Here at Fabrics Galore, we believe that furnishing fabrics are a true staple of any fabrics store. Across our website, we have a diverse collection whether you are looking for animal, botanic, geometric, or spots and striped printed fabrics or simple plains in beautiful colours, we have something for everyone.

The first thing to guide your fabric choice is the intended use - whether you are looking to buy furnishing fabric to make curtains, cushion covers or even upholstery fabric for a chair, the fabric selection is one of the most important decisions you need to make. The second point to consider is your lifestyle – will the fabric be used in a family room with lots of traffic, in a child’s bedroom or in a formal living or dining room? If you are struggling to decide what furnishing fabrics you should purchase, Fabrics Galore have put together this guide to assist you. 

Linen fabric

linen fabricIf you are looking for a smooth and soft fabric to craft tablecloths, upholstery, soft furnishings and curtains, linen will be the fabric for you. It is an extremely durable natural fibre which is breathable, as well as stronger and more lustrous than many other fabrics on the market. Across the Fabrics Galore website, linen is available in many different colours, and is a luxurious option for a furnishing project. Linen can also be blended with cotton, or even a synthetic fabric such as viscose to create a hard-wearing home furnishing fabric . If choosing 100% linen for an upholstery sewing project, look for a tight weave which will be harder wearing. 


Cotton fabric

cotton fabricThere are many different types of cotton fabric which can be used, all being a perfect choice for furnishing projects and upholstery. It is resistant to fading and wearing, washes well, is durable and one of the most versatile fabrics, offering an extensive range of weights, textures and patterns. As well as linen, cotton is one of the most common materials for soft furnishings as it hangs very well as curtains and is the perfect fabric for cushion covers. It has strong fibres but must be woven tightly to be considered durable. 

At Fabrics Galore our range of 100% cotton panama weave home furnishing prints come in an eye-catching range of 9 colours from peacock blue to palm green. 

Velvet fabric

velvet fabricAlthough velvet is considered an expensive and luxurious fabric, our polyester velvet fabrics in greens, greys, yellows and blues are super soft and perfect for soft furnishing projects. Look out too for our Gingko Bilboa patterned velvet fabric, perfect for cushions, curtains or even a chair.

Suedette or faux suede

suedette fabricIf you are looking for a suede effect to your interiors, the Fabrics Galore polyester suedette fabrics are a fantastic alternative to real suede. They are super soft and perfect for a modern home furnishing project. 

Jacquard fabric

jacquard fabricAnother very popular upholstery fabric type, jacquard fabric is made from natural fibres such as silk, linen, cotton or man-made fibres like polyester. As many of these fabrics are hard-wearing, they are perfect for home furnishing projects and can even be used as curtain fabric. With lots of different designs and colours to choose from, jacquard fabric creates a wonderfully stylish and traditional look. Across the Fabrics Galore website, we have a variety of vibrant floral, paisley or zigzag designs which would look wonderful throughout the interior of your home. 

Chenille fabric 

If you are looking to achieve soft, textured results with your furnishing project, chenille is an incredibly versatile fabric to use. It has a unique look and a luxurious feel, which is often used to create towels, robes, throws, garments and other items which all require a soft touch to them with close contact to the skin. It is widely used by sewers for creating home décor projects and would be the perfect addition to your fabric stash for furnishing projects. 

How do you know which to choose?

If you are unsure whether your preferred fabric will be suitable for your furnishing project, there is a pictorial symbol which is used on fabrics to indicate its suitability for chairs, curtains or cushions. This will help you to establish exactly what type of fabric would be best for you to purchase. 

On the other hand, you can also speak to a team of experts from fabric shops - such as Fabrics Galore - who would be more than happy to assist you on your upholstery journey as we have a wide range of soft furnishing and upholstery fabric for sale. Our fun and inspirational shop is situated on Lavender Hill, Battersea - with the online store and the physical store both managed by Paul Johnston. He and his team can help you and answer any questions you may have about our range of furnishing fabrics on our website, or in-store. 

Back to blog

One stop fabric shop

Welcome to the Fabrics Galore London online store, packed full of beautiful fabrics to inspire your next dressmaking, patchwork quilting, craft or home furnishing sewing project. We stock a huge range of different materials alongside designer fabrics from Liberty, Cath Kidston, Orla Kiely, Laura Ashley, William Morris and Alexander Henry. We source the highest quality fabrics, so whether it be a cotton, linen, viscose, chambray, jersey or wool, we have you covered.Check out our dressmaking fabric for something with drape, fabulous Liberty cotton lawn prints, quilting fabrics for patchwork inspiration or the home furnishing section to pimp your pad. So, what are you waiting for? Let’s get sewing!

What our customers say

Fast Delivery
Great Quality
Outstanding Customer Service
Fast Delivery
Great Quality
Outstanding Customer Service