Join the pile high club with velvet - this season's ultimate material
FOLLOWING a bump in popularity in late 2016, velvet will prowl the catwalks at all the world-class fashion shows again this winter. Models and celebrities from Kendall Jenner to Lady Gaga and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley are swathed in yards of the soft stuff composed by Tom Ford, Armani Privé, Valentino and the house of Ralph Lauren.
Where the red soles go in New York Fashion Week (and Penney’s have trotted in with some lovely velvet boots) — interiors follow. We are already seeing a resurgence of the beloved classic for furnishings and even accessorising. Recovering a chair, or taking to window treatments, let’s see how to seductively deploy velvet’s upper-class elegance.
Measured luxuriance is back. Velvet can politely insinuate itself in even a stark Scandinavian-led minimalist room, spiked with industrial modest furnishings, showing up against raw wood in many look-books. In smooth suede short planes and deeply buttoned cropped pile, it’s unashamedly saturated in decadent, iridescent colour.
Depending on your choice of furniture lines, go contemporary retro-luxe, or reach back to the Edwardian country house opulence in ottomans and armchairs. Take the warm velvet touch up a notch to the glamour of Art Deco stools, tufted bed-heads and dining chairs, where even black velvet has returned. Marble is a perfect marriage to an indulgent velvet landscape in the current boxy, squared-up shapes (never improved upon since Hans Hopfer’s 1970s Mah Jong sectionals, rochebobois.com).
Geraldine Hegarty, proprietor and designer at Hegarty Fabrics in Fermoy, explains that velvet, for all its royal plush, comes in at surprising good prices and finishes.
“Despite assumptions, there are beautiful velvet fabrics for furnishings, curtains and cushions that are far from astronomical. Alvar by Clarke & Clarke, is just €24.95 per year and almost indistinguishable in feel and drape from their pricier on-cotton Palais, at €65 a yard.
“Digital prints can deliver gorgeous imagery, and I love these embossed velvets from the Ballet range from €32 a yard. If you prefer to buy curtains off-the-rail, a growing selection of ready-mades include some stunning textures, patterns, prints and romantic florals.”
The finish is what makes the name, but there are ranks of velvet from silk velvets, through mohair, linen, wool and pure cottons, right down to affordable polyester velvets. A short, dense pile that can be brushed with the hand to leave a texture and is vulnerable to bruising and wear, so natural materials can be toughened with the addition of synthetics, such as viscose.
“Velvets do come in high rub counts of a commercial quality that will easily make the five-year mark,” says Geraldine, “look for 25,000 even 30,000 rubs on the labels in the books — keep in mind, even great cotton has just 15,000 rubs.”
Popular jewel and geode colours include the richness of emerald green, plum, gold, ink and mineral blues, or the more feminine fragility of silver, coral, azure and quartz pink. Velvet can carry a pattern in a number of ways beyond colouring, including jacquard velvets, gaufraged (a burnished, in-metal feel) and acid melted devoré which gives the impression of cut out areas revealing the supporting fabric (similar to damask wallpapers).
Crushing drives the pile in different directions — tread softy here with a quality choice - otherwise the look is cheap. Deep, matte velvet enriches colour (as we look into the pile), its subtle tones especially beautiful under demure light.
To dress up one-colour velvet cushions add fringing, braid or applied decorations. Bank up vying or harmonising shades in one fabric type, but vary the size and shape of cushion. Two-tone velvet such as the Tepsi collection from Zoffany, are hard wearing and have real chic, but with contract level boots and braces — Tepsi Square in Indigo is right on trend at €190 a metre. Its one-colour, but delicately dimpled Curzon and Aldwych velvet, is jacquard woven viscose pile and indicates a light distressing. Both are very country house at €140 per metre in a wide choice of shades, zoffany.com.
For new naturals,go for Isla velvet in 100% cotton in Ermine (mid-grey) or the recently released Mallard (green) from Neptune, superbly priced at €63 per metre, neptune.com/ie.
For bold design on a Lotto budget, take a look at the Milan design house of Dedar, famed for their silk prints for Hermés scarves. Romeo & Giulietta real silk velvet, is intentionally created for uneven shading of one colour luxury chiné, POA, dedar.com.
Bluebellgray known for its watercolour confections, has two magnificent velvet prints inspired by the Highlands, Wee Archie and Lewis (pull back on any other patterns in the room if you’re going for curtains) - from €113 a metre, bluebellgray.com.
For something literal and posh, who can resist the tapestry styled Poppinjay collection with fantasy birds at Ian Sanderson. From €1 per sample, iansanderson.co.uk.
Fans of Glasgow geniuses Timorous Beasshould look up their freak show on velvet, ideal for some 70s jive – Marble Gum, €178.40 a metre, timorous beasties.com.
Hegarty Fabrics stock the popular Irish made Scatter Box gallery - feather filled cushions in bold velvet feels with botanicals and jazzy abstracts, ideal for retro lovers at €29 a piece, scatterbox.ie. Mixing up plains and stripes? A classic confection.
Velvet marks easily, but no fabric is forever, and pets and babies are ruinous on any pale choices. Work fast if stains occur. Delicately dab spills with an absorbent cloth and work inward with light touches, not outward which will just spread the stain and drive it into the filling. Spray dedicated cleaning solutions, rather than soaking and potentially distorting the fabric.
To maintain your velvet use the ultra soft, clean brush attachment of your vacuum on a low setting and sweep over, don’t stab or scrub. If you have to brush the fabric by hand, use a soft clothes brush over a suede brush which can bald velvet if rudely applied.
Keep in mind that dark colours in velvet will generally be more forgiving and relatively tough with the right protection, like Scotch Guard.
VINTAGE VIBE
The trend for vintage cushions is all over the high street and online artisan outlets. Mixing 1960s funk and ‘80s kitsch, the eclectic choices made from trimmings saved from markets, designers’ bolts and dedicated sales, brings the best of textile design to your home for a relatively small spend.
Ensure the materials you buy complete or as remnants to make up, are in good order,and explore the material type before attempting conventional cleaning methods.
This beautiful Lave Lamp cushion is made in original vintage Italian silk from about
1980 with hidden seams, and is staged on a classic Ghost Chair by Kartell.
The maker is Nichollette Yardley-Moore whose work is stocked by Liberty of London. Cushions from €35 with a duck filled feather pad, vintagecushions.com.
VELVET UNDERGROUND
Upholstered in velvet and with built-in foam cushioning, the curved sleek silhouette in a feelgood fabric and colour, adds a bit of fun personality to small spaces. Team with the other Cloud Chairs in alternative shades for double the impact. €790 per section, oliverbonas.com.
This Ariel Bed combines natural, Art Deco-inspired forms, with the clean lines and tapered legs typical of mid-century design. The segmented seashell-like headboard is idea for this sky blue velvet. Complete bed from €3,899, Sweetpea & Willow (UK & Ireland).
The Lewis velvet fabric features a palette of tonal blues and vibrant cerise pink, inspired by the moody coastal landscapes in the Scottish Highlands. 137cm wide, 100% cotton, €113 per metre, bluebellgrey.com.
Dressed from heels to back rail in yellow velvet, this Pols Potten Holy chair is ideal for an adult dining room. Team to a dark wood table to make the colour pop. €260, polspotten.nl.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
