Choosing summer upholstery patterns for outdoor living

Here at FibreGuard, we love nothing better than taking life outside when summer arrives. But how do you create a smooth transition from indoor to outdoor living?

The key is to treat your outside space as an extension of your home, creating an ‘outdoor living room’ with comfortable seating, attractive fabrics, and outdoor versions of interior items such as lamps, coffee tables, and rugs.

FibreGuard Outdoor PFAS-free upholstery is here to help you enjoy your time outside this summer with the help of fabrics engineered to stand up to water, sun and spills.

In this blog post, we look at the latest trends in outdoor fabrics, and explore why it’s important to choose durable, weatherproof upholstery that can easily withstand the elements.

Special outdoor spaces need special outdoor upholstery

Although we believe in treating your outside space as you would your interior in terms of colours, accessories and styling, the fabrics you choose for your al fresco areas need to be specifically designed for the great outdoors.

FibreGuard Outdoor fabrics are expertly engineered to cope with the elements, while being just as soft and inviting as our interior upholstery. The solution-dyed yarns in our fabrics won’t fade over time, even when left out in the sun. And our stain-resistant upholstery is perfect for humid environments because it’s water-repellent and resistant to mildew.

Looking at our wide range of coloured and patterned fabrics, we recommend paler hues for hot climates because they will reflect the sun and help regulate the temperature of your outdoor seating area.

Why choose fibreguard Outdoor upholstery for your outside space? Our FibreGuard Outdoor performance upholstery fabrics are…

1. Highly Durable
2. Weatherproof
3. Colourfast
4. Resistant to UV damage
5. Easy to clean
6. Anti-microbial
7. Available in a wide choice of colours, patterns and textures

Related Read: How Fibreguard Outdoor furnishing fabrics can handle any weather

The top patterns & trends for upholstery fabrics this summer

Bold basics

Stripes, checks and spots will never go out of fashion, so lean into classic patterns for the garden this summer to create a timeless look. The ‘quiet luxury’ aesthetic has been big news in the interiors world, and now you can take this trend outside by selecting beautiful, high quality pieces for your garden, terrace or balcony.

"Quiet luxury is about subtleties and elevated materials, letting the quality be the defining element of the room versus a particular style or aesthetic." – Shea McGee from interior design company Studio McGee

Achieving quiet luxury style in the garden is all about thoughtful, considered design. This means prioritising quality materials, such as FibreGuard Outdoor’s easy clean upholstery, to create an understated sense of luxury.

Large-scale florals

Romanticism is having its moment in the sun, so it’s out with ditzy, ‘cottagey’ florals and in with dramatic, over-sized blooms for your garden cushions and upholstery.

“2024 promises to be a year of thoughtfully chosen offbeat colours, a mix-and-match approach to the designs of different time periods, and a return to romanticism, with jewel tones and florals offering a flirty, old-fashioned respite from the onward march of technology.” – Architectural Digest

Large-scale florals offer maximum impact and give a pleasantly nostalgic feel to your outdoor seating. They also make a nod to biophilic design elements which continue to be a strong visual trend both inside and outside the house.

Vintage inspiration

Designers are dipping into history this season when it comes to fabric patterns. Tying in with the floral trend, we can see the influence of classic, botanical motifs from Nineteenth Century designers such as William Morris and Liberty.

In our FibreGuard Outdoor collections, we also make a nod to the past with bold, retro prints reminiscent of designs from the Sixties and Seventies. The perfect way to bring a bold, characterful look to your poolside area or patio.

Peachy tones

Colours on the up this summer include gentle orange hues such as ‘Peach Fuzz’, Pantone’s Colour of the Year for 2024, and ‘Apricot Crush’, a hot shade identified by trend forecasters WGSN.

"This delicate hue invites us to slow down, reconnect with our surroundings, and find comfort in simpler pleasures." – Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Colour Institute, on ‘Peach Fuzz’, Pantone’s Colour of the Year 2024

Related Read: Pantone's Peach Fuzz: The Fibreguard edit

Where can I find FibreGuard Outdoor fabrics?

Looking to purchase FibreGuard Outdoor fabrics for your outdoor furniture? Feel free to browse our digital fabric textures for free on the TwinBru platform! You can find the FibreGuard Outdoