06/17/2015

Chapter 7 Specifying Interior Residential Fabric and Trim

Interior Designers are required to analyze client needs while creatively enhancing the
functionality and quality of interior spaces. Page 131
Design to what the clients expectations and their budget constraints
Fabric patterns and qualities have been available for sale within design centers for more
than 50 years. Some fabrics define a fabric companies brand image thus an
experienced designer will have readily available resources to fabric showrooms.
When applying fabrics in a residential setting specifically, there are the obvious places
where fabrics appear in an interior such as upholstery.
Could render out historical period of time
In the 1650s England banned silk fabric imports because of the political circumstances,
so silk brocades were secretly smuggled into England from Lyons, France. Hand-made
lace was also highly coveted in France.
Window treatments often express formal or informal statements harmonizing with
carpeting, rugs, furniture, wall treatments, and paint.
Roman Shade appears flat and somewhat architectural. Typically solid color, print may
be chosen but must design it for when it is pulled up and down.
Balloon Shade produces a ballooning effect as the draw cord is pulled. Gathers 15-18
of gathered material.
Professional window treatments are always lined.
An Austrian Shade uses twice the length of fabric when fully lowered, gathers across
the width.
Understanding how upholstered furniture pieces will be used within the interior
environment that you are designing, helps to determine what the fabric composition will
be.
Take scale into consideration
Heavy-use spaces benefits more from manufactured yarn rather than a natural yarn.
Blended microfibers combine natural and manufactured.

Pile fabric w cut loops will often outlast fabrics with loops
Balanced weaves/yarns with the same diameter wear better
Misconception: thick textiles wear well. No. Strength comes from composition and how it
is woven. Thickness does not determine wear.
Fabrics with longer yarns ex: brocades, damasks
Manufactured yarns: petroleum based may attract soil but can be cleaned easily
Natural fibers clean better and dont attract soil as much. Natural fibers accept color and
more subtle shades than that of manufactured fiber
Extrusion of yarn means dye is already in the fiber
It is essential to identify the face and orientation of a fabric properly. Fabrics can be
railroaded or appear up-the-bolt; which indicates that the application of the fabric
design and pattern using railroading and up-the-bolt orientations.
Railroad=horizontal, Up the bolt->vertical pattern, allow for yardage estimates.
Chenilles and velvets should be applied in the railroaded fashion, while other fabrics
have patterns that are woven or applied and lend themselves to railroading instead of
up-the-bolt; where a pattern appears widthwise, not lengthwise.
Large motifs should be centered or balanced. Stripes and geometric patterns appearing
in an orderly line formation should be centered and balanced. Seams of patterns should
always line up.
Wall Coverings
When specifying wall coverings for direct wall applications, a backing must be applied
using acrylic, vinyl, or other materials to assist in increasing rigidity of the fabric while
providing a surface that will accept a blue substance.
In case of unevenness in the wall surface wall covering can cover minor imperfections
Designers focus on the particular as well as the overall vision of the project, advising the
client about the fabric; taking into consideration: price per yard, costs to produce a
particular application, overall quality, comfort, style, color, and durability.
Bright colored fabrics exposed to heat, sun, and humidity, will fade over time. The types
of yarns and dyes used to produce these fabrics is relative to how quick the fabric will
be negatively effected by these elements.
Window treatments with a lining or an interlining; which is a fabric that is sewn inside
draperies providing addition structure to the window treatment, will extend the longevity
of the refined fabrics from becoming permanently brittle.

Casement fabric can be used for decorative and practical purposes to create a fuller
drapery appearance and to protect the drapery fabric. Typically lightweight sheers,
decorative, easy/breezy
Glass curtains, which are not made of glass but made of any fabric that appears close
to a glass window, can add privacy, reduce the amount of direct light entering into a
space, preserve the fabric and decoration value.
Fabrics performance depends on the fiber selected, number of yarns per inch, weave
structure, degree of colorfastness, directional stability, and finish.
Specifying trim can be purposeful and add a detailed finish to an interior environment.
Clients must be educated on how, when, and where trimming can be used, its design
possibilities and the materials used in its composition.
Trim is very expensive^^
Trimming is a vehicle that will make an interior flow visually from room to room.
Considerations when specifying trim:
o Placement of the trim
o Trim can feel light or heavy
o Trim is sold by the yard
o Trim can be special ordered when ordering through a supplier associated
a fabric manufacturer
o If considerable trim is specified, the designer must determine what the
overall budget will be for the space as opposed to pricing all products out
separately.
Classification of Pattern Design:
Categories of Woven & Printed Fabrics: page 143
Flora & Fauna
Geometric
Novelty
Art Movements
Historic Periods
Textiles are charged historically and economically, sometimes religiously or
psychologically
Flora represents grasses, nuts, pinecones, berries, trees, fruits, vegetables and other
agricultural products as well as flowers.
Fauna refers to animals, mammals, sea creatures, birds, fish, and reptiles.
Geometric fabrics are designed with squares, lines, hexagons, triangles, polygons, and
pentagons, applied in reoccurring pattern.

Ethnic fabrics are as diverse as the people who initiated the designs. An example would
be a scene from Asias architecture with the common styles of roof designs, commonly
found in North China
Art Movement usually begins as a reaction to a social, economic, or military movement
or event.
Historic Periods are where a large number of fabric designs are traced. Having been
adopted from various historical periods, and defining characteristics, historical period
fabrics are closely associated with particular countries.
Specifying residential fabric and trim can be a daunting task due to the vast array of
products available. Fabric can spark an emotional response and create drama when
applied in a grand scale.
Success in designing with residential fabrics directly relates to understanding the
possibilities for use in window treatments, upholstered furniture, and special
applications (ex: draped ceilings)