Bright & Beautiful Outdoor Fabric Designs Spring 2022
A big shout-out to all of my blog readers on this amazing March day! Let’s talk Outdoor Fabric.
We had a high temperature of 80 degrees yesterday in central North Carolina, and I started thinking about outdoor fabric. It may not seem warm to some of you if you’re south of me, but I thought the weather was great! It was a gorgeous day when it was warm enough to have lunch outside with friends, and it felt like the actual beginning of spring.
To celebrate the beginning of the spring season, I am doing some virtual shopping for amazing outdoor fabric prints. Honestly, my outdoor cushions are looking mildewed, and I’m considering new outdoor fabric for the decorative pillows. Last year, the supply chain was so disrupted that the selection seemed skimpy. In particular, one huge issue I had was with finding outdoor rugs that I liked. I unfortunately settled for ones that I don’t really love, and that may have been a mistake.
This year, I’m thinking that a complete redesign scheme may be necessary to get the outdoor spaces to look the way I want. We’re going to look at our options for outdoor fabric, and if I need to change out the rugs, so be it. I spend enough time outside that I want to love that space.
Outdoor fabrics I can find locally
I do have an advantage in finding good fabrics locally. My location is close to High Point, and since it is a major hub for the furnishngs industry, we have many discount fabric dealers nearby. Of course, there are also retailers, but I don’t like to pay full price if I don’t have to.
The main brands for outdoor fabrics that I find locally are Sunbrella and Waverly, so we’ll begin there.
Sunbrella®
Sunbrell® is a leader in the durable fabrics industry. My personal experience with Sunbrella® outdoor fabrics has been overwhelmingly positive. I have bleached, pressure washed, and abused outdoor Sunbrella® fabrics, and the colors resist fading. The retail price point is somewhat high, but comparable to other manufacturers of durable outdoor fabric.
Of course, Sunbrella® was the first manufacturer that I researched for this blog post, and I immediately found the perfect fabric for my outdoor fabric redesign project! No need to look any further, right? Ha ha.
It turns out that I will actually need to invest in new outdoor rugs, too. I must have this fabric, and it doesn’t coordinate with my old rugs.
I have compiled a few mood boards of Sunbrella® fabrics that look fresh and cheerful for the spring. I will provide resource links for purchasing options that are current as of March 4, 2022.
Waverly®
I purchased Waverly® outdoor fabric for the past two years, and I have had positive experiences with their designs and durability as well. The price point for many of the Waverly® outdoor fabrics, at least in my location, is about half of the price point for Sunbrella® and some of the other manufacturers. If you are looking for a good value, Waverly® is an excellent choice.
Last year, my rugs from the previous summer had shown a tremendous amount of weather damage—more than I could fix. Since I needed two 8×10 rugs, my options were limited with the overseas supply chain debacle. I settled for a pair of black and beige rugs in a design that I wasn’t crazy about. Ever since replacing the rugs, I have had mixed feelings about my choice.
This year, it seems that some of the supply chain issues have resolved, and there is at least some inventory for outdoor furnishings and rugs. I’m going to take advantage of that situation early this season and place my order for new rugs. I don’t want to feel [meh] about my outdoor living space any more.
Back to the point…we were talking about fabric
Oh, right. I went on that tangential thought to say, last year the fabric choices faced some of the same supply chain issues. Fortunately, a local fabric discounter had an abundance of Waverly® fabrics, and I found a design that coordinated with the rugs I selected. Waverly® does offer an impressive choice of colors and styles, and some of the designs are really fun for an outdoor space.
Enjoy the mood boards and samples I have curated. I include the fabric information, again, that is current as of March 4, 2022.
Final outdoor fabric selection
I have found my absolute dream fabric! Sunbrella® Shelton Indigo Blue is what I am purchasing for my outdoor space this year, along with beige rugs from Ebern Designs® on wayfair.com. It should be the perfect complement to my outdoor space, and I am looking forward to sewing my new pillow covers for this year. No doubt I will go through this same process next year, when I forget to bring in my outdoor pillows and let them turn green with mildew.
