Trend Alert: Linen Fabric

We are seeing a huge surge in interest in linen fabric recently! Specifically, linen curtains, accessories, or furniture that has been upholstered in this beautiful fabric. We love adding extra texture through linen fabric in our projects, and linen made a huge splash at the most recent Las Vegas Furniture Market, but is it right for your home? Let’s find out! 

What is Linen Fabric?

Linen fabric is made from the fibers of the flax plant. The finest quality linen comes from Europe – specifically Belgium where there is an optimal climate for growing flax. Despite linen being made from very fine fibers, it is actually 30% stronger than cotton!

Why we love linen fabric!

We love linen fabric because of its wonderfully natural texture. Linen has been used in the fashion industry for many years, and never goes out of style. The same can be said for using linen fabric in interiors too! The durability of it is enticing for many homeowners, not to mention the longevity of the fabric as well. Linen can become much softer over the years, with more wear. For all of these advantages, we love to use linen fabric in accessories, and upholstery to add natural texture to a space!

How to use linen fabric.

There are many ways you can use linen fabric in your home…

Our favorite is through furniture upholstery. It is a very durable fabric that evolves into a soft texture over time. As linen is more durable than cotton, we love to use linen for upholstering sofas and armchairs. If you have pets though, we don’t recommend using this fabric for upholstery due to scratching that can damage it.

We also love to use linen for accessories! Throw pillows and curtains are a great way of introducing some texture into a room, and linen allows you to do that.

You can use linen for your main bedding! It is fast becoming a popular choice because it lasts longer than cotton bedding, and will become even softer over time.

What to watch for.

While linen fabric is beautiful, there are some considerations to take into account when thinking of incorporating it in your home.

If you have pets, we don’t recommend using linen in your home. Particularly for upholstery, the fabric can be easily damaged by scratching.

Another thing that is important to keep in mind, is that linen will feel crisp initially. But don’t worry! Over time, through use, it will become softer. Linen actually improves with age, so stick with it! As linen softens, it also tends to “grow” or stretch a bit. This gives upholstered pieces a relaxed look and curtains will become longer. If you desire a clean and streamlined aesthetic, linen would not be the fiber of choice for you, as this could be perceived as sloppy. 

Linen is known for wrinkling and creasing easily, so if you want your pieces to look fresh and flat, you’ll need to spend time ironing the creases out. The crinkles in linen are part of the character of the fabric though.

Ways to make this trend last in your home

Using a different fabric in your home can feel scary at first! But there are a few ways you can make this trend last for many years.

If you’re ready to add linen fabric into your home, make sure to get lots of fabric samples if they are available. Fabrics can vary greatly between supplier, type and color, so it is important to have samples in order to make an informed decision.

When you have decided which piece of furniture you will use the fabric for, it’s important to make sure the fabric you choose is suitable for that use and how much wear the furniture is intended to get. Some linens are thinner than others, making them less suited for sofas that will get a lot of use for example.

You can easily make this trend last in your home by using neutral colored linen fabric for your sofa, armchair, accent chairs or even decorative accessories to add some texture to the space. The fabric is timeless, and so long as you keep to neutral colors, yours will be both classic and timeless and last many years!

While the most common colorway for linen fabric is cream and natural tones, there are some available that have been made with different colored fibers. 

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