The Fabric Question I Wish More People Asked

BY KATE LONGLEY • KATE LONGLEY DESIGNS

Choosing fabric is a little like choosing a houseguest.

It's not enough for it to be beautiful. You also want to know how it's going to behave after spending a lot of time together.

Will it survive dogs, kids, dinner parties, and that inevitable glass of red wine? Will it still look good after a few Arizona summers? Or is it going to start looking tired long before the rest of the room?

One of the things I've learned is that the fabric everyone falls in love with in the showroom isn't always the fabric that wins in real life.

Arizona sunshine has a way of exposing bad decisions. I've seen gorgeous draperies fade and cushions bleach in all the wrong places. Fortunately, performance fabrics have come a long way. Many of them are every bit as luxurious as traditional textiles, but they don't panic when life happens.

I also don't believe one fabric should do every job. The perfect drapery fabric may be completely wrong for a sofa, and a beautiful upholstery fabric might not belong anywhere near a dining chair.

But the question I come back to most is a simple one:

How will this look five years from now?

Some fabrics seem to get better with age. They soften, develop character, and become part of the home. Others just wear out.

Personally, I'll choose the first category every time.

Because I don't think a beautiful room should make you nervous about sitting down. I think it should invite you to stay awhile.

KATE LONGLEY DESIGNS

Paradise Valley  ·  Scottsdale, Arizona