
If you’ve been paying attention to the interior decorating trends of 2016 then you’ve likely noticed that natural fibers are making a serious comeback. In article in the Tyler Morning Telegraph, Natural fiber for interior decorating isn’t just a fad, does a great job of summing up where this trend came from and how you can use it in your own home.
Lindsey M. Roberts writes, “The word “wicker” might bring on flashbacks of the dusty rattan seating sets of the ’70s and ’80s or the last wicker crush in the ’90s, but today’s wicker – the technique of weaving reeds and other natural fibers into furniture and accessories – is worth reconsidering.
Wicker is older than any fad, after all. (The Egyptians buried rushwork with the pharaohs!) Just remember that a modern take on woven natural materials is best done judiciously. Add one or two natural elements and pair them with, say, upholstered chairs to get a good mix going on.
“It’s really about the balance of hard and soft, warm and cold,” says Elisa Shankle, who is the founder and principal of Simplexity Designs in Brooklyn and who also works for interior design companies 5N1 and Homepolish. Adding a dash of rattan or sweetgrass is a way to unlock today’s hottest home design trends, whether you’re drawn to the nautical, beachy, boho, organic, well-traveled or handcrafted style.
“People are tired of the matchy-matchy look,” says interior designer Barbara Brown of Washington. “They’re more interested in the layered and collected-over-time look, and bringing in those woven pieces adds to that goal.”
Some suggestions:
– An unexpected place to see rattan is in a Screen Room Divider. And yet it can work well in nearly any space. “I consider woven pieces as neutrals,” Brown says. “So they work with any style and color scheme.
– Brown says that a wicker ottoman or end table “is a great way to bring texture into a space.” The Susila Rattan Ottoman, made of rattan reeds wrapped together with leather, is intended for indoor use.
– Go small with natural fibers, Shankle.”
We think these are all great ideas but we’ve got a few of our own. Half Price Drapes offers a wide range of linen curtains made from natural fibers and we’re quite proud of our cotton draperies as well. We make it easy and affordable to join the natural fiber trend.