Types of Traditional Fabric Patterns

Interior decoration allows you to express your creativity in numerous ways. By choosing to decorate your home with upholstered furniture, you have even more creative liberties when it comes to picking fabric patterns that add personality and pizzazz to the room of your choice. If you prefer the warmth and welcoming look of antique furniture, an antique reproduction offers a wonderful alternative that is newly constructed yet full of charm and old-world elegance. In this guide, we take a close look at the different types of traditional fabric patterns available to you. With this information, you can familiarize yourself with patterns used throughout the past and make your upholstery decision an easy one.

Types of Traditional Fabric Patterns

Brocade: This beautiful fabric pattern is richly woven with a raised design that resembles embroidery. Instead of being stitched on, the pattern is created with extra weft threads as the fabric is woven on a jacquard loom. Brocade has been used in traditional clothing, drapery, pillows, bedding, and much more. Brocade is usually made of silk or satin.

Chevron: Although this fabric pattern seems somewhat modern, it has actually been used for thousands of years. First use of the chevron pattern can be traced back to ancient Grecian pottery pieces, but it was also the delight of European designers for many centuries. Chevron features a zigzag stripe pattern that provides a fun and playful upholstery option.

Chinoiserie: This elaborate fabric pattern stems from a western evocation of daily life and the decorative arts in ancient China. Patterns vary, from birds to florals and pagodas to foo dogs. Chinoiserie pairs very well with Asian-inspired interiors and traditional styles. Chinoiserie was commonly used among Chippendale and Hollywood Regency furniture.

Damask: This elegant fabric pattern gets its name from the city of Damascus, Syria and was commonly used to make decorative garments. Damask is woven on a jacquard loom using a single color yarn and a combination of weaving techniques to create a tone-on-tone pattern between lustrous and matte surfaces. Damask is made of satin or sateen.

Harlequin: This simplistic yet often colorful fabric pattern features a repeating series of diamonds. Harlequin offers a fun and playful way to dress up furniture. Some Harlequin patterns have small dots at the points where diamonds meet.

Herringbone: Although it resembles a chevron pattern, herringbone is differentiated by breaks between the zigs and zags. These breaks might be lines or just thin gaps in between. Herringbone is also much thinner than a chevron design, which makes it look like a fish's skeleton. This pattern is great for contemporary interiors.

Houndstooth: This classy fabric pattern, also known as hounds tooth check or dogstooth, consists of a duotone design that features abstract, irregular points on the corners of each square. Although houndstooth is typically woven with black and white wool yarns, it is also made in many different color combinations and scales.

Ikat: This trendy material has a geometric design that looks somewhat stretched and blurred around the edges. Ikat gets its name from the Indonesian expression meaning "to bind," which pertains to the method of dyeing and weaving the fabric. Ikat is available in a wide range of shapes and color combinations, making it ideal for contemporary interiors.

Jacobean: This woven fabric pattern is heavily embroidered in a wide variety of stylized patterns, including florals, fruits, birds, and animals. Jacobean upholstery is a sophisticated choice for footstools, ottomans, and accents pillows.

Matelassé: This rich pattern is produced on a jacquard loom and its name refers to the method of weaving fabric to form a thick, quilted appearance. This tone-on-tone pattern is raised and appears to be padded or embossed.

Ogee: This interesting pattern features bulbous, diamond-like shapes with concave arcs and vertical ends. The roots of this exotic design can be traced back to ancient Persia, but it has endured the test of time and become a favorite of designers for the last several centuries. Ogee fabric patterns are perfect for boho, global, and eclectic decorating styles.

Paisley: This popular pattern of Persian origin features a teardrop-shaped design in an array of color combinations. Though it was originally named "Botegh Jegheh," its name comes from the town of Paisley, Scotland. Paisley reached peak popularity in the 1970s but its popularity persists today, adding a touch of interest to any contemporary furniture.

Quatrefoil: This decorative fabric pattern features a series of symmetrical lobes or foils of equal size. Quatrefoil stems from Gothic and Renaissance architecture, but its name is Latin for "four leaves." There are many variations of this fabric pattern, including barbed and slipped quatrefoil.

Suzani: This intricate textile has a long and celebrated history among nomadic tribes in the Middle East. It was traditionally hand-embroidered by a bride and given as her dowry to the groom on the wedding day. Suzani is usually made of cotton or silk. Four stitches – tambour, basma, chain, and kanda-khayol – are used to create many patterns.

Tartan: This plaid pattern consists of criss-crossed horizontal and vertical bands in an assortment of colors, which was originally used to differentiate Scottish clans. Although tartan was originally made of ecru yarn, a type of wool, it is now made from a variety of materials that are dyed, wound, warped, and then woven.

Toile: This classic fabric pattern, also known as toile de jouy, originated from an 18th century French textile factory in the village of Jouy-en-Josas. Toile depicts pastoral scenes in a variety of color combinations, making it a wonderful choice for any Régence, Louis XV, Empire, Louis Philippe, or Napoleon antique reproduction.

All types of traditional fabric patterns are widely used today in the upholstery of armchairs, chaise lounge chairs, loveseats, settees, sofas, and so much more. In fact, Laurel Crown offers a wide selection of upholstered antique reproductions that will add a touch of old-world elegance to any room in your home. We also offer a bevy of upholstery fabrics and patterns to choose from. If you have any questions about this fabric pattern guide or would like to learn more about our customization process, please feel free to contact us for additional information or further assistance.