Lets Get Summer Ready!

Here at Niki’s Soft Furnishings, we’re looking forward to all the beautiful possibilities this time of year brings.

Dining al fresco, entertaining family and friends in the garden, and creating light, bright spaces to relax in.

We can hardly wait!

We look forward to the summer so much, don’t we?

But if you have a lot of glass in your home, the intense sunshine can quickly create spaces that become too bright and warm.

So, we’d love to show you some modern and nifty ways to help you control the temperature and light entering your home… giving an uber-contemporary finish at the same time!

Remote control made to measure electric Roman blind

Blind and curtain automation might seem like a luxury for extravagant hotels, and the rich and famous, but they’re more affordable than you may imagine. They bring so many incredible benefits too!

• Wake up in style! Blind and curtain automation can be programmed so that light slowly enters your room each morning, meaning you can have a few more precious minutes before the day starts!
• Create a sleek and contemporary finish. No unsightly blind cords or hazards for young children.
• Improved security. Control your blinds while you’re away to mimic someone being at home.
• Set the tone. Like a smart thermostat, blind and curtain automation help create the perfect atmosphere when you return home.
• Helpful for older people or those with mobility issues. Simple control for those struggling with opening and closing their blinds and curtains.
• Can be closed during the heat of the day to keep your home a comfortable temperature on our warmer days.

Smart Roman blind system

There are plenty of different types to choose from, including remote control, wall-mounted switches, or through leading smart home technology, such as Google Assist, Amazon Alexa & IFTTT.

If you would like to know more about blind or curtain automation systems, contact us using the button below.

With the extra Bank Holidays this month, there are plenty of opportunities to get together with friends and family. (Let’s hope the weather is kind to us, so we can enjoy our outdoor spaces!)

To create a low-maintenance yet striking focal point for your outdoor furniture, we highly recommend opting for fabrics that are UV resistant. So, if you accidentally leave them out for an extended period of time, they’ll still retain their vibrant colours and patterns.

We also recommend fabrics that are mould and water-resistant. Because we know the great British weather can be a fickle beast!

We have a fantastic range of outdoor fabrics which strike the perfect balance of luxury and performance, so if you’re thinking of revamping your outdoor furniture this spring, we can help.

Get in touch to find out more.

Our upholstery team are absolute magicians when it comes to injecting new life into tired and worn-out furniture!

Whilst it takes years of training and experience to get anywhere near their skill level, we thought we’d share some of their know-how and run you through a glossary of some widely used terms in the upholstery business.

If you want to test your knowledge, head to the bottom of the newsletter and take our quiz!

Float Buttoning

Float buttoning
Float buttoning provides the appearance of an upholstered button sitting on top of the material. It’s a lovely way to add detail to a large banquette or a high-backed chair.

Deep Buttoning
Popular on bedheads and Chesterfield sofas, this classic upholstery technique creates an eye-catching gathered diamond effect in the surrounding material.

Deep buttoning on an upholstered headboard

Diamond pleat 
Adding a stylish, high-end look to an upholstery project, diamond pleats are achieved by sewing a series of diagonal stitches across the upholstery to create a neat diamond pattern.

We reupholstered this Chesterfield sofa for Boringdon Hall with diamond pleat deep buttoning

Back tacked strip
Upholsterers have all sorts of little tricks and materials up their sleeves to create a polished, professional aesthetic! However, a little process that makes upholstering much easier is back tacking. A cardboard tacking strip is used to attach the outside fabric to the frame without causing the staples or tacks to show, creating a smooth, clean edge.

Top stitch 
A top stitch is where a seam is highlighted with the same colour thread as the fabric or a contrasting one. This is commonly seen on car interiors and sofas.

Single piping 
A popular way to edge upholstery projects, such as occasional chairs and cushions, a single piped edge is added to create a striking look.

Here our client chose a contrast single piping – a great choice

Double piping
To create a luxurious edge to a piece of upholstery, two rows of single piping can be sewn together to create, yep, you’ve guessed it… a double-piped edge! This is a popular way to hide staples and prevent visible raw edges of fabric.

Double piping can really take an upholstery project to the next level of sophistication and elegance!

Stylish double piping detail – click the picture to find out more about this project.

Regulating
This is simply the “working about” of stuffing to the required place for stitching.

Edge roll
A firm polyfoam profile for upholstery use, an edge roll gives a crisp, firm, shaped finish around the arms or facings of sofas and chairs.

Fluting
Fluted upholstery is a very old style which became incredibly popular after deep buttoning. The simple yet elegant fluting design is characterised by its uniform pattern of vertical grooves. Just think of a 1950s-fanned cocktail chair!

Pattern match
Similar to matching a pattern on wallpaper, pieces or units of fabrics are stitched together to create an even pattern flow. This requires a lot of skill to ensure that the joining of the two patterns is not evident at the end of the project.

Pattern matching the stripes on this sofa we reupholstered for the House of Hackney – click the picture to find out more.

1. Which term refers to creating a diamond pattern by stitching diagonal lines?

A. Deep buttoning
B. Diamond pleat

2. What creates an elegant look to hide raw edges?

A. Double piping
B. Pattern match

3. What’s the name of the firm polyfoam used to give a crisp edge to an upholstery project?

A. Edge roll
B. Fluting

We’re surrounded by some fantastic beaches down here in sunny Devon! And we like to make the most of them whenever you can. Whether that’s walking the dog in all weathers or enjoying relaxing days in the summer sunshine.

We recently attended a positive nature network event and found out about an amazing organisation called Till The Coast Is Clear, which we’d love to share with you.

They’re a Community Interest Company that clears plastic waste from remote, hard-to-reach areas of our shoreline.

As well as collecting and recycling the waste they find, using special recyclable boats and kayaks made from recycled fishing nets, they are connecting the community to the great outdoors for improved physical and mental health.

What a fantastic mission!

To find out more about Till the Coast is Clear, visit their website using the link below.

Like our homes, sometimes a business needs a little revamp too!

Later this year, we’ll be making some small tweaks to our branding and website. We’ll also have a dedicated commercial and home furnishing divisions, which we’re super excited about!

Our graphic designer is busy in the background exploring colours and designs. And we can’t wait to share it all with you when it’s finished, so watch this space!

1. Which term refers to creating a diamond pattern by stitching diagonal lines?

Answer = B. Diamond pleat

2. What creates an elegant look to hide raw edges?

Answer = A. Double piping

3. What’s the name of the firm polyfoam used to give a crisp edge to an upholstery project?

Answer =  A. Edge roll

If you got 50% or more then you were definitely paying attention, well done you!
We hope you’ve enjoyed our May newsletter (and increasing your upholstery
knowledge!)

We’ll see you again next month!