With its pleasantly soft feel and slightly shimmering surface, the velvet fabric instantly refines any interior and at the same time creates a cozy and inviting ambience. Last year the material announced itself as the latest living trend. This year it also caused a sensation at the numerous furniture trade fairs. Furniture manufacturers included velvet as an upholstery material in their product range and presented numerous sofas, chairs and armchairs with velvet upholstery. The upholstery fabric is particularly popular in the cold season. We'll show you some ideas for furnishing with velvet and give you useful tips for combinations with other materials. Get inspired!
The noble material comes from the Orient
The velvet fabriccomes from the Orient, it was still traded in the Middle Ages. The soft material first gained popularity in Italy, where it decorated walls, windows and furniture. It was slowly imported into other European countries and caused a sensation in France, England and among the German princes. Its reputation as “royal fabric” is well deserved – even today it is an inseparable part of the interior design in numerous castles.
What does the term mean?
The term “velvet” is derived from the ancient Greek word “hexaminos” and means “six-threaded”. The name refers to the fabric production. A warp or weft system is incorporated into its fabric. Depending on the weave, the so-called fiber pile results on the right side of the fabric. It is the reason why the fabric looks so supple, its surface has a slight shimmer and the material feels so soft. The fabric is heavy and was previously a popular choice for bedspreads or curtains. The fabric was originally made from silk, but today it is mass-produced from plastic fibers or cotton.
The trendy fabric differs from plush and velor
And although velvet is confusingly similar to velor, there are actually some differences between the two fabrics. Fabrics with a pile height of up to 4 mm are called velvet. Velor (comes from the French word for velvet) refers to textiles with a pile height of over 4 mm. With plush, the threads are even longer; the material is used in the production of carpets. With the inexpensive alternative Velvet, the finished fibers are glued directly into place and not hand-woven.
The basic principles
In the past, the trendy fabric adorned the ballrooms of the nobles, could be staged together with silk and was part of magnificent ensembles with daybeds with elaborate wood carvings. Nowadays it presents itself more reservedly in muted earth tones and fits successfully into purist interiors.The modern velvet sofashave a simple frame, the armchairs with velvet covers bring a retro touch to your own four walls with their round shapes and the upholstered chairs with a reduced Scandinavian design bring variety to the dining room.
As for the color scheme, there are two variants to choose from. In establishments with a neutral color palette, interior designers usually opt for soft pastel shades. Here, tones such as light green, pink or ivory add the finishing touches. In eclectic interiors, accents are usually set in a strong contrasting color. Purple, orange and petrol blue are among the trend colors for 2018.
Here is an overview of the trends for 2018 and 2019:
1. Different fabrics in one room: cotton, silk and velvet, as well as knitwear can be easily combined with each other.
2. Add accents with individual pieces of furniture instead of purchasing complete sets.
3. Rely on furniture and accessories with a clear design language.
How to create an inviting ambience by furnishing with velvet
A wing chair in petrol blue together with a stool in wine red form a comfortable reading corner in the living room. By the way, velvet can be easily combined not only with wood, but also with metal. Chairs with wooden legs and metal details are particularly trendy. Plant pots in a gold look add a touch of lightness to the dark ensemble.
The velvet curtains are opaque and therefore simply perfect for the bedroom. Together with a tone-on-tone stool, they bring elegance to the sleeping area. The wall color anthracite creates security and spreads peace. This benefits your own island and relaxation.
In the dining room, the chairs with velvet upholstery promise maximum seating comfort. Together with the round dining table made of mahogany wood and the marble table top, they form an attractive ensemble. The neutral white walls and floor fade into the background and allow the materials to stand out better.
If the walls and floor are dark, you can visually demarcate the dining area with a carpet. The interior designers often counteract with such a bright accent, the dark walls and furniture and in this way avoid the room from looking overwhelming and small. The shelving system made of glass and metal in a gold look brings movement into the room and, together with the dining table, also with metal legs, loosens up the strictly classic living image.
If you want to add a classic touch to your contemporary interior, you can opt for the trendy cocoon look. Different materials are skilfully combined with each other. A subtle color scheme highlights the attractive look of the hand-woven carpet and the handmade chairs with velvet upholstery.
