• 5 Common Fabric Mistakes in Home Décor and How to Avoid Them
    by Kim

    When designing a room, most people think about colour first — paint shades, furniture tones, maybe the finish of the flooring. Fabric often comes later, almost as decoration. But this is a mistake. Fabric is one of the most tactile, visible, and mood-shaping elements in any interior. It connects your eyes with your hands. It softens or sharpens a room. And, crucially, it lives with you — literally.

    A room may look beautiful in a photo, but daily life reveals the real story: how a sofa feels after hours of use, how curtains hang in daylight, how cushion covers cope with tea stains or dogs. That’s why choosing the right fabric isn’t a small detail. It’s part of what makes a home truly work.

    Here are five of the most frequent fabric-related mistakes in home décor, and how to avoid them with smart, functional, and lasting decisions.

    1. Choosing Style Over Durability

    One of the most common mistakes is falling for a fabric purely because of its look. You see a rich velvet or a silk damask in a showroom, and it’s easy to imagine it transforming your living room into something elegant. But the reality of daily use quickly reveals what those sample books don’t show: crushed piles, pulls from jeans, water marks, or faded spots from sunlight.

    High-end decorative fabrics often come with care limitations. They aren’t always suited to busy households, pets, or even simple habits like having tea on the sofa. Yet many people still use them for core furniture, and regret it within months.

    How to avoid it:

    • Start by thinking about use, not appearance. Is this chair going to be sat on every day? 
    • Fabrics like poly cotton blends, wool mixes, or performance upholstery fabrics are made to cope with regular wear and still hold shape.
    • Use decorative fabrics on accent pieces: scatter cushions, wall panels, or armchair backs — places where they’ll be seen but not stressed.

    Matching lifestyle with material doesn’t mean you have to give up style — it just means you’ll enjoy that style for much longer.

    2. Ignoring the Way Light Affects Fabric

    A fabric never looks the same under different lighting. Natural light, artificial bulbs, time of day, and even wall colour can alter the tone and texture of fabric. A soft grey might read as blue in the morning, and taupe in the evening. A velvet might appear matte on a cloudy day, and reflective under warm lamps.

    Beyond colour, light also affects lifespan. Some fabrics — especially silks, linens, or dark-dyed cottons — are prone to fading. This becomes obvious on curtains, blinds, or upholstered furniture placed near windows.

    How to avoid it:

    • Always order swatches and place them in the actual room you plan to use them in. Check them at different times of day with lights on and off.
    • For sunny rooms, choose fade-resistant materials like solution-dyed acrylics or tightly woven blends.
    • Consider using protective linings on curtains or layering window dressings with sheers behind heavier drapes to protect both privacy and fabric longevity.

    Don’t trust the shop lighting — trust your home lighting. That’s where the fabric will live.

    3. Forgetting About Texture and Layering

    Some rooms, despite having quality furniture and coordinated colours, still feel a little flat. Often, the problem is texture — or more accurately, the lack of it. Choosing all your fabrics in the same finish (all cotton, all velvet, all faux leather) creates a space that looks too perfect, too manufactured, or simply dull.

    Texture isn’t just about contrast — it’s about creating depth. Layering smooth with coarse, soft with structured, light with heavy gives the room a sense of lived-in comfort and visual interest.

    How to avoid it:

    • Mix materials intentionally. Pair a woven linen curtain with a soft chenille sofa. Add a nubby wool cushion to a crisp cotton armchair.
    • If you’re nervous about clashing textures, stay within a tonal colour palette but vary the fabric types — this allows visual richness without visual chaos.
    • Use rugs, throws, and upholstered stools to break up large expanses of matching surfaces.

    In real homes, texture speaks louder than colour. It catches light, draws the eye, and invites touch — all things that make a room feel alive.

    4. Overlooking Cleaning and Practical Care

    It’s easy to forget that fabrics in your home won’t just be seen — they’ll be used. Some daily rituals seem harmless until you realise they’re leaving marks: brushing hair on the sofa, having meals in the lounge, letting the dog curl up on your chair. Suddenly, fabric becomes a maintenance issue.

    People often fall for beautiful fabrics with complicated care labels. Dry-clean-only or spot-clean-only textiles may look amazing when new, but can be a headache after the first spill or stain.

