades of brown or black for a natural feel. Although expensive to buy, leather lasts very well and is easy to keep clean – just wipe dry or use a special cleaning product. Opens up a variety of home decor and design possibilities and is ideal for families and high traffic areas.
- Microfibre: A mix of polyester and nylon that is comfortable, lightweight and hard-wearing, microfibre is very popular décor fabric. It’s soft and velvety, but as it’s a synthetic fabric, it’s less expensive than velvet.
- Nylon: As it's synthetic and hard-wearing, we often choose nylon for curtains and upholstery.
- Polyester: It’s very hardy, which is the reason we often use this synthetic material for a home interior. It’s also quite stain-resistant, which is another plus, and makes it perfect for rooms where children spend their time (bedrooms, playrooms, kitchen areas and TV rooms).
We often use polyester for outdoor furniture upholstery as it’s so long-lasting and doesn’t crease easily. The most common type of polyester fabrics for décor purposes is a microfibre blend (see above).
- Rayon: This material feels as if it’s silk but it’s much more hard-wearing and less expensive. We often use it to upholster furniture and for curtains for the home. However, rayon does crease easily.
- Silk: We often choose this luxurious material for curtains, cushions and furniture upholstery. Unfortunately, silk creases easily and it’s not easy to care for. It’s also a delicate material, so don't expect it to be hard wearing. But people love its rich silky texture.


Use silk for soft home furniture and furnishings cushions, throws and bed covers that don’t receive much wear. Don't use silk for your home furniture upholstery, unless you are planning to cover a statement piece that you rarely use.
- Velvet: Another sumptuous décor fabric, we use velvet for upholstery, curtains, cushions and other home ware items.
- Wool : A natural material that is warm and classic, we often use wool for home carpets and a rug.
Especially for the design trade
At maake we care about our customers. We know you have your own design business and are trying to make ends meet, as we do. And that’s why we show you how to improve your business with blogs such as this one, which you can save and read time and again. Subscribe now!
Also make sure to subscribe to our maakeAcademy website and see how we can help your business further, or check out this website to see how you can print digitally on fabric. You can also purchase offers a stunning selection of readymade textile homeware and lifestyle products at maakeHome.
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