Update your outdoor furniture: Outdoor fabric favourites

The days of boring garden furniture are over! While your standard sets may still only come in an uninspiring palette of greys and neutrals, there is plenty of choice if you decide to go bold and replace with your own fabric.

I’ve seen amazing results and transformations when customers have opted to ditch the dreary and embrace the full diversity and palette of the outdoors. Plains, stripes and weaves are what you may think of for outdoors, but modern ranges have caught up with interior trends, and you’re not limited to a one-print-fits-all selection anymore. In fact, there are some incredible new outdoor fabric ranges that you’d want to put INSIDE your house, they’re so nice!

“What once looked and felt like stiff oilcloth is now more likely to be soft, high-quality, waterproof cloth fabric.”

What’s more, the quality of the production is so much better now. What once looked and felt like stiff oilcloth is now more likely to be soft, high-quality, waterproof cloth fabric. Tactile, breathable and super soft but sturdy, they’re designed to withstand whatever the weather throws at them. The Nicoya range from Romo, for instance, is a collection of outdoor textiles printed on innovative velvets that embrace the future of outdoor furniture design. Particularly sumptuous, these solution-dyed acrylic velvets have exceptional colour fastness to light.

Outdoor seating upholstered in Nicoya Japura Amazon.

Outdoor furniture in Nicoya Calita Surf fabric.

Another range I particularly love is from Christopher Farr Cloth. Its new collection of performance fabrics are designed for indoor and outdoor living. It features some of the brand’s most popular designs with a playful mood, which makes it perfect for summer. Outdoor fabric is moving with the times, so why don’t you give your outdoor furniture a bold new look?

Outdoor upholstery fabric from the Michael Szell collection in Palma Outdoor Verde.

Fabric from the Kit Kemp range, including Willow Aqua.

Patterned outdoor fabric from Christopher Farr – Michael Szell collection: Carnival Performace in Prato

Outdoor-friendly fabric, Kit Kemp collection for Christopher Farr: Lost and Found Perennials.

5 Top tips for choosing outdoor fabric to revamp your seating

Do you have some outdoor furniture that’s seen better days? Here are my tips if you want to give it a full and fabulous update:

• Search online for some fantastic, outdoor-friendly fabric options. The keywords you’re looking for are ‘water repellent’ and ‘UV-resistant’.
• There’s an ever-growing choice of outdoor fabrics available these days. The main brands I like are Kirkby Design which has three ranges: Pergola, Terazzo and Canopy. Or, for some lively colours and decorative weaves, check out the Nikoya and Mokolo ranges from Romo. Christopher Farr Cloth is pushing boundaries by offering outdoor fabrics in the same wide selection you’d choose for indoors. They would totally elevate your outside space. You can also find some fun options on Etsy and eBay from independent sellers.
• Always try to get hold of a sample of the fabric first so you know for sure you like the look of it in real life and not just on a screen. Check how it looks in all lights, including bright sunshine, and also hold it up against the base of your frame so you know it’s a good match.
• Cushions will always be the fastest part of your outdoor furniture set to deteriorate, but by reupholstering them, you can easily extend the life of perfectly decent seating. The internal foam may or may not need replacing, but also consider changing the configuration of your cushions to mix things up or adding extra scatter cushions for extra comfort and interest.
• Is your interior bright and daring? Do you prefer a more muted, pastel colour palette? There’s no reason to make compromises with your outdoor seating. Stick to what you love to make your indoors and outdoors flow.

Looking for more outdoor furniture upholstery inspiration? Read Give Your Outdoor Furniture A Summer Makeover

Do you want to give your outdoor seating a great new look? Email me at sharon@vintiqueupholstery.com for a no-obligation chat about how we can get started on giving it a whole new look for summer. Alternatively, you can fill in my online enquiries form.