Finish Your Look With a Fun Mix of Textiles

I love textiles, because they offer an infinite array of decorating possibilities. While upholstery is a good place to start, the world of textiles is much broader than that.

Every spring Mike and I count the days until the opening of the first French-style street market near us. There are booths littered with all kinds of wonderful accoutrements, but Mike’s favorite vendor is the textile lady, whose little space is replete with every iteration of antique, vintage and contemporary fabric you can imagine. Lace, damask, toile, fur, embroidery, silk, wool — well, you get the idea.

Let’s look at some of the ways you can use textiles like these to bring warmth, texture and finishing details to your home.

Throws are simply and unequivocably an essential textile in almost any room — no matter the style. The throw might be an accent piece that does double duty as an extra blanket in the guest room.


A pair of strikingly colored throws like these might be the flourish that takes a pair of chairs from academic to dapper. (While you are enjoying this room, note the stack of very comfy floor pillows under the table — a very family-friendly use of textiles, indeed.)


A throw with a single classic stripe, folded just so and placed over the back of the chair and under its seat cushion, raises the style quotient on this classic wing chair by several notches.


Fur throws have been de rigueur ever since the first cave dweller got hungry and chilly at the same time. If you love real fur, peruse consignment and thrift stores, which seem to be stuffed with discarded fur coats and stoles that can be turned into throws, pillows and even small rugs.

If faux fur is more your style, you are in luck: It’s everywhere.


I love starting with a neutral sofa and then accessorizing it with textiles — in this case, these stunning suzanis. My creamy linen sofa has a quilt thrown over it almost year-round, unless I am in a very spare mood. My quilt changes with the seasons: Sometimes I will lay it just over the back, sometimes I will use it as a throw, and sometimes (particularly when the grandkids are expected) I will — as in this room — cover the entire thing.

The upside of this is twofold: I can change my color scheme at will, and after almost five years of use, my sofa is still sparkling clean.


You probably think of throw pillows when you think of textiles. And no wonder. Imagine this sofa without these sumptuous specimens! Although the color tones are similar, the large-scale pattern set against the animal print (the pillow, not the dog) is very well done. The fact that only one pillow is fringed (not including those that match the sofa) is even better.


If you love cottage style, textiles are your best friend. Mixing patterns, colors and textures (as in this room) is the key to its warm, inviting ambience.


A woven hamper like this one is, on its own, a cherished member of the textile family. But fill that basket with skeins of yarn and balls of wool, and you’ve created an eye-catching addition to your tablescape.


When you think of accessorizing with textiles, don’t forget rugs. And definitely don’t limit them to the floor. This rug adds amazing depth and detail to the neutral headboard.

Again, one of the great joys of textiles is that they can be switched out at whim, providing a brand-new look without a big financial outlay, whenever your design impulses twitch.


Strictly speaking, ottomans are upholstery. But I like to think of them as accessories, and as such they are perfect for showing off a favorite textile. It could be an ethnic-inspired fabric with a large pattern like this …


… or an antique rug remnant like this. Yummy, huh?


Think outside the bolt a bit and consider using fabric totes as part of your decor. There is such a marvelous range of great bags on the market, you are bound to find several you love. And look what pizzazz they bring to this room.


Curtains are a great example of accessorizing with textiles — for comfort, function and beauty. Did you know that puddling the curtain on the floor originated centuries ago, when textiles were so expensive that only the very rich could afford them? So when somebody made such lavish use of fabric, it was essentially a flaunting of wealth. On a more positive note, it also kept drafts to a minimum.

If you decide that curtains are for you, remember this fundamental tenet: Never skimp! Don’t skimp on the fullness, don’t skimp on the length, and never skimp on the proportions. Nothing ruins the look of a window more than skinny, stilted, high-water-pant curtains.


This room exemplifies the stunning use of textiles. The pair of dog pillows set the stage on the sofa, while the ethnic-inspired art prompts the diverse color palette. The linear rug and floor pillows add yet another dimension.

Are you thrilling to the possibilities of textiles? Enjoy!

More: Mix Pillow Patterns Like a Pro: 17 Foolproof Themes

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