    How to avoid it:

    • Before buying, ask for cleaning guidance. Can it be wiped down? Can cushion covers be removed? Will water stain it?
    • In high-use areas, look for fabrics labelled “performance”, “family-friendly”, or “contract grade”. These are built for wear, and often include stain resistance or moisture blocking.
    • In kitchens, dining rooms, or homes with pets or allergies, favour machine-washable fabrics and avoid those that hold smells or trap dust.

    Style without function is fine in showrooms. At home, fabric needs to work as part of your life, not against it.

    5. Letting Trends Drive Big Decisions

    Interior trends come and go. One season it’s bold florals, next it’s tropical leaves. This year it’s boucle and beige, next it might be graphic prints and deep jewel tones. Trends are useful for inspiration, but building a room around what’s popular right now can quickly make it feel outdated.

    This is especially risky when applied to large fabric items — sofas, curtains, headboards — where replacement is costly and disruptive.

    How to avoid it:

    • Use trend-led fabrics sparingly — in cushions, pouffes, lampshades, or even framed textile art.
    • Anchor your big fabric decisions in neutrals or timeless materials, like linen, wool, or leather alternatives in subtle shades.
    • Choose patterns or textures with staying power. Think herringbone, classic stripes, or rich solids with tactile value.

    Let trends guide your accents, not your foundations. Your future self will thank you.

    Final Thought

    Fabric isn’t just decoration — it’s part of how your home functions. It touches your skin, sets the tone, and takes the hits of everyday life. When it works, you hardly notice it. When it doesn’t, it becomes a source of frustration, or worse, a costly mistake.

    By slowing down your fabric choices — thinking beyond colour, beyond trend, and into how the fabric lives — you create a space that feels considered, comfortable, and long-lasting.

  • Casino-Inspired Fabrics: Adding Glamour and Elegance to Your Home
    by Kim

    The glitz of casino interiors has always attracted attention — the bold textures, rich tones, and confident patterns create a space that feels both luxurious and dramatic. As more people turn their homes into spaces that reflect personality and mood, these visual cues from casinos, including those styled like casinos not on Gamstop, are making their way into home décor, especially through fabric.

    But this isn’t about recreating a slot room or copying a Vegas look. It’s about borrowing atmosphere. Think of fabric as your design tool — one that can bring richness, structure, and theatre into a space without going over the top. Done right, casino-inspired textiles bring a sense of occasion to everyday interiors.

    The Psychological Effect of Fabric in Design

    Fabric is often the first material we physically connect with in a room. We sit on it, draw it across windows, brush against it, or feel it underfoot. Unlike wood, stone, or paint, fabric moves. It absorbs and reflects light. It changes with the time of day and body temperature. This makes it a powerful design element — one that creates mood faster than nearly anything else.

    Casino interiors are carefully built around this idea. Every seat, wall panel, and curtain is chosen to control the mood. Light is bounced off satin drapes or dulled by velvet sofas. Upholstery slows down sound. Weightier textiles soften hard surfaces like marble or glass. This isn’t about luxury for its own sake. It’s about balance.

    The Historical Origins of Casino Fabric Style

    Much of what we think of as “casino glamour” comes from two key design periods: Art Deco and mid-century luxury. In the 1920s and ‘30s, casinos became symbols of modern elegance, drawing from the symmetry, geometry, and polish of Deco interiors. This is where we see the rise of:

    • Polished metals paired with rich velvets
    • Deep hues like emerald, burgundy, and navy
    • Repeating motifs in drapery and upholstery
    • Subtle shimmer from woven threads or trims

    Later, the post-war period introduced a more relaxed form of opulence — suede, leather, wool blends — often paired with walnut or brass. Casino interiors were adapted, keeping the drama but softening the materials.

    Today’s reinterpretation pulls from both: Deco detail with mid-century substance. This is the aesthetic modern designers are folding into home décor.

    Key Casino-Inspired Fabrics and How to Use Them

    Below is a detailed guide to the most iconic fabrics drawn from casino aesthetics, how they function, and how to work them into your home in ways that feel current, elegant, and livable.

