Stripes, squiggles and splashes of colour. Prints are a great way to add a flourish of detail to your home. They brighten up dull corners and liven up muted themes. What’s more, once you’ve found a print you love, you can add it to cushions, curtains and footstools as well as sofas and armchairs. They’re a great way to inject a bit of your own personality into different rooms around the house. So let’s find out a bit more about which ones to choose and where to find them.
What Are Print Fabrics?
Print fabrics come in all different shapes and sizes, but the common theme is that the pattern has been printed onto the fabric. That means the colour has been bonded to the fibre in a way that the colour can withstand washing and friction. There are many different ways to print fabrics from traditional block printing techniques to the more modern screen printing.
Where Do We Source Our Print Fabrics From?
All our house fabrics are sourced directly from third- and fourth-generation European mills. And we work hard to ensure that these materials are easy to care for so that they can be enjoyed by busy households for many years.
However, we also work closely with brands we love to incorporate their striking designs into our handmade furniture. This includes the home emporium Tobias & The Angel, which has resurrected vintage wood block designs into modern prints. As well as Cabbages and Roses with their floral masterpieces.
Whichever fabrics we use, we always focus on quality and durability.
What Is A Good Print Fabric For Upholstery?
As with everything at Love Your Home, each sofa, armchair and cushion is designed to last. We want busy couples, families in a rush or friends who enjoy a long night to be able to enjoy each piece in the way they want. That means we only choose print fabrics that are suitable for upholstery and can handle a bit of wear and tear.
Here are the things to look out for when your choosing a print fabric for a sofa:
- Durability: You want to make sure that the fabric won’t rub away to nothing after a few uses. We measure durability with the Martindale rub test, which calculates how hardwearing the material is. The perimeters for this test range from around 10,000 for light and occasional use to 50,000 or more for heavy duty use.
- Comfort: What does it feel like? You want to make sure a print fabric sits well on your skin if you’re using it for a sofa or chair. After all, you may be spending long nights cosying up in it.
- Vibrancy: Is it colourful? Does the pattern speak to you? After all, that’s the reason you’re choosing a print fabric. You’ll also need to make sure that it goes with your decor, either blending in with existing palettes or offering a striking contrast.
How To Care For Print Upholstery
Looking after print fabrics all depends on what fabric the colour is printed onto. All prints have their own guidelines for washing and maintaining. But if in doubt, here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Read the care label: first things first, check the label for advice. This will tell you if the fabric can be machine washed or not, and provide ironing and tumble drying tips.
- Vacuum regularly: this will help prevent crumbs and dust damaging the fabric. Make sure to hoover underneath cushions, along seams and along the back. It helps to prevent surface dirt embedding into the weave. It will also help to remove any pet hair if you have a furry friend in the house.
- Don’t scrub a stain: instead, try and use a clean damp cloth to soak up the liquid. Rubbing the stain will only make it harder to get out and will damage the fabric. For more stubborn stains a mild detergent can be used, but try to dab the mark, not scrub it.
Order Free Fabric Swatches
You can see all our fabric samples online. However, some colours on screen may differ to the colours in real life, so we always recommend ordering our samples. You can request up to eight free fabric swatches to any UK address. Simply enter your details in the form online and wait for the delivery.
Choose From These Love Your Home Print Fabrics
Which one, which one? That’s a good question. We offer print fabrics in different styles, colours and textures. Take a look at the ones we stock below and then order some free samples to help you decide.
Tobias & The Angel - Oatmeal
Our collaboration with Tobias & The Angel, which was founded in 1986 by Angel Hughes, brings to life the hand-blocked textiles and distinctive linen cloths that the home emporium is famed for. Each one of the bespoke designs starts with hand-carved woodblocks, printed individually using traditional techniques. These are then carefully translated into digital prints, bringing unique traditional and modern elements together to make this vibrant collection.
The vibrant coral pattern sits against an oatmeal background to bring out the vivid shades of squid ink, rust, and oatmeal. To make sure the colours stay bright do not bleach or tumble dry them. Instead, you can put them on a gentle 30-degree wash or use a dry cleaner. And when ironing, use the cool setting.
- Martindale rub test: 12,000
- Gentle machine wash at 30 degrees
- Composition: 55% linen, 45% cotton
Tobias & The Angel - White
Much like the above fabric, we’ve worked with Tobias & The Angel to produce this linen and cotton blend of vibrant coral prints. However, with this collection, the colours are printed on a white background to heighten the contrast and bring out the brightness of these handpicked shades. The difference in composition means that there is slightly different aftercare too. The fabrics shouldn’t be washed, bleached or tumble dried, but instead taken to the dry cleaners. As above, if you’re ironing, use the cool setting.
- Martindale rub test: 23,000
- Dry clean only
- Composition: 40% linen, 60% cotton
The Gingham Edit
Used for everything from picnic blankets to rustic country dresses, gingham has been a firm favourite for centuries. We have revamped this neat pattern in a demure black and cream to blend seamlessly with different interior styles. What’s more, we have played around with the check size; there’s a busier, small check or a check with thick, chunky lines. Both work perfectly together or on their own to upholster sofas, armchairs, footstools and even matching cushions. If you need to give them a wash, we recommend putting them on a gentle 30-degree wash or dry cleaning them. Don’t tumble dry or bleach and always use a cool setting if you’re ironing.
- Martindale rub test: 18,000
- Gentle machine wash at 30 degrees
- Composition: 100% cotton
Small Stripe
The colours in our stripe collection immediately evoke sunny days on the beach and laughter by the seaside. We’ve chosen five warming colours; red, sage, pink, ginger and a rich navy for our nautical shade. These bold stripes are a brilliantly simple choice for family kitchens, children’s bedrooms or to add a bit of contrast to a room that needs a pop of colour. The fabric is 100% cotton and is designed to survive the wear and tear of busy households. Make sure not to bleach or tumble dry the fabric, but put it on a 30-degree machine wash or send it to the dry cleaners. As with all our prints, when ironing, make sure to put it on the cool setting.
- Martindale rub test: 18,000
- Gentle machine wash at 30 degrees
- Composition: 100% cotton
Mini Stripe
Much like our Small Stripe fabrics, our Mini Stripe collection is made from 100% cotton. We’ve made the stripes even smaller and printed them in two shades: cream and sage. The muted colours and subtle contrast makes this a very easy print to integrate into existing colour schemes. To get the best out of them, don’t bleach or tumble dry but machine wash on gentle and use a cool iron, or send them to the dry cleaners.
- Gentle machine wash at 30 degrees
- Composition: 100% cotton
Alexandra
Our Alexandra fabric was made in collaboration with the adventurer, writer and presenter Alexandra Tolstoy. She is also known for her eclectic interiors, and this particular print was inspired by rich 19th-century fabrics and Alexandra's love for mixing fabrics. It fits seamlessly into a rustic or country-style aesthetic, and is perfect against different patterns and textures. Whether you’re using this cotton twill for a cushion or an armchair with pleat detailing, the fabric can be chucked in the wash and tumble dried on a low heat – but make sure not to iron it.
- Martindale rub test: 20,000
- Gentle machine wash at 30 degrees and tumble dry on low
- Composition: 100% cotton twill
