Home Furnishing - Soft Furnishings and Interiors
Soft furnishings in interiors
The exam tests furnishing categories, measurement, fabric selection and interior coordination. Soft furnishings include curtains, blinds, cushions, upholstery, bed linen, table linen and rugs. Selection depends on light control, privacy, durability, fire safety, colour scheme and maintenance.
Measurement rules
- Measure the track/pole, not the glass; decide floor length or sill length.
- Fullness ratio multiplies flat fabric width: pencil pleat often 2–2.5×; eyelet 1.5–2×.
- Pattern repeat adds to cut length, not to width.
- Upholstery durability is often given by Martindale rub count; higher is tougher.
- Lining improves insulation, protects the face fabric and gives a better drape.
Worked example
A window track is 200 cm; choose 2.5× fullness and 140 cm-wide fabric for a pair. Flat width = 200 × 2.5 = 500 cm. Number of fabric widths = 500 ÷ 140 = 3.57, round up to 4 widths. For a pair, use 2 widths per curtain. Reasoning: round up because fabric cannot be joined invisibly without a seam; pattern matching may need extra length per cut.
Traps
Do not use the window glass width for a track-mounted curtain. Do not add pattern repeat to the width. Fullness is not the same as hem allowance. A higher thread count is not automatically more durable.