Textiles are a super, low-commitment way to add color, texture and personality to any room or sofa. Fabrics from faraway places are especially interesting – whether African mudcloth, Indian Kanthas, Indonesian batiks, Mexican tenangos or Turkish kilims.
Covering beds, reupholstering a granny chair, or tossing pillows on a standard sectional will surely up the character ante. Go for bold graphics and colors to keep the look fresh. Visit the sources listed below for the items above:
1. African mudcloth and antique Indonesian batik used as twin bedspreads. Mudcloth from Bola Boutique, 2 West 125th Street, NY, NY
2. Indonesian woven ikat, Mexican tenango, Indian blockprint from Anokhi
3. Turkish Kilim pillows from Hayko Fine Rugs & Tapestries, NYC
4. Framed 1935 Indian Kantha cloth for child's nursery, from SRI Threads
5. Indian applique pillow from Fabinda, African Kuba cloth pillow from Hayko
Additional sources: L'aviva Home, Aid to Artisans Webstore OR your local emporia!
- Alice Engel
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I adore ethinic textiles and am building up to olarge a pile of them! In my area, I can often snag things at flea markets and thrift stores very cheaply -- I don't think most people know what to do with them. (I guess I don't either, since I am piling them, but my horde is pretty gorgeous, at least to me!)
That African mudcloth looks allot like Ori-nui shibori or Itajime - especially in the indigo color.
Keep in mind that September is the start of a new embargo on Persian rugs. I read around and I don't think dealers expect to be running out, but at the same time, there's no indication of how long such an embargo will last.
SherryBinNH - make sure that you clean your finds. Wash those that are washable, dry clean the rest - and, if you need another option, 3 or 4 weeks in the freezer might help. Learn how to store them - rolled over bunched up acid free tissue paper - not against wood or in plastic, which will destroy them over time.
If you check back through my posts, you'll find suggestions for using them. But, PLEASE, if you think they're really old or good, do NOT cut them up or make them into pillows. Store them, learn about them, display them carefully - and pass them on to another generation!
I have often been asked to sew beautiful old textiles, and there is usually a way to display even the most delicate. I agree with Taureg that they should be respected and I haven't had many people ask me to massacre good stuff! They are finite... I have one beautiful natural linen example from my grandmother's house and don't use it, but keep it displayed - I donated my collection of lace to the Bath Lace Museum and the rest of my vintage stuff I use, with appreciation.