From the sofa to our curtains and cushions, fabric trends are prevalent throughout our homes, and enrich our spaces with inviting, cozy texture, eye-catching color and beautiful pattern and print.
Our homes should be a unique showcase of our personal style, and our fabric choices can not only help our interiors feel more soft, cocooning and comfortable, they are the perfect place to make a stylish impact with the very latest in design.
We explore the top fabric trends for 2023 to provide you with some beautiful inspiration for your home; from heritage botanical prints, raw, organic textures and sustainable fabrics, to enduring stripes and checks.
Our 8 favorite fabric trends for 2023
Louisa Tratalos, Head of Brand at Arley House, says 'with design inspiration more accessible than ever before, we’re seeing homeowner’s tastes evolve and become braver. As we transition to 2023, this more confident approach to interiors has encouraged a step away from safe, muted tones of the past, in favor of expressionist trends that feature graphic prints and rich color palettes.’
Whether your taste is more calming and subtle, or adventurous and impactful, 2023 fabric trends embody such great variety, so no matter your style, there will be options to explore.
1. Earthy hues and natural textures
(Image credit: One Represents Ltd)
From the warmth of wool to the tactile texture of bouclé, we are designing our homes to be more comfortable and cozier than ever, with calming, neutral color palettes inspired by nature and inviting natural materials favored by dwellers and designers alike.
A key theme for interior trends in 2022 and set to continue into 2023 is bringing the outside in, and using materials such as wood, rattan, stone, cork and natural fabrics to establish a calming, indoor-outdoor feel.
For fabric, this is demonstrated through raw, rustic textures and a more unrefined look, with pronounced warps and wefts, stubby textures and cloths that appear to have been cut straight from an artisan weaver’s loom.
Alexandra Jones at Couture Living says, 'think raw silks, cotton linens, bouclés, wools and heavy weaves in tones such as taupes, creams, brows and grays.'
2. Deep pinks
(Image credit: Jan Baldwin)
With Pantone's color of the year 2023 being revealed as 'Viva Magenta', a deep, crimson pink shade that embodies a romantic, vibrant feel, we are set to see simialr deep pinks dominate not only paint ideas for 2023, but furniture design, fabric, wallpaper and more.
The color is described by Pantone as, 'vibrating with vim and vigor, Viva Magenta is a shade rooted in nature descending from the red family, demonstrating a new signal of strength.'
Lucy Searle, Homes & Gardens' editor in chief supports this and says, 'we are definitely taking bigger and braver risks when it comes to using color and pattern in the home, with striking, joyful shades such as Pantone's Viva Magenta leading a wave of more impactful and empowering interior designs.'
3. Heritage styles
(Image credit: Morris & Co)
Whether it's classic tartan, a timeless William Morris print or an intricate damask pattern, we are constantly intertwining styles of the past with designs of the present.
From classic designs transformed with new color combinations or textures, to heritage color palettes used in more more modern settings, 2023 will see a beautiful blend of the old and new, with many contemporary interpretations of traditional prints.
'Looking back to more classical and traditional styles can often bring great comfort for design in the home, and after the last few turbulent years, this style is set to become a well-established trend for 2023,' says Jennifer Ebert, Homes & Gardens' digital editor.
4. Expressive patterns and layering
(Image credit: Mind The Gap)
As we have discussed, many of us are becoming more adventurous in our design choices so we can, ultimately, create a space that is cohesive with our style and identity.
For many, this is all about layering beautiful fabrics in different patterns and textures, and establishing an expressive look rich in color and dynamic print.
Ann Marie Cousins from AMC Design advises, 'when styling different patterns together, think about the scale of each pattern as it’s important to layer them and add a combination of different sizes. Large prints will immediately draw the eye so opt for this pattern on a sofa, head board, armchair or rug as these tend to be the statement pieces in a room. Pair this with smaller patterns which work perfectly for curtains or blinds as well as decorative items such as lampshades or scatter.'
