Clothing styles seem to rotate and cycle back into popularity every few years, but what about furniture styles? During a fad frenzy, you may really like some eclectic item of clothing, and replacing simple items wouldn’t be too expensive if the fad died quickly. There are different considerations for furniture, and whether or not the design choices you make now are merely a fad, or will last for as long as you own the furniture.

While matching styles and types of furniture previously showed a polished, pulled-together look, many homeowners are now mixing furniture styles and trying different mini-groupings in their conversational areas. An upholstered wingback chair may be paired with a wicker rocking chair with brightly-covered cushions for a different appeal; or an ottoman is set apart in the grouping instead of placed carefully by its matching chair.

Indoor/Outdoor fabric types have become popular for many furniture pieces, as well as the Crypton® fabric choices now available for residential furniture. These were typically used in commercial areas of interior design due to their long-lasting durability; but improvements in colors and pattern choices with these fabrics have made them a strong design choice for homeowners also.

Beige used to be a standard, reliable color choice for home decorating, which included furniture upholstery choices. The color gray recently started showing as a favorite neutral color choice, allowing for flexibility with hot, bright colors in accent areas, such as throw pillows, upholstery piping, or accent artwork. While beige is a normal neutral color, gray may stick around as a second neutral choice.

Along with the neutral colors, more people are decorating with bright, bold accents on their furniture and walls. Throw pillows with a pattern that includes the currently-popular bright red or hot orange send an invitation for sitting and relaxing, while giving off a feeling of energy at the same time. And, slipcovers or throw pillows are easy and affordable to switch out when you want a different look to the overall neutral room.

Traditional chevron patterns in upholstery fabric are still desired; however, many choices now also include bolder geometric patterns that can be matched with wall accents and different table accents such as vase shapes, photo frame groupings, etc. A prominent diamond-shaped wall grouping may be accentuated with bright pillows on the couch beneath, showing a similar diamond pattern and color instead of traditional solid colored pillows.

Whatever your personal choices are for furniture and design, selecting the right type of upholstery fabric will determine how durable an item will be in your design setting. Consult with a qualified upholstery specialist and get many samples to try out in your rooms before committing to a design change.