Performance Fabrics Are Changing the Way People Design and Live

Better Quality and More Options

Performance textiles — or specially treated materials that are resistant or repellent to things such as wrinkles, spills and environmental conditions — were once mostly limited to outdoor furniture. Today, Olson says, these fabrics are available in such a wide variety from traditional performance-fabric makers like Crypton and Sunbrella, as well as other brands just entering the market, that her team uses them in almost every project.

“There’s no real project that we do now without using a performance fabric, so it’s really become a vital part of our business,” she says. “What that means for us is that it expands beyond just that one family room sofa that our clients are wanting to ensure has longevity and is easy to clean.”

Designers and homeowners can now find performance linens, velvets and other fabrics in a wide range of styles and at a wide range of prices, from budget-friendly to luxury, Olson says. The headboard seen here is covered in a performance velvet.

Different fabric types offer different levels of spill, wrinkle or soil protection, depending on a homeowner’s needs. For example, there are versions for the people who don’t mind liquids soaking through the fabric but want a piece that’s easy to clean.

At the other end of the spectrum, heavier-duty fabrics that don’t allow anything to permeate them — typically backed with a plastic-like lining — can be a smart choice for high-traffic areas, Olson says. In those cases, there’s still a bit of a trade-off for the high level of protection: a less cushy feel that’s not for everybody.

“If you think about how a sofa that’s covered in leather feels, you plop down on it and there’s a little bit of a hardness and then you start to sink in. That’s how we explain to clients that’s how it will feel,” she says. “Some clients don’t want that feel. They want to feel that cushy, cozy fabric they can sink into.”

Performance is in such demand that Olson says she’s seeing more companies offering treatment services to turn any fabric into a performance fabric after a piece has been made, although fabrics that were originally designed to be performance are still the more reliable choice.

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People Are Seeing the Value

Maybe because performance fabrics have been known as outdoor materials, homeowners are often skeptical when Olson and her team suggest using them in an interior design. Once they see and feel samples of the latest fabrics, however, they understand why they might be the right fit, Olson says.

“We will do little sample tests in our office too, so they can see what spilled coffee does, how it blots up and how it’s easily cleaned or in some cases how it doesn’t even soak into the fabric at all, which is always a fun one during meetings,” she says.

Once people are able to see the materials in action, they appreciate why performance fabrics can act as a kind of insurance on a big investment, Olson says. Kids or pets aren’t necessary to make that investment worthwhile — a couch, chair or pillow that can stand up to spilled red wine or a clumsy houseguest can be a smart buy for anyone. The white chairs in this photo feature Crypton Home performance fabric.

Performance fabrics can even shift the way people use their spaces. “The feedback is always, ‘Oh, I can have this beautiful home and have kids?’ ” Olson says. “We’ve heard, ‘Oh my children now love this area and actually go sit down and do their homework,’ so it’s really been a powerful reaction.”

New Ways to Use Them

Performance fabrics have come a long way from the back patio. Olson and her fellow Design Chicago panelists said they’re now seeing performance ottomans, throw pillows and trims, among other uses. Olson covered the blue couch seen here in performance velvet.

This year for the first time, Olson’s firm began using performance rugs that act like outdoor rugs but feature the thick feel of a luxury indoor version. Olson says she sees the trend only continuing to expand into other types of textiles, with more brands introducing trendier prints and colors and details such as tape trims, fringe and tassels.

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Less Formal Living Calls for Function

The evolution of performance fabrics reflects the evolution of the way people are living, panelists Samatas and DiSanto said at the Design Chicago presentation. People want their homes to function, particularly as the way they work and live grows increasingly mobile.

Instead of the stuffy formal living rooms of the past, these rooms might now be used for actual living, Olson says, thanks to advances in performance fabrics like the ones seen here on the couch and chairs that can handle sticky hands and muddy paws. Kids are welcome in living rooms now, ivory sofa and all. And they might actually want to hang out there even if the TV is in the family room, Olson says, since iPads and phones often keep them and their friends entertained.