Of course, not all designs need to be as big and bold as the beautiful space shown above from Mind the Gap, layering patterns and creating elegant contrasts with different fabrics can be just as effective and stylish with calmer color palettes and small-scale patterns.
5. Florals are forever
(Image credit: House of Hackney)
Floral patterns are one of the most popular and enduring fabric trends, with floral designs having been used across fashion and interior industries for centuries.
Of course, just like the rich variety in the natural world, there are so many types of floral fabric to choose from; from abstract to ditsy, baroque to retro and vintage, with many patterns utterly timeless in style.
However, there will always be floral fabrics that dominate certain eras, such as the graphic flower power movement of the 60s, and going into 2023, floral fabric trends seem to be more diverse than ever.
Brook Perdigon at The Fabric Collectivesays, 'for 2023 we are looking towards modern florals that are inspired by nostalgia, bridging past and present through bold patterns with unusual color palettes,' this style is beautifully shown above in the maximalist and immersive floral bedroom, filled with designs by House of Hackney; champions of unique fabric prints inspired by nature.
6. Sustainable materials
(Image credit: Inchyra)
Sustainability is definitely being labeled as a 'trend for 2023' throughout interior design industries and beyond, but trends come and go, and this shift in consuming and producing products that are less harmful to the environment, will hopefully see the beginning of an enduring new era of long-lasting sustainable design.
Of course, we have natural fabrics such as wool, linen and organic cotton, but as technologies advance, we are seeing more innovative fabric designs created through recycled materials and even bio-based fabrics, such as vegan leather, made from plants.
Above shows the beautiful Wherwell Collection by Inchyra, made from linen.
7. Enduring stripes and checks
(Image credit: James Merrell)
Throughout 2022, simple, classic patterns such as stripes and checkboard have dominated interior and fashion industries, explore our guides on decorating with stripes and decorating with gingham for some lovely inspiration.
Used on everything from wallpaper to tiles, upholstery, carpet and accessories, these prints have an utterly timeless appeal.
Louisa Tratalos, Colours of Arley Founder, who specialize in creating bespoke striped fabric designs, says, 'timeless and versatile, stripes are a great way of introducing pattern without committing to a busy print and can offer both an eclectic and calming look depending on the colors, scale of stripe and fabric choice. Whether you’re looking for a dopamine dose of color, or more of a Grandmillennial aesthetic, personalized stripes are a great way of achieving this with drapery, upholstery, or soft furnishings. Expect to see consumers turn to sourcing unique, antique finds and giving them a new lease of life with a colorful stripe upholstery.'
8. Traditional, artisan techniques
(Image credit: Lora Avedian photographed by Alun Callender )
As we have discussed, 2023 fabric trends will look back to more traditional patterns and prints for inspiration. This year will also see the rise of fabric designs with an artisanal, handmade appeal; paying homage to classic craft and fabric techniques of the past.
The history of fabric creation lies in handmade weaving techniques, and more and more of us are turning to fabrics and handcrafted designs that have a sense of history, place and craftsmanship, rather than coming straight from a machine.
This trend will not only be a visual style, such as hand-woven detailing and imperfect shapes, it will see consumers turn to more small-batch textile manufacturers and independent artisans who are specialists in their fields, adding a bespoke, hand-made feel to a space.
Above is an embroidered piece of fabric created by Lora Avedian, a London based multidisciplinary artist and author, who often uses scrap and vintage materials and traditional embroidery and embellishment techniques to create her work.
What is the future of fabrics?
The future of fabric lies in sustainable design and manufacture that is better for the environment, and that will help to preserve the natural world which is so often the very source for so many unique fabric designs and trends.
As time goes by and technology advances, we are not only becoming better at creating fabric from all manner of materials, from plants to recycled plastics and more, but also, developing designs that are incredibly durable, versatile and long-lasting.
In terms of trends, we are seeing beautifully bold, adventurous interiors filled with color, pattern and texture, but also, more calming spaces that feel connected with nature and that celebrate traditional crafts and techniques.
