Have you considered what to have your next new sofa covered in? How about wool? Here in the Edinburgh showroom we are mad about the stuff. Maybe it’s because we’re in Scotland and it can be a bit colder up here. Wool can give a cosy feel but it doesn’t need to be that way.  Our Helmsley sofa looks and feels great covered in wool fabrics made by Ian Mankin from their Ashfield Collection. The curves of the sofa are complimented by the soft look of the wool and colours keep it cool too.

Ian Mankin

The Ashfield collection is Ian Mankin’s first exciting venture into fabrics made with wool, and boy are they good. They are woven at their own mill in Lancashire. An unusual character of the collection is that all of the designs are reversible, so that either side of the fabric can be used to create a different effect. These fabrics are a welcome change from the normal tartans that wools seem so get woven into, not that tartan isn’t fabulous too!

Tartan

Tartan is synonymous with Scotland but there is no reason why it should be when it comes to upholstery. There are some fabulous modern checks and tartans that can be used to brighten up your home. There are a few producers of these types of fabrics including Linwood, Warwick and Abraham Moon. Moon wools are created at their mill in Guiseley, Yorkshire. Founded in 1837 and with their roots in fashion, they have a reputation for consistent quality and innovative design. As you can see the bright colours are neither stuffy nor old fashioned.

Harris Tweed

For the ultimate luxury in wool then we would suggest Harris Tweed. It may feel a bit rougher to the touch than other wools but its prestige and beauty more than makes up for it. From time immemorial, the inhabitants of the Outer Hebrides of Scotland have woven this beautiful and intricate cloth. The creation of Harris Tweed begins with fleeces of pure virgin wools which are sheared from Cheviot and Scottish Blackface sheep. The two types of wool are blended together to gain the advantages of their unique qualities and characteristics. Below is our Brighton sofa covered in Calluna Harris Tweed.

Bold Plain Colours

If you are looking for a truly clean and modern look, then how about plain wool? Bold blocks of colour can look amazing. Designer’s Guild have a couple of plain wools to choose from. Cheviot and Melton. They can give a very dramatic look to a piece of furniture and using complementary colours always works well as seen in the chairs below.

Are you ready to delve into the world of wool for your next sofa? If you’re tempted then come along to our Edinburgh showroom where we can show you all of the above fabrics and you’ll be able to test some of our sofas that we have covered in wool.

By Laura Hammond

source : sofas & stuff