Fabric Inspiration

By peace | May 3, 2007

Design is the way something is planned, arranged, and made. A designer aims to create things that look good, and do their job well. Most man-made objects such as furniture or clothes, have been designed. For example, some 40000 years ago people sewed hides together to fit the body, using needles made from mammoth ivory and reindeer bone. This was mainly for survival, but gradually more emphasis was placed on the decorative value of clothing. In many ancient cultures, such as Egypt, Greece, and Rome, fashion was linked to wealth and social status.

Designers often have to sketch out their ideas on paper and then to decide on materials and then to make the detailed drawings again. Designs change as lifestyles and tastes change, and as new materials and technology develop too. For example, in the 20th century, eating styles became less formal, and people wanted convenience. At the same time, new materials such as stainless steel became available. As a result, kitchen products became more streamlined and more desirable.

Designing and decorative arts go hand in hand. In contrast to the fine arts of painting and sculpture, decorative arts refers to the design of everyday objects that are turned into works of art. These objects are often purely ornamental. The decorative arts include textiles, jewellery, glasswork and ceramics. Fabrics are very useful in decorative arts. Special fabrics can be used as a book-wrap and at home, the sofa can have a new look with different fabrics to enhance the styles and look of the house. In addition to making clothes and sofas, fabrics are used in making curtains too. Look around your home, how many types of things need special fabrics to bring out its beauty and to give you comfort? You bed is another thing that need fabrics — your bedsheets. You can change your bedsheets every week according to the type of inspiration you want to have by choosing different types of fabrics to put on your mattress!

Click here for upholstery fabric! A place of specialising in fabric, the people who run Design Diva Fabrics have been involved in many of the design community’s most prestigious organizations for over 30 years. THEIR LOVE of interior fabrics fuels them in their worldwide search for the most unusual fabrics and trims available. From the luscious Velvets of Belgium and the magnificent Brocades of Italy to the intricately Hand Embroidered Silks of the Far East, they have it all. And as if that wasn’t enough, almost all of their fabrics are normally available exclusively to designers and architects. This is a place for your fabric inspiration indeed! You can find a list of fabrics samples from their products categories. I have browse through the range of fabrics they have. It is my interest to look choose fabrics designs and types of materials which I can use whenever I need to do a new project. These pictures below show some floral fabrics that I had found from their site which I like: