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From the pages of Threads Magazine Introducing Decorator Fabrics There's an astounding fabric source out there that most sewers don't know a thing about. Here's how to find it and shop it. Even if you've shopped the finest fabric stores in the land and rummaged through dozens of "home-dec" outlets, if you've never peeked into the world of professional interior-design resources, well, you simply haven't been to Fabric Paradise! Like to visit? Despite its many similarities to the fabric world most garment sewers know, Paradise is a different planet--with its share of surprises. In this overview, allow me to be your guide and interpreter, both to the breathtaking textiles you'll find there and to the local customs. Not planning any decorating? Even though I've been running a workroom in San Francisco for interior designers for many years (we do everything but upholstery: custom curtains, slipcovers, bed covers, pillows . . .), I started out as a garment sewer. So, trust me when I say that Paradise is full of amazing garment fabrics, too! Let's start with directions, then get down to the goods. Your ticket to Paradise If you live near a major city, chances are excellent you've got an enormous center nearby devoted to resources for interior designers and architects, usually called a design center, or design mart, or something similar. There are 21 such centers in North America: in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Toronto, and similar large cities. To find the center nearest you, scan the fabric ads in any interiors magazine, such as Architectural Digest, Southern Accents, or Traditional Homes. Listed you'll find showroom locations for many major manufacturers, as well as information to locate representatives in your area if you don't live near a design center. (See also Online sources for decorator fabrics.) As far as sewers are concerned, the main attraction of a design center is the fabric showrooms, each displaying hundreds of incredible fabrics of every description, every weight, color, texture, and level of luxury, beyond your wildest fabric dreams. Most design centers are open to the public, and many have free tours of the fabric showrooms. Design-center showrooms show fabrics sorted by manufacturer rather than by fiber. Some of my favorite makers are: Great Plains, Henry Calvin Fabrics, and Rogers and Goffigen, which all specialize in natural fibers. Their linen collections in particular will amaze you, ranging from tissue weights to the heaviest upholstery fabrics, with soft textures you must feel. See Larson Fabrics, Bart Halpern Fabrics, and Donghia for fabulously inventive, contemporary fabrics; Bergamo for beautiful silks, sheers, and incredible upholstery fabrics; and Robert Allen Fabrics, F. Schumacher, Scalamandre, and Brunschwig and Fils for marvelous traditional fabrics. If you are outfitting a period house, the latter four manufacturers all offer "document" prints, that is, reproductions of historic fabrics going back several centuries. There are many other wonderful fabric companies; if you love fabric, you will definitely enjoy exploring these incredible textile treasure houses. The downside of all this magnificence is that you can only buy from these wholesale resources through an interior designer or architect, or anyone else with both a resale number and an established business, plus an understanding of fabrics for the home. Don't fret, though, we'll pursue this option further in a moment; but first, let's look at the alternatives. Why bother with wholesale? Many retail fabric stores recognize the growing interest in fabrics for the home and have stocked up accordingly. There are also chain stores, like Calico Corners, that specialize in home-decorating fabrics, and have a fairly wide range of fabrics and prices. These sources tend to have lower-priced but still interesting goods, and can be a wonderful alternative to a design-center showroom, or to a designer's sample books, especially for smaller projects. You can see and touch the fabric, and take it home right away. The drawbacks come if you want a really wide selection, lots of coordinating fabrics, something truly exceptional, or if you've selected a fabric that's a second or discontinued, as is commonly the case with interior fabrics at retail outlets. With regard to seconds, years ago, before I got into my current business, I made my bedroom curtains out of a bargain retail fabric. A short time later, I decided to add a bedcover in coordinating fabric and found that it was no longer available from any source; it was no longer being made. I'd also discovered that my curtain fabric was a second; the "flaw" was in over-printing the floral motif past the selvage, meaning I could not match the pattern efficiently at the seams, so my yardage estimate was off--I didn't have enough for what I planned. Inaccurate printing shows up on the selvage of any print for interiors, where you'll see a row of small boxes, each containing one of the different colors used in the print, like the example shown below. If the color is not registered perfectly inside the lines of the box, the print is off, and you should examine it more closely; you may see the flaw easily once you know it's there. This may not ruin the appeal of the design, however; and if it doesn't (and you won't need more later, which may come from a different, flawless, bolt), then enjoy your bargain.
Wholesale advantages Besides the larger selection, if you buy fabric through a design-center showroom, or from the same sources through a designer, the fabrics you'll see will all be available in a number of colors for many years and will have coordinating fabrics and trims. You can ask for large samples (called "memo" samples) to take home and live with for 30 days while you make your decision. The fabrics are first-quality; carefully designed to allow for efficient repeats (I'll explain in a moment); and if they arrive with flaws, can easily be replaced, provided you have not cut them. You can even ask for a "cutting for approval," or CFA, which will be taken directly from the piece they plan to send you. This may be from a different dye lot than your memo sample, so a CFA is always a good idea, allowing you to make sure any difference in the two lots is acceptable. Decorator fabrics must be ordered and paid for in advance, and there's sometimes a long wait, since your choice may not even be woven until enough orders accumulate worldwide. Also, most manufacturers will charge a nominal fee for cutting less than a 2- to 5-yd. minimum, plus you can expect a shipping charge, but neither is likely to be much more than $10, which you'll probably scarcely notice when it's added to the total! Sticker shock From almost any source, fabrics for the home usually start at $15/yd. and go up from there, often way up. It's not uncommon, for example, for a fine-grade, 54-in.-wide silk taffeta to sell wholesale for $130/yd. Yet, even though there are lots of great fabrics in the $20-$40 range, your project is likely to require many more yards than any garment (for some general guidelines, see Yardage estimates). Take a deep breath and consider: These fabrics are more expensive than most garment fabrics, with good reason. Any item for your home has to look good as it withstands daily use for many years. And trust your hands as you calculate the costs: Feel a typical garment-weight cotton print, for example, and then any cotton print for interior use. The differences in weight and substance will be obvious, and they are worth the money in the long run. It helps if you think of home fabrics as an investment you'll enjoy for 10 or 20 years, like a couch or a stereo. If you decide to give in to the delights of Paradise, simply choose a designer or architect (they are listed with the design centers) and explain to them what you wish to buy, negotiating payment for their administrative services. If there's no design center near you, look up the local interior design shops; they will usually have swatch books from the same sources for you to buy from. In either case, I also strongly suggest you consider buying an hour or two of consultation time, typically $50-150/hr., as a way of getting some feedback on your decorating plans if they are extensive. A little expert advice can help prevent costly mistakes. [ next ] |
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