If you’re a design lover like us, you’re likely changing your design preferences again and again. Switching up your entire design aesthetic can be costly and take quite a bit of time to achieve.
Every time you want to try out a new style, you’re suddenly overhauling every piece of upholstery and decor in your home.
When creating a cohesive interior space, we encourage you to start with a neutral foundation. Having a simple design base can look several ways, but you should begin by incorporating neutrals into your larger surfaces.
In order to make the most of our changing preferences, consider building a neutral design base. When you use white upholstery fabric, switching up your pillows or curtains can make a big difference in the overall design. Think about the upholstery on your sofa, bedding, headboard, anything that takes up a lot of visual space.
By having a blank canvas to build on, you can make smaller changes here and there to make a more significant impact and change your design aesthetic as often as you’d like! Here at Kovi, we love building a design aesthetic on a crisp white base.
Starting With The Perfect Base: White Upholstery Fabric
There’s a reason you feel most drawn to a large fluffy white sofa, it feels fresh! Whether you’re a fan of an all-white look or just need a place to start, a white piece of furniture looks like a fresh and clean space.
Are you worried about stains? No problem! Look into specifying a material that is easy to clean.
We tend to believe white is more difficult to keep clean but that’s not the case at all. The cleanability of material has more to do with the textile and very little to do with the color itself.
Specifying White Upholstery Fabric Styles
While white can feel boring or plain, using white upholstery fabric is the perfect way to dip your toe into different design styles.
Want to try out a more traditional design aesthetic? Go ahead and choose a textile in white. The neutral color will make a new style feel less overwhelming and reduce the contrast to your existing design style.
White isn’t just for the modern design lovers anymore; check out our favorite choices in some of the top style categories!
Transitional
Transitional style and white upholstery fabric go hand-in-hand. Both are incredibly versatile and play well with a variety of design styles.
For the design lover that enjoys a bit of variety in their upholstery material, we recommend K3880. This textile appears subtle and muted from far away, but as you get closer to the material, you see the pattern and visual interest it provides. The perfect transitional choice!
If you enjoy a bit more pattern and repetition in your upholstery, check out D2914 Ivory. The vertical leaf design would make it a great fit for curtains, a side chair or a bolster pillow.
Remember to match the direction of your pattern when working with vertical or horizontal lines!
Traditional
You know those old-school napkins or drapes that make you feel nostalgic for family holidays as a child? The K2191 Vineyard is that fabric for us. The details are subtle, but the intent is clear. This material is a classic. With the white brocade design, you can’t help but feel like you’ve seen this style before.
We always keep our eyes peeled for the pattern lovers of the world. If you’re a fan of larger-scale patterns, this one is for you! The greek key motif of K7317 has a bit more contrast than our previous traditional textile.=
Preppy
Oh, we’ve been waiting to show off our D7056 Espuma textile! This pattern should be at the top of your following DIY list. You don’t have to have a preppy interior to incorporate this material into your next project. If you’re looking for a sophisticated material for a child’s room or playroom, this is it!
DA683 Swan is so easy on the eye; you will hardly notice your entire sofa is covered in a soothing stripe. You didn’t think we’d let you get away without another preppy stripe, did you? Are you looking to layer textiles? This would make the perfect foundation!
Modern
In the world of modern textiles, texture is in style. Give us one shade in multiple finishes, and we’ll call it a day! KL002 Blanc makes the perfect addition to this way of design. The woven material adds variety to an otherwise plain color. This high-end linen is not to be overlooked. You’ll notice it has a bit of a sheen, making it the perfect modern pick!
The other end of the modern upholstery spectrum is soft, rich materials such as E2423 White. This material will catch you by surprise! We usually visualize a brown or black finish. This durable material works well in high-traffic areas and is sure to surprise your leather-loving friends.
Coastal
While we’re big fans of a theme, we also appreciate a subtle nod to your favorite styles. The KV247 Cotton looks like straight-up sand, and we love it! With threads of white, you get the feeling of a wind-blown shore. If you’ve been looking into coastal interiors but worry about being too literal, this is a great place to start.
Alright, we couldn’t help ourselves! K8121 Tropical has the perfect warm-white background for a beachy motif. Can you tell we love a bit of surprise in our white upholstery fabric? From a distance, this material will look like texture. As you get closer, the design will make itself apparent. We’re big fans!
Our Current Favorite White Upholstery Fabric Options
Faux Leather
We’re always looking for visual interest in our materials, and this is a great choice! We’re always looking for visual interest in our materials, and this is a great choice! It’s important to us to support faux-leather design lovers. If we had to choose, E2631 Cloud is durable while maintaining an exciting texture.
Crypton
If cleanability is a top priority, look no further than KV273 Snow. Your bright white textile no longer has to be a dirt magnet! This material is made with Crypton making it stain-resistant.
Cotton
Chevron was big back in 2013! While we know the two-tone pattern might not be at the top of your list, we have the perfect alternative. K4490 is the ideal subtle version of the 2013 classic!
The variation in texture adds the dimension we love without an in-your-face pattern. Incorporate this textile into your next design project, and you’ll seriously impress your most design-driven friend.
Question & Answer
Question: How can I search through various white textiles to find what’s right for me?
Answer: You can check out all of Kovi’s white textiles here!
Question: What shade of white upholstery fabric should I use?
Answer: We recommend choosing a color based on personal preferences such as cool or warm tones, interior style, etc. If you feel drawn to a specific material but aren’t sure if it will work, go ahead and order a sample!
Question: Is white a trendy color for 2022?
Answer: White had a moment in 2020 and 2021! While we do believe more people will stay from an all-white look going into 2022, we know it will remain the perfect foundational color for many design styles.
Question: I want to upholster something in my home with a white fabric. What should I reupholster?
Might we encourage you to create variety in the materials used? Answer: If you’re a fan of the all-white look, go all-in! When everything looks too similar, a space can fall flat. Try to incorporate a variety of textiles into your design to achieve a more dynamic look.
Question: What color pairs best with white upholstery?
Answer: We were hoping you’d ask us this! The best color is… all of them! Add one at a time, or throw in your favorite color combination. White will freshen up the look and make what’s old new again.
Bright White Upholstery Fabric
The New Year is looking bright with white upholstery fabric setting the tone. Nothing says a fresh start like light-amplifying textiles! If you’re looking to make your space feel bigger in 2022, make sure white textiles are a part of the transformation.
Starting the new year with design projects in mind, we cannot wait to see how you incorporate white upholstery fabric into your homes! We’re always impressed with our DIY community and their creativity in our textile-loving world.