Decorating Your Home with Velvet Furniture
Rich velvet fabric adds a touch of glamor to your interior design. However, too much of this terrific textile can overwhelm your decor or make your look feel a bit dated. With a little planning and some restraint, you can create a gorgeous layout using velvet alongside other materials, fabric pairings and color schemes to suit any room or style.
Velvet Upholstery Options: Selecting Different Types of Velvet
The first step in decorating with velvet is choosing which type of velvet you want to use in your design. While each variation has a plush texture and a lustrous sheen, some have a softer surface, higher price point or a different pattern than others. Compare the following styles of velvet upholstery to select one that suits your space and your budget:
- Crushed Velvet: As the name suggests, crushed velvet gets its unique pattern and texture from crushing, twisting and pressing the material in different directions. This technique gives the fabric a glossy, shimmering surface and an attractive design perfect for a velvet pillow or throw blanket.
- Silk Velvet: Silk velvet provides the ultimate luxurious feel for your furniture. Due to its delicate weave and luminous look, this lavish fabric is high maintenance and more expensive than other kinds of velvet. The sumptuous softness is perfect for a decorative accent chair or ottoman, but silk velvet pieces will last longer if you avoid daily use and keep them out of direct sunlight.
- Natural Fiber Velvet: Supple and strong, natural fiber velvet upholstery is a more economical option than crushed or silk velvet. Cotton, linen, wool and mohair blends are the common components of this fabric. The material has less stretch and shine than other types, but it is breathable and soft enough for a chic and comfy bench or tufted footrest.
- Synthetic Velvet: Synthetic velvet is a durable option, perfect for a velvet swivel chair, tufted bench, or rocker that you plan to use every day. This fabric usually includes a mix of nylon, polyester and other natural fibers. As such, this dense material is a smart choice for homes with kids and pets.
- Velour vs. Velvet: Incredibly soft and smooth, velour fabric is an equally plush but less expensive alternative to velvet. This material is lightweight, stretchy and machine washable, making it a great choice for comforters, coverlets, pillow shams and duvets.
How Do You Decorate with Velvet? Three Tips for Adding Velvet to Your Layout
After you’ve decided on durable or delicate upholstery, it’s time to integrate velvet decor and furniture into your current layout. Considering the existing furniture, fabrics and hues in each room allows you to blend velvet pieces into your design seamlessly. Take a look at these tips for the best ways to incorporate velvet material throughout your space.
Tip # 1: Less is More
A little bit goes a long way when decorating with velvet. Placing a few accents here and there lends a hint of luxury to the layout, while too many velvet pieces may be overwhelming. Stick to poufs and small velvet ottomans for subtle touches of texture and color in tiny rooms. If you have space for larger items, select a sleek modern bench or side chair for a neat, uncluttered look.
Tip # 2: Combine Different Materials
Mixing fabrics and textures helps you keep your design cozy and balanced. Use a velvet lumbar cushion for extra softness on a leather armchair or padded slipper chair. Pair a denim, wool or microfiber sofa with a velvet blanket or rectangle ottoman for additional warmth. You can also balance out the heavier upholstery of a velvet seat with a lighter linen, silk or satin pillow set.
Tip # 3: Coordinate Your Colors
Your velvet furniture should also complement or enhance your current palette. A neutral gray velvet bench, gray tufted bench, or a black velvet ottoman suits almost any color scheme. Lighter pieces like cream-colored footstools and white or beige chairs are versatile options that also add extra brightness to your layout.
If you’re looking to bring a unique pop of color to a neutral ensemble, vibrant velvet accents are the way to go. Add a bright red ottoman to your gray living room set or choose a deep blue stool to contrast against a beige loveseat. For additional decorative seating, try a green velvet bench or a pink side chair. You can even use a few purple pillows to add depth and style to your setup.
Velvet Furniture for Every Room
With these tips in mind, you’re now ready to incorporate velvet accents into your rooms for an elegant and luxurious upgrade. Below are some style inspiration ideas for incorporating velvet decor and furniture into your interior design in different parts of your home.
Velvet Living Room Furniture and Decor
A plush velvet living room set makes a captivating focal point as well as a comfy lounging spot. Choose from velvet couches, velvet loveseats and velvet sectionals to provide chic and cushy seating. Accent a unique blue leather sofa with gray velvet throw pillows and add a matching footrest. Lastly, use a small end table, floor lamp and a blue or yellow velvet chair to fill in an empty corner.
Velvet Living Room Options
Velvet Accent Chairs
Velvet Bedroom Layout
Textured velvet bedroom furniture brings an extra touch of comfort and warmth to any sleep space. A velvet headboard works as a soft surface for settling in with a book before bed. Use a round velvet ottoman as a makeup table seat or place a velvet storage bench at the foot of the bed to hold clothing and blankets. You can also choose a velvet pet bed to give your furry friend a cozy spot to rest.
Velvet Bedroom Options
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Velvet Dining Room Seating
Create a charming look suitable for daily meals and formal festivities by surrounding your dark wood, metal or glass-top table with velvet dining chairs. Plush upholstery provides maximum softness for dinner guests, while the velvet sheen adds an air of elegance to the dining room. Choose velvet upholstered dining chairs, benches or barstools to bring comfort and texture to the scene.
Velvet Dining Chair Options
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Velvet Home Office Decor
Even your home office can get a gorgeous boost from velvet decor. Pair your brown, gray or white desk with a green office chair featuring gold accents and velvet upholstery. Add green velvet accent chairs to provide seating for visiting clients or establish a brainstorming corner using a velvet chair and ottoman combo.
Maintenance Tips: How to Care for Velvet Furniture
Regular care and cleaning ensure that your beautiful velvet accents maintain their timeless, elegant look throughout the years. Vacuum velvet pillows and seats with an upholstery attachment to keep them free of dust and pet fur. If you have a velvet couch or chair with removable cushions, plump them up and flip them over once a month so they stay soft and comfy.
Velvet is remarkably resilient. Blotting small spills immediately can remove most of the liquid from the fabric. Dry the damp spot with a hairdryer and give it a few swipes with a bristle brush to fluff the fibers back to their original luster. Serious stains from mud, dark wines and red sauces may require professional cleaning.
Over time, lounging on velvet sofas and benches gives the material a lovely patina. However, leaving heavy objects on velvet furnishings can result in unsightly pressure marks. Fortunately, you can usually remove these indentations with a handheld steamer.
