Where do I find my discontinued fabric?

We get lots of calls at www.InteriorDecorating.com for discontinued fabrics.  We love that.  We might have it - but probably not.  Let me tell you why.  Most of the fabrics on our website are from fabric jobbers. Jobbers purchase fabrics by the bolt in large quantities from fabric mills and converters.  They take those fabrics and put them into collections and books (so you can browse all one color or type of fabric).   After some time, if the fabric did not sell very well, they discontinue it and just don't get any more.  Some times the converter or mill quits making it and they have no choice but to drop the fabric.  Fabrics get discontinued every day.   It's very hard to keep up.

A store, whether online or not, usually has some bolts of fabric they have purchased.  Some of them eventually get discontinued before they are sold out.  This is how we have discontinued fabrics.  We still have some left.  You can see our discontinued fabrics here >>   We don't stock fabrics from jobbers like Robert Allen, Kravet, Duralee, Ralph Lauren, etc.  There is no reason to - they are designed to be ordered cut to measure when you need it.  A store cannot have every Kravet fabric in stock (there are thousands) because that is just not possible.  Kravet has them in stock; therefore, when Kravet discontinues it - it is gone.  If you are lucky enough to know the mill that made it, you might be able to get it in a bolt size (think 60 yards or more).  Finding a couple of yards is like looking for a needle in a haystack - only way that's gonna happen is if someone has a return or something like that.

The other exception is when another jobber booked the same fabric; however, it will have a different name.  So unless you want to spend hours going through every brand of fabric...  I have been known to locate a few discontinued fabrics  - we might just help you find yours too.

How Many Curtain Rings Do I Need?

Do you want to add some flair to your curtain panels?  Curtain rings are the popular choice.  So how many curtain rings do you need?  The general rule is to place a ring every four to eight inches.  Well, that's still pretty vague.  If your curtain fabric is heavy you need more rings so measure every 4 inches.  If you have light weight curtains, every 8 inches will be sufficient.

Here's the math:

Length of curtain rod / 8 = Minimum number of rings
Length of curtain rod / 4 = Maximum number of rings


Shop Curtain Rings >>

My Fabric Stinks! Help!

If you have ever sat in a new car, you have probably smelled that "new" smell. Most of the time it smells clean, but there are times when the smell is less than desirable.

What is this odor?
The "new car" smell is a result of "off gassing" or releasing its chemicals. In layman's terms, it's airing out.

Why does my stuff smell?

We receive this question many times when people open a new roll of fabric or pre-made drapery products. Many times the dyes in the fabrics can cause various smells because it is woven or printed and then stays rolled up until you purchase it. Vinyl fabrics do this because they are made of plastics.

How do I get rid of the smell?

The easiest answer would be to let it air out. If you are concerned about the smell, leave the furniture or fabric in your garage or another room for at least a week. You can also try sprinkling baking soda on the furniture and leaving it for 24 hours and then vacuuming it off. Vinyls can be wiped with a baking soda vinegar mixture to help alleviate some of the smell.

Most products are going to smell, but with time they will air out and smell just like home.

Cellular Shades

New on www.InteriorDecorating.com

Cellular or Honeycomb Shades

Cellular shades are a wonderful window covering choice.  Available in many colors, these custom made shades provide insulation, UV filtering and privacy.  From Sheer to Blackout, you choose the details.  If you need both, you can have a shade with both blackout and sheer fabrics called Privacy View Shade.  Options include cord control, smooth lift continuous cord, top down / bottom up, cordless lift, motorized and lift and lock cordless.  Cellular fabrics can also be used in skylights, angled windows, arches, half arches, circles and ovals.

Cordless shades are certified Best for Kids.  Shop online at
https://www.interiordecorating.com/cellular-shades.asp

Blackout Fabrics

Blackout fabrics are used to cover your windows and not allow any light through.  You can add blackout lining to your draperies to achieve this effect.  Just select a gorgeous drapery fabric and have it lined with blackout lining (usually white or off-white). 

Many new styles of fabric are coated with a blackout finish, eliminating the need for purchasing two fabrics.  The Vegas FR Blackout book includes solid color drapery fabrics in 4 different styles.  One of the fabrics has a wool look while another has a bit of metallic shine to it.  The FR just means that it is fire retardant and could be used in a hotel or some other commercial setting.

Blackout curtains also save money over time by blocking light which causes fading and reducing electricity costs by blocking heat produced by sunlight and providing an insulation to keep your temperature even.

Check out Vegas FR Blackout fabrics >>

Check out this fan

Recently, we have added over 100 new fans to our Hunter Ceiling Fan Store online.  Many of the styles are just fabulous.  Trying to pick just one is rather difficult for some of us.  One of my favorites is the Fanaway.  It has retractable blades that disappear when the fan is off so that it looks like a just a cool pendant lamp.  Check out the YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VrQxoAYyZs

See the details here: https://www.hunterceilingfanstore.com/499417-1156-Fanaway-48in-Brushed-Chrome-Fan

Top Selling Fabric Brands

If you have shopped home decorator fabrics, you quickly found out that there are more beautiful options than you could ever possibly look at.  Some of the more well-known brands include Kravet, Robert Allen, Duralee, Fabricut, Greenhouse, Kasmir and Schumacher.  If you are looking for high-end designer fabrics, you might try B. Berger, Motif, Thibaut or Ralph Lauren.  Some brands like to specialize in certain types of fabrics like Latimer Alexander is known for velvets and American Silk Mills is the source for Sensuede™.  With 20 years of online fabrics sales and more locally, we know fabrics.  If you have a question, we should know the answer or know someone who does.

At InteriorDecorating.com, we have accounts with hundreds of fabric vendors so you don't have to.  We can provide samples and fabric by the yard.  If you see a brand or a fabric in a magazine or online, most likely we can get that too - just give us a call at 1-800-590-5844.

Check out the brands we have online here >>

Decorating Style

What is your decorating style? For some us, we just know what we like without labeling the style.  If you are interested in determining your style, check out the articles on InteriorDecorating.com How To Section:  How-To: Decorating

Here are some of the styles we discuss:
Traditional
Transitional
Coastal
Morroccan
Art Deco
Shabby Chic
French and French Country
English

We also have Pinterest boards devoted to each of these styles.

Vertical Blinds

You would think that patio doors and French doors would come in a standard size; however, just like windows, there are numerous sizes.  Our new selection of budget-priced vertical blinds has over  60 sizes available in white.  Some also come in alabaster.  We have vertical blinds boxed and ready to ship in the common sizes and the not-so-common.

Two-Panel Sliding Glass Patio Doors (common widths)
60" (5 feet)
72" (6 feet)
96" (8 feet)
Three-Panel Sliding Glass Patio Doors (common widths)
108" (9 feet)
144" (12 feet)

Common Heights
80" (6 feet 8 inches)
82" (6 feet 10 inches)
96" (8 feet)

Vertical blinds are a great choice for large windows as well.  We have several sizes available.  The chart lists sizes in width x height.

Shop Vertical Blinds: https://www.interiordecorating.com/vertical-blinds.asp

Traverse Wood Poles

Traverse rods or pull string curtain poles are curtain rods that include a string and mechanism for opening and closing your draperies.  There are many styles available today including the traditional white mechanical looking traverse rods, decorative metal and wrought iron traversing rods and wooden rods notched for a track.  Many options can span extra long areas and be made to your exact specifications.  Here is a video on some of our new wooden traverse rods: