Fabrics for furnishing, shaping and giving personality to rooms in the home ...
When we speak of upholstery we evoke in our listeners images of old houses, great museums or historic mansions, nothing could be more wrong because in reality we are referring to an indispensable element of today's interior design. Coatings, whether practical or decorative, of walls, complements, furniture parts, capable of giving shape and personality to the environment.
Upholstery is an ancient art, which originated in the East and then spread throughout the world. The first attestations are found in Egyptian tombs where volumes on the subject were found. Homer mentions in his writings the fabrics decorated by Penelope and Apollonius those in the temples of Babylon.
Upholstery became famous in 7th century France when fabrics of various kinds began to be used to furnish churches, and following the Crusades in stately homes, fabrics began to be stretched around beds or in rooms for meetings, ceremonies and banquets. During the Renaissance, fabrics were used to directly cover walls, chair backs, furniture and cushions. The 18th century was then the century of ornaments, decorative tapestries exploded with oriental or naturalistic motifs also designed by famous artists.
Each style has its own reference upholstery. A variety of fabrics are used to create unique and customised environments.
Upholstery fabrics are divided into heavy and light. The former have a very thick and reinforced weft and are especially suitable for upholstering all those upholstered pieces of furniture that cannot be removed, while the lighter ones are those fabrics that are not very heavy and are particularly suitable for lining or making curtains. From the point of view of material, the choice is vast: they can be made of cotton, wool, viscose, satin, velvet, polyester, jacquard or acrylic with faux leather or linen upholstery, characterised by modern or classic styles, coloured or with more neutral and warm shades, with graphic motifs, floral motifs or maxi decorations.
Among the most appreciated characteristics are elasticity, resistance to washing and wear, elegance and breathability, but also fire retardant certifications in case of use in accommodation facilities, offices and museums. In museums, for example, panelling with certified fire retardant fabrics and upholstery are used, in theatres acoustic and fire retardant felt fabrics made of recycled pet.
The rules for matching upholstery fabrics are many. They play on contrasts or homogeneity, the colour palette or the combination of materials. Upholstery is also useful for creating the right mix of antique and modern within a room. The combination of different materials will be perfect, so the wooden sideboard can be placed on a rug and change its use by transforming it into a bookcase, and grandma's old cupboard, on which to place lamps and glass vases, will be perfect in a room with non-woven wallpapers with a natural or geometric background.
The development of interior design over the last twenty to thirty years has revolutionised the world of wallpaper, not only in the styles but above all in the technologies in terms of materials and installation.
Today, modern wallpapers are made of non-woven fabric, which makes them resistant and waterproof, leaving no traces on the wall in the event of removal thanks to the use of self-adhesives as opposed to glue. They can also be made from natural textile fibres such as straw, cotton, silk, bamboo and agave or from fibreglass, a yarn derived from the fusion of glass at very high temperatures, also suitable for wet areas such as bathrooms and kitchens. Real decorative canvases inspired by faraway journeys, works of art, botanical patterns with lush flowers and plants or tropical fauna and abstract patterns.
Carpet is also back in the limelight in interiors, with a completely new look. An innovative solution that is increasingly popular thanks to the use of completely new materials. Chosen above all in the bedroom, it guarantees excellent thermal and acoustic insulation. Today it is characterised by hypoallergenic materials and natural fibres, such as coconut fibre or sisal, made from agave leaves.
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