Owner Lismoore Drapery & InteriorsMember of the Window Covering Association of America (WCAA)e-mail your questions/concerns/comments to cushionbead@hotmail.comCall 731-2133 for appointmentsContinue to follow us on Facebook at Lismoore Drapery & Interiors

WHAT are "soft furnishings", you might ask? Well, there was a time when I thought soft furnishings only included decorative pillows, cushions, runners and tablecloths. As I delved further into the window covering industry, though, I soon learnt that this was not accurate. There are several definitions, but, according to Wikipedia, soft furnishing is the art and science of beautifying a space to enhance both the aesthetic and functional uses of that space. Put differently, it refers to every home decoration that has some sort of fabric in it. Interior decoration would not be complete without soft furnishing as the space would be hard and noisy.

Homes are incomplete without them, so I guess it is correct to say that soft furnishings complete a home. Whether you are putting the finishing touches to a newly decorated and re-styled room, or simply livening up an existing one, accessories can be the key factor.

We all know the importance of getting the right artwork to set the mood and perhaps the drama of a room, but soft furnishings are so often forgotten, or relegated to the back burner.?

In my opinion, soft furnishings does for a house what clothes and accessories does for our bodies. They adds colour, texture, softness and elegance to our individual spaces. They includes bed linens, table linens, throws, rugs, cushions, curtains (yes, curtains) etc, which I will expand on later on in this article.

Your homes should always reflect your personality, taste and lifestyle, and nothing does that better than soft furnishings. That is why when considering them, you should be careful and have a clear vision of your theme when making your choice.

They should always be pleasing to the eye, functional, and add character and mood; they should not over power or reduce the space. There is a lot you can do with the interior of your homes.

The key to soft furnishings is in the fabrics; feel free to play around with fabrics as they are something you can change very easily without doing any structural changes. For example, the humble cushion, adds comfort to an otherwise back breaking sofa or chair, can subtly or dramatically change a room, utilising different colours, patterns and textures. There are, of course, other items of soft furnishings that make a huge difference.

You can liven up your existing curtains and drapery by adding a new pair with something as simple as the right tie backs.

Soft furnishings need not be confined to the living room, but can be used around the home to give a room a new identity. A new bedspread can change the feel of a bedroom instantly.

Whether it be a simple throwover or beautiful quilt, the effect is immediate. Possibly one of the most underrated items of furnishing in the bedroom is the headboard. It can give comfort while you are sitting up in bed, it can add a whole new focus to a room.

Very little can beat the impact and drama of a large squared headboard in a stunning fabric! Some people opt to select neutral colours when they purchase major furniture pieces. This will allow you to use your soft furnishings and accessories to change the overall appearance of the space quite easily.

You may even enjoy changing these items seasonally to change the look in your home. Soft furnishings can take a room from traditional to retro to contemporary in just a few simple steps.

WHEN CHOOSING SOFT FURNISHINGS CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING:

Choose the most luxurious fabrics that you can find (as your budget allows) for your cushions. Add interesting touches by mixing textures, patterns or colours. When mixing different patterns for cushions , group patterns that use a similar scheme, or consider adding extra embellishments, like tassels or trim, to unify their look.

Bed linen includes the bed cover, spread, sheets, a throw, decorative cushions, pillows. The fabrics chosen for bed linen apart from them matching your curtains and drapery, should be of non-allergic material that lets your skin breathe in the night. It is a good idea to keep a spare set always so that when you change the whole set you have the spare one.

The throws or foot scarves are thrown over the bed cover for a more sophisticated look when the bed is made. In your bedroom, your bed linens may dictate the very feel of the room. Choose colours that you find soothing and calming for your bed linens, and keep quality in mind to make certain that your bed is as comfortable as it is beautiful. You can achieve a shabby chic feel with soft colours and faded fabrics, or a rich Moroccan style room with silks in lush, saturated tones. Your room should be soothing and