Interior design: Linens

Promotional feature: Alice Foulsham discusses stylish and practical ways to use Linen in the home

Great British Life: Linens available at Just Fabrics in Burford, Oxfordshire Linens available at Just Fabrics in Burford, Oxfordshire (Image: Archant)

Linen fabrics are making a big comeback this year, with some fantastic new ranges of linens to suit all schemes and budgets.

History

Linen fabrics have always been popular and records show linens being woven from the plant flax as far back as the 4th millennium BC. Over time, the weaving methods have developed, providing us with a range of linens to choose from, each with their own textures and characteristics.

Shabby Chic

Great British Life: A range of Linens are available at Just Fabrics in Burford, Oxfordshire A range of Linens are available at Just Fabrics in Burford, Oxfordshire (Image: Archant)

The shabby chic style remains one of the most popular interior design themes this year as it is readily available for everyone, no matter how big or small your budget is. Linen fabrics are a big part of this rustic style as the neutral, textured shades work well when combined with distressed whites and creams. I especially love using linens on headboards with wooden bed frames for a relaxed bedroom scheme.

Usage

Traditionally linens were used for clothing, and many still are. If choosing linens for clothing, then make sure that you wash it first to allow for shrinkage. Our linens at the Just Fabrics shop in Burford are best used for curtains and blinds, especially when interlined to ensure they hang correctly. You will also find linens for upholstery, which look fantastic on furniture. Choosing a neutral shade means that you can mix and match other colours over time, when you fancy a change, for example by using colourful cushions. I recently used linen to make some rustic looking napkins for a present.

Colours and Blends

Great British Life: Linens are available in a range of rich colours Linens are available in a range of rich colours (Image: Archant)

We’ve just launched our exciting Cotswold Linen fabrics at Just Fabrics, made from 100% washed linen in 10 gorgeous colours. This fabric is especially soft, and really versatile. I find that the neutral shades show off the slubs and characteristics of linen much more. You’ll also find linens that are mixed with other fibres to create different levels of softness. Linen/cotton mixed fabrics tend to be softer and don’t crease/wrinkle as much as pure linen.

Patterns

The range of patterned linen mix fabrics available is extensive, with the majority being cotton/linen mix. This is a perfect combination as it has a lovely soft feel and is easy to work with. These fabrics are suitable for curtains, blinds, cushions and light weight upholstery. You’ll also find with many 100% linen fabrics that the slubs and textures are so lovely that you do not need a pattern design.

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Great British Life: Linens used to produce curtains Linens used to produce curtains (Image: Archant)