Photography Courtesy of Kattiya.L/Shutterstock.com Wood block printing onto fabric has been a main staple of Indian culture and commerce for the last 2,000 years. Although today there are mechanical means, such as screen printing, which are able to mimic the appearance of traditional block printing—some not only echoing the motifs,…
Photography Courtesy of Shutterstock A material embellishment embraced for its ability to infuse volume, texture, and dimension, pleats are an expressive element of design that hold a long history. The traditional techniques used to create this age-old motif can be traced back to ancient Egypt, and pleats have been reinterpreted…
Photography Courtesy of Shutterstock Embroidery is the art of using needle and thread, yarn, or fine wire to decorate a material. A practice that is as far reaching as it is old, embroidery methods have been found on every continent but Antartica and the craft continues to be practiced by…
An all-purpose material with an expansive array of uses, tried-and-true wool textiles have been turned to throughout history. With common types that include merino, cashmere, and mohair, wool is a textile fiber obtained from sheep and other animals including alpacas, llamas, camels, goats, and more. Utilized for many interior applications—from…
Bamboo showcases sustainable qualities, nuanced natural textures, and hardwearing characteristics that make it ideal for an array of design applications. Acclaimed for its design-forward aesthetics, physical strength, and environmental benefits, bamboo is becoming increasingly popular as a material in architecture, interior, and industrial design. Bamboo’s broad selection of interior uses…
Photography Courtesy of Sien + Co Showcasing a stylish and sophisticated aesthetic achieved through a unique weaving process, bouclé is a heavy textile that holds a rich and intricate history. A staple of midcentury modern design, bouclé fabrics continue to bring cozy texture to upholstered furniture and accents in contemporary interiors.…
Biodesign is a quickly growing field that uses materials derived from living organisms rather than finite resources or synthetics. Living materials—made from anything that can reproduce, including plants, animals, insects, fungi, and even bacteria—have the potential to be more sustainable, healthier, and higher performing building alternatives than traditional materials. Biologists,…
Photography Courtesy of Shuang Li/Shutterstock A style of decorative arts, interior design, architecture that emerged in the United Kingdom during the period of Queen Victoria’s reign from 1837 through 1901, the Victorian aesthetic is characterized by both ornamentation and orderliness. Encompassing a broad selection of designs that surfaced during the…
Photography Courtesy of United FabricsExplore Materials and Sample Before 2020, only specialists needed to know the ins and outs of cleaning and disinfecting surfaces. Now it is more important than ever before. The surfaces that we touch frequently in indoor spaces can harbor harmful microbes and toxins, turning them into…
Larkspur by William Morris (1834-1896). Photography Courtesy of The Met Museum/Shutterstock.com The Arts and Crafts movement is a historical style of design that began in the United Kingdom around the 1860s before expanding into the United States around 1890. Based on the philosophies of A.W.N. Pugin and John Ruskin, the…
Known as the mind behind the Bauhaus and its innovative approach to art education, the influence of Walter Gropius has shaped the history of Modernist architecture and design throughout Europe and the United States. Despite only managing to stay open between 1919 and 1932—at which point it closed under duress…
When designers and other building professionals page through materials for project specifications, there’s a lot of information to sort through. In particular, information about a product’s sustainability and health effects can be easily misinterpreted amongst a wide agglomeration of labels, certifications, and declarations. How should designers parse through this information…
Photography Courtesy of Fabric InnovationsExplore Materials and Sample A dexterously double-woven fabric that first gained popularity during the 18th century, matelassé materials mimic the dimensional designs of handcrafted quilts made in the south of France. The figured fabrics feature a weave that is distinctly designed to imitate the intricacies of…
Ikat (left) and Suzani (right) Textiles. Photography Courtesy of Schumacher As enduring symbols of time-honored textile traditions, the diverse yet distinctive designs of ikat and suzani textiles trace the influences of techniques advanced by cultures and continents around the world. “Ikats showcase an ancient technique that has a really incredible combination…
Distinguished by delicately rendered decorative patterning, damasks and brocades are two types of finely detailed fabrics. Bearing many similarities, they are often thought to be interchangeable by those less acquainted with their intricacies. While both fabrics boast age-old histories dating back to centuries ago, their alluring appeal has endured over…
Photography Courtesy of AnzeaExplore Materials and Sample It is well known that performance fabrics are ideal for outfitting high traffic areas in interior spaces that are designed to stand the test of time. When searching for easy-to-clean materials that can hold up to heavy wear-and-tear, it is best to specify…
Photography Courtesy of Wolf-GordonExplore Materials and Sample Durable and disinfectable materials that can hold up to continuous cleanings have become increasingly critical in today’s climate. Diluted chlorine bleach has been used for decades as a steadfast disinfectant and stain solution. When searching for textiles that are equipped to tackle today’s challenges,…
A popular and time-tested pattern of crossed horizontal and vertical bands, plaid is easily identified. However, the pattern’s plethora of iterations are often more difficult to pin down. From checks and tartans to ginghams and glens, plaid comprises a collection of ten different patterns in total. For the plaid impaired,…