    1. Velvet – Luxurious Depth and Quiet Drama

    What it does:
    Velvet has long been associated with prestige and privacy, used in theatres, lounges, and luxury interiors for centuries. In casino spaces, it’s a foundational fabric. Its plush texture absorbs light, muffles sound, and adds a sense of calm and weight to rooms designed for high-stakes play.

    Types to consider:

    • Cotton velvet – soft, breathable, more natural-looking
    • Polyester or performance velvet – stain-resistant, holds up to wear
    • Crushed velvet – reflective, casual, adds visual texture

    Where to use it at home:

    • Sofas in navy, rust, bottle green, or charcoal
    • Curtains in floor-length panels, with blackout lining
    • Headboards in panelled or channel-tufted designs
    • Dining chairs to soften hard lines and add colour blocking

    Pair it with:

    • Brushed metals (brass, bronze, blackened steel)
    • Coarse textiles like jute or linen for visual balance
    • Clean lines in furniture to keep the look current

    Design note:
    Too much velvet can weigh a room down. Use it as an anchor — one large piece, then repeat the tone or finish subtly elsewhere.

    2. Faux Leather and Suede – Structure and Edge

    What it does:
    Leather offers contrast to softer textiles. In casino lounges and card rooms, it brings formality, tension, and a no-nonsense edge. Faux versions today are high quality, easy to maintain, and available in a wider colour range than ever before.

    Types to consider:

    • Faux leather – durable, cost-effective, good for dining or entryways
    • Faux suede or microfibre suede – velvety to touch, looks high-end

    Where to use it at home:

    • Upholstered bar stools or bench seating
    • Accent cushions with leather trim or button detailing
    • Wall-mounted headboards in squared panels
    • Drawer fronts or wardrobe panels for an unexpected texture

    Pair it with:

    • Velvet or wool to soften the look
    • Matte black or natural wood furniture
    • Minimalist lighting to let the texture speak for itself

    Design note:
    Use darker tones — espresso, charcoal, tobacco, or aubergine — to echo casino mood without feeling too masculine or dated.

    3. Satin and Metallic Weaves – Glow, Not Glitter

    What it does:
    One hallmark of a well-designed casino interior is the interplay between dark and light. Fabrics with metallic threads or satin sheens pick up ambient lighting and create soft highlights without tipping into gloss. They add movement, especially in the evenings.

    Types to consider:

    • Satin-backed curtains for a gentle flow and soft shine
    • Jacquard upholstery with bronze, silver, or copper accents
    • Decorative trim fabrics with metallic piping or fringe

    Where to use it at home:

    • Accent cushions or bolster pillows
    • Curtain linings or tiebacks
    • Small ottomans or footstools
    • Bed throws or table runners

    Pair it with:

    • Soft matte paints like heritage white, sage, or ink
    • Stone, concrete, or timber to keep things grounded
    • Warm lighting (2700K bulbs or dimmable fixtures)

    Design note:
    Keep metallic fabrics small-scale. They’re best used as accents, not foundations. Even a narrow ribbon of shimmer can change the feel of a space.

    4. Art Deco and Geometric Patterns – Control and Character

    What it does:
     Pattern is everywhere in casinos, but is done with control. Art Deco and geometric motifs give structure to a room and draw on historical casino design from the 1920s–30s. These patterns introduce rhythm without overwhelming the senses.

    Types to consider:

    • Cut velvet with repeating geometric shapes
    • Woven jacquards in diamonds, fans, arches, or chevrons
    • Prints in monochrome, gold-on-black, or tone-on-tone combinations

    Where to use it at home:

    • Feature armchairs or cocktail chairs
    • Cushions with bold piping or contrast trim
    • Roman blinds or half-length curtains in hallways or dressing rooms
    • Framed fabric panels as wall art in hallways or bedrooms

    Pair it with:

    • Plain upholstery to give the pattern breathing room
    • Brass or chrome light fittings
    • Classic architectural details (moulding, cornices, skirting boards)

    Design note:
    Patterns should repeat cleanly and match up well at seams — especially important with upholstery and blinds. Keep geometric fabrics crisp and structured.

    5. Heavy Drapery and Layered Textiles – Acoustic Warmth and Framing

    What it does:
    Casinos use heavy fabrics for more than style. Drapery controls acoustics, zones areas, and creates intimacy. In homes, this same principle makes a room feel richer, more private, and more considered.

