Organicfabric in heavy, spruced up prints with tarnished, pallid shades define thefabric this year, says Sonam Gupta.

Textiles are the creative centrefor every designer, product, trend and home. While it is important to mingledifferent materials for new combinations, experiments can make or break thecreative blueprint. Over the years, a lot of effort has been made to createfashion fabrics that remain eternal. That results in a constant flow ofimproved fabric.

Textiles are a prerequisite for avariety of home furnishing products like curtains, cushions, cushion covers,table cloths, upholstery, duvets, bed covers, rugs and runners, napkins, towelsand other products. Here are five trends to keep an eye on.

1.Trendof Textured, Cotton Yarns

In 2016, special emphasis was ontextured fabric. The mere touch of textured textile like Egyptian cotton muslinfabric, cotton linen, cotton silk and cotton modal add grace and dimension to aroom. Fabric wall art and interlaced poufs have dominated home decor elements.The feel of the fabric is rich, raw, cosy and skin-friendly while the look iselegant, diverged and earthy. The blend of cotton and silk has beenadvantageous in the home textile sector considering its rich look and lowmaintenance requirements. Egyptian cotton and cotton linen are breezymaterials, light weight and do not cling. As they appear more crisp than someother fabric, it is easier to portray certain designs on the material. Beddingmade out of Egyptian cotton has been fairly popular because of its versatilityas a graceful, organic and particularly comfortable fabric.

From curtains and pillows to wallhangings and throws, linen is a boon and will remain in the market for sometime.

2. Swirlsof blue and purple

Pantone 13-1520 Rose Quartz, abeautiful, light pink shade and Pantone 15-3919 Serenity, a gorgeous shade oflight blue and purple have been recognised as the colours of 2016. Thesestunning shades are the limelight for the home decor segment and have beenproficiently incorporated in home decor textiles. These are tranquil, pastelhues that reflect the soft pink dusk over an azure ocean. The delicate tonesadd panache to the homely setting and tactfully bring out a soothing vibe.

In 2016, home decor textilesgenerously used these pastel hues and advantageously coupled them with variedaccent shades to create multihued patterns. The soft undertones create acheerful, gentle vibe with a hint of sophistication. Abundantly used in mottledcolour schemes, these tints look refined in a framed art decor or in softfurnishings like cushions and rugs with muted sofas or elaborate curtains withadd-ons of sheer fabric.

3. Chirpy, convoluted prints take over from subtle ones

Audacious prints and patterns have been in trend for quite some time and will remain in fashion even in 2016. They have ruled the home interior segment and have recreated popular labeled furnishing. From retro prints to cultural patterns, geometric to eccentric, florals, bubbled, chaotic to wavy, anything bold and beautiful can be embellished for a fancy look at homes. Textile prints for home decor have also been adorned in beautiful tropical floral prints as well as small floral prints, especially for bedding, duvets and curtains. From meticulous throwback style textured wallpapers to baskets with arithmetical designs, several type of patterns are lurking around in the market in 2016. Contrasts and combinations of mottled patterns are also being encouraged by experts. Heavy prints have reappeared and are making statements in an assortment of soft furnishing products.

4. The shade of indigo

Indigo is eternal in the textile industry. It looks predominantly attractive when integrated in key furnishings, drapes and wallpapers. From light yarn to intense denim, everything goes in terms of materials. Indigo can be lovely plain or when featured in the most intricate tribal and tie dye patterns. Block printing in Shibori and Dabu fabric coupled with indigo vintage embroidered pattern detailing is hot in 2016. These prints create a traditional, festive look and have been deliberately used on curtains, cushions, rugs and beddings to add charm to home interior decor. The prints have also been widely used in crockery, coasters, wall arts, table mats and fabric frames.

5. Eternal allure of embroidery

Embroidery adds personality and exquisite craftsmanship to home furnishings. This traditional technique is seen everywhere, from wall hangings to throw pillows, and the elevated craft elaborately features interesting designs and botanical scenes. Pairing needlework with timber creates a pastoral look and goes beyond classy. On the other hand, embroidery with metals and other modern elements introduces a refreshingly innovative look in the room.