Pattern Placement Tutorial: From Ho-Hum to A-Ha!

Pattern placement during reupholstering is very important.

Many patterned fabrics look quite different depending on the way you orient them on your piece of furniture. Some fabrics, like this curlicue print, can be placed randomly. Others require some planning before getting out the staple gun so you don’t waste fabric but also buy enough.

Linear Prints

If you have a linear pattern, you have to decide whether it should run horizontally or from front to back. Take this zigzag fabric, for instance. Each option gives the seat a very different vibe. The side-to-side version makes the chair look squat. My client selected the front-to-back version, which gives the appearance of lengthening the seat.

Feature Prints

If you have a fabric with a dominant motif, you have to decide how to feature it. For instance, this boho paisley-esque design (featured in Dining Room Chairs: From Bland to Boho) could have been placed two different ways on the seats. I selected the one on the right because it nicely mirrored the curves of the chair back and just looked better to me.

When selecting a fabric with a motif to feature on multiple chairs, be careful to line up the pattern in an identical manner from seat to seat. You will notice later if they don’t match! Also be sure to buy enough fabric so you have the right number of motif repeats for the number of seats.

Florals

Florals can be one of the most exciting fabric patterns for expressing creativity. Turning a floral even ninety degrees or featuring one flower instead of another can completely change the final look. For this beauty (see Vintage Oval-Back Chair: From Beige to BAM!), I tried the floral fabric in a number of positions before deciding I wanted to focus attention on the purple orchid. My choice then dictated the color of the seat fabric. But there were several large flowers of other colors in the print. If I’d made one of them the focal point instead, this chair would have turned out very differently.