    Types to consider:

    • Interlined velvet or wool-blend curtains
    • Double-layered window treatments with sheers behind
    • Textile wall panels to add softness to cold walls

    Where to use it at home:

    • Living rooms and cinema rooms for warmth and sound control
    • Bedrooms to soften harsh light and frame the bed
    • Dining rooms to absorb clatter and give definition

    Pair it with:

    • Layered rugs, throws, and upholstered furniture
    • Warm bulbs, floor lamps, and indirect lighting
    • Natural materials like travertine, oak, or aged brass

    Design note:
    Use these fabrics to create full-length visual lines. Curtains should fall to the floor — or even pool slightly — to get the desired effect.

    Avoiding Overdesign: Keeping It Grounded

    The risk with casino-inspired style is going too far. When every element screams luxury, the room loses its balance.

    How to get it right:

    • Stick to two standout fabrics per room
    • Balance gloss with matte, weight with lightness
    • Let lighting guide what fabric shines — avoid white or blue bulbs
    • Choose one patterned fabric and surround it with textures, not more prints
    • Include something personal — an old chair, a handmade item — to avoid showroom sterility

    Final Word

    Glamour isn’t always about shine. Sometimes it’s about weight, stillness, tension, and a sense of theatre. Casino-inspired fabrics offer all of that — not just for drama, but for comfort, elegance, and identity.

    Drawing influence from casinos or high-end gaming lounges around the world, these design choices bring a bold but thoughtful touch to interiors. They suggest risk, confidence, and a room that knows how to hold attention.

  • 5 Things to Consider When Choosing a Ladder for Home: My Own Experience
    by Kim

    It’s easier than you think to get a wrong ladder that won’t fit at home. I’ve done it once, thinking they are all universal, and “I’ll figure something out.” When I had to return the product, embarrassed that I’ve made a poor decision, it was time to learn how to consider stuff before buying it.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SGR9VShNg0

    And so I decided to share my knowledge with you.

    Choosing the Right Ladder: 5 Points to Consider

    In my experience, when looking for the best ladders for home, here’s what you have to consider:

    1. Height.
      The most important thing is whether the ladder is of proper height. One of the most misleading thoughts is, “I don’t have to check the height, it looks like it will reach there.” It might not so be meticulous about the measurements.
    2. Materials.
      What are your priorities? Extra durability and maximum security/weight capacity or lightweight and portability? If it’s the first one, opt for fiberglass. It’s extremely durable and provides the safest conditions of use. If it’s the second one, an aluminum ladder will work the best for you. It’s lightweight yet very strong and also quite safe.
    3. Performance.
      What do you need the ladder for? It might be necessary for simple tasks like putting something on the highest shelf or taking heavy construction materials up. Decide on the major workload and choose the ladder accordingly.
    4. Unique needs.
      Do you have an unusual floor or something else that might require a special kind of ladder? There are tons of design opportunities at the moment, so you can definitely find a model for any needs. But it’s important to consider those beforehand or at least know where you can buy accessories.
    5. The brand.
      While not the most important factor, you should know who makes the ladder. By knowing what brand to take, you’ll be able to find a suitable ladder at any store, online or offline. Read reviews, ratings, and comparisons to choose the brand you’ll stick to in the future.

    You can add more personal points to the list, but these are the ultimate base. Go one by one, and you’ll get to the perfect ladder for home. Hope this helps, and you’ll find a perfect ladder for your home very soon!

  • My New Venture: Cotton + Steel
    by Kim

    Welcome to True Up, your source for fabric news, designer interviews, sale alerts, and everything fabric. For regular updates, like us on Facebook or subscribe to RSS feed with your favorite feed reader. Thanks for visiting!

    I hope you all have been well! Thank you for the sweet and understanding response to my shuttering True Up. It really means a lot to me.

    C+S.logo_-600x376

    As promised, I’m finally posting about my new project. At Fall Quilt Market we officially launched Cotton + Steel, a new brand/division of RJR fabrics. Melody Miller is the creative director, and the other designers are myself, Rashida Coleman-Hale, Alexia Abegg, and Sarah Watts. Oh, we just whipped up a little DOCUMENTARY FILM about all of this. Well, by we, I mostly mean Greg Miller, Melody’s husband, who is an incredible filmmaker and photographer.

    http://player.vimeo.com/video/76730844?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0

    Cotton+Steel from Gregory Miller Pictures on Vimeo.

    It’s really only been nine months in the making so far. What started out as Melody’s search for a new home (around Quiltcon time in February) took on steam and quickly evolved into an idea for an entire new company. She came to me along the way for my thoughts, and by some lucky twist I got brought on as a designer. RJR, by the way, has been simply incredible to work with. We got to visit their Torrance, California headquarters and of course it was super cool for me to see the inner workings of a fabric company for the first time, including art director Yuko Hasegawa‘s studio, the warehouse, the machines that feed fabric from rolls to bolts, the whole operation! Rick Cohan, the owner, is a third generation textile businessman, and knows everything there is to know about the industry. Everyone at the company has been warm and welcoming and everyone is so excited for this new direction. We all wanted to do this the right way.

    So, hooray, I’ll be a fabric designer! Finally! My focus will be vintage reproductions, curated and styled into quirky, semi-narrative collections (read: novelty prints!). As you might know, vintage was my first love and it continues to be my strongest, and I’ve always wanted to bring my favorite prints back to be enjoyed and used by a new generation. My first collection is called Homebody, inspired by the joys of solitude and puttering around the house.

    homebodyplaque-600x800

    Despite me wanting to celebrate the antisocial streak that I imagine we all have, I have to say, we all conceived of Cotton + Steel as an old-school textile design studio, emphasizing mutual inspiration and collaborative creativity. At Quiltcon, while Melody was scheming, I was sitting in Kathy Miller‘s lecture on Tammis Keefe, where she talked about imagining working in design studios of old, a bunch of women chatting and painting the day away, bouncing ideas off each other and laughing and complaining and creating. The talk really had a profound effect on me, because I realized that was exactly what I was looking for. We all have a tendency to isolate ourselves behind our screens, but I am not one who can or wants to be creative in a vacuum. I’m not much of a believer in fate, but it does feel like that’s exactly what this all is.

    When Melody and Sarah conceived the name, they were thinking of the old American landscape, cotton mills and steel mills. I assumed the steel referred to scissors and Greg thought it meant sewing machines. So, it works on a few levels, which I think is awesome. What is really important to us, though, is honoring the traditions of the industry and the spirit of creativity that drives us all. Though we are inevitably going to be called RJR’s “modern” brand, we really want to draw on the traditions and spirit of our predecessors.

    We will be unveiling our collections at Quilt Market, right before they are ready to ship. Which means, no online sneak peeks before that. We want to build the excitement and we definitely don’t want you to be tired of seeing them before they are even available to buy. What I can tell you now is that we will have have our individual collections on quilting cotton, lawn, and cotton-linen canvas (more substrates to come). Being on multiple substrates from the get-go was very important to all of us.

    We are all working from a master palette, so there will be many mixing and matching opportunities. We also have a 30-something-piece basics collection and our own C+S solids. So, Homebody, August (Sarah’s collection), Mustang (Melody’s), Hatbox (Alexia’s), and Moonlit (Rashida’s), will be shown first in May in Pittsburgh and be in stores in July. And of course, we are beside ourselves waiting for our big launch.

    I have to say, while it was painful for me to not get to see all the new collections at Fall Quilt Market, it was a great change of pace for me to not be running around from appointment to appointment. We got a great response and I feel like I’m home now.

    I think that sums it up. Except to point you to all places to find us. We will see you on your social media channel of choice!

    Facebook
    Instagram
    Pinterest
    Twitter

    P.S. There has been some interest from other folks in taking over True Up, so I’ll be working on that in the weeks/months to come. Keep your fingers crossed for a 2014 True Up relaunch.

    Related posts:

    1. Fall Quilt Market 2012: Kokka – Melody Miller
    2. Spring Quilt Market 2013: Kokka – Melody Miller
    3. Michael Miller Organic Cottons, and Laminated Fabric
    4. Preview: Ruby Star Spring by Melody Miller
    5. Fall Quilt Market 2010 – Kokka – Melody Miller

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