How to use performance fabrics in your living room

If you live in a busy house, you know that keeping your living room neat and clean can be a real challenge. Between kids running around, pets climbing all over the furniture, and the occasional spills that are simply impossible to avoid, your living room can end up looking like a war zone. That’s where performance fabrics step in to help you prevent living room disasters from happening or mend the damages. 

Performance fabrics have become the talk of the town in interior design in recent years, so the term may have reached your ears by now. Designers have been using them in their projects, and they’ve been extensively featured in showrooms, magazines and all across social media. However, it’s one thing to hear about the existence of a certain type of fabric and another to be familiar with its characteristics and uses. 

So, if you want to learn more about the trend and find out how performance fabrics can help you upgrade your living room both in terms of looks and functionality, this article will provide all the information you require. 

What are performance fabrics?

Before we get into the properties and uses of these materials, let’s first clarify what is a performance fabric exactly. The term refers to any type of fabric that is specifically designed to be hard-wearing, stain and water-resistant and easy to clean. As their name implies, these fabrics tend to perform well and withstand wear and tear better than other types of materials, which makes them an inspired choice for the most used areas in the house, like the living room. 

Most performance fabrics consist of a mixture of different kinds of natural and synthetic fibres, such as nylon, polyester or spandex, in different percentages. The threads are usually treated with special substances before being woven into the material to guarantee resistance and consistency for each piece of fabric. 

Until not so long ago, when selecting fabrics for their interiors, people had to choose between style and sturdiness. It was rather difficult to find a fabric that would match your style preferences while also ensuring durability and longevity. But with the new generation of performance fabrics, you no longer have to make a compromise since these products offer the best of both worlds, striking the perfect balance between aesthetics and function. 

Performance fabrics have multiple applications, as they can be used for both clothing and household items. While previously, their use cases were limited to outdoor furniture and décor, performance fabrics have evolved a lot over the years and made the transitions to interior design, becoming a popular option in furniture upholstery, window treatments and rugs. 

The benefits of using performance fabrics in our home

It’s pretty obvious from the description that performance fabrics can provide a wide range of benefits that can make any space more comfortable and liveable. First of all, unlike normal materials, performance fabrics are created with longevity in mind and can stand the test of time due to their unique structure. They are stain and water-resistant and can keep mould and mildew at bay thanks to their microbe-resistant properties. 

Performance fabrics are also less susceptible to UV damage, so they can be used in sunny areas of the house, and they’re extremely easy to clean, ensuring easy maintenance. On top of that, performance fabrics nowadays come in a wide range of colours, textures and styles, so you’ll definitely find something to suit your design vision and preferences. 

How to integrate performance fabrics in your living room

Performance fabrics can be easily integrated into any area of the house as they provide limitless design possibilities. But if you’re mostly interested in using these materials for your living room, here are a few simple ways to spice up your space with performance fabrics. 

Furniture upholstery

Tired of struggling to clean up spills and stains on your sofa and chairs without much success? Then it might be time to breathe new life into your old furniture pieces and enhance their durability with performance fabric upholstery. A stylish upholstery fabric can turn even the dullest furniture item into a real piece of art and change the entire ambience in the room with minimal time and effort investment. 

However, make sure you explore your options carefully and choose a performance fabric that’s suitable for your living room, as you don’t want to make a design mistake that you’ll later regret. Colour, pattern and style are the most important factors to consider when shopping around for performance fabric for furniture upholstery. 

Curtains

Although they play an important role in the look and feel of a room, window treatments are often overlooked. Since they serve both a functional and an aesthetic function and they tend to be subjected to a lot of wear and tear, using performance fabrics for your curtains makes perfect sense. These materials will ensure your window treatments remain in perfect condition for longer while also adding style and personality to the space. 

Rugs

Living room rugs should be able to withstand heavy foot traffic and ensure easy maintenance since they’re placed in a high-use area. Fortunately, rugs made of performance fabrics nowadays are a far cry from the bulky and uncomfortable models that were available back in the day, so you can have a beautiful-looking rug in your living room that you’ll enjoy for years on end. 

Accessories

Want to level up your interior design game without much hassle or expense? Then adding a few durable accessories using performance fabrics is the way to go. Pillows and throws are a great idea if you want to inject a bit of character into your living room, as they can last for a long time, even in a busy household. 

If you want to give your living room a quick makeover, performance fabrics can help you achieve amazing results, so feel free to explore and experiment.