The Material Library: Choosing Cloth with Character

Our material library is not intended to be a pristine archive. It is a working part of the TallBoy studio: handled, rearranged and returned to throughout the design process.

Samples are layered across tables, pinned beside sketches and carried into different areas of the studio to see how their colours respond to changing light. Some are immediately compelling. Others reveal their qualities more slowly.

Choosing upholstery fabric begins with the furniture itself.

An antique chair with a timeworn oak frame asks for something different from a newly made sofa with a clean, sculptural outline. One material may need to sit quietly beside an expressive form, while another has the opportunity to introduce pattern, movement or contrast.

The way a cloth feels is as important as how it looks. We consider its handle, weight, texture and drape, as well as how it will respond to the curves, corners and seams of the furniture.

A fabric that appears beautiful when flat may behave very differently once upholstered. Bouclé can bring softness and visual depth, while herringbone gives a surface rhythm and structure. An undulating stripe can emphasise height and movement, and a stronger graphic weave can transform a simple shape into the focal point of a room.

Scale is particularly important. Small samples are useful for comparing colour, but they rarely tell the complete story. A pattern viewed across a few centimetres can feel entirely different when stretched across the back of a sofa or repeated around a large footstool.

This is why we prefer to look at generous samples wherever possible. We consider where the pattern will begin and end, how it will meet at seams and whether its direction supports the furniture’s proportions.

Colour also needs context. It changes throughout the day and responds to everything around it. A grey may become noticeably warmer beside aged timber, while a green can feel deeper against stone or plaster. Artificial light may bring forward tones that are almost invisible in natural daylight.

Rather than trying to match every element within a room, we often look for a cloth that introduces a measured degree of tension. An unexpected colour or pattern can make an antique feel more relevant without diminishing its history. Equally, a quiet natural texture can soften a contemporary form and prevent it from feeling too new.

Practical considerations remain essential. Where will the furniture be used? How frequently? Does the fabric need to cope with the daily demands of a family room, or is it intended for a more occasional piece? Beauty and suitability must be considered together.

Our experience of searching for these qualities eventually led to the development of LANA: our own collection of wool, linen and cotton upholstery fabrics. It grew from years spent working with cloth and recognising the need for natural texture, expressive colour and patterns capable of working across both antique and newly made furniture.

The material library continues to evolve as new projects, colours and ideas enter the studio. It allows clients to compare options in person, explore combinations and see how a fabric might respond to their chosen piece.

There is rarely only one correct answer. The right cloth is the one that feels connected to the furniture, appropriate for the way it will be used and expressive of the person choosing it.

That moment—when material and furniture suddenly make sense together—is one of the most satisfying parts of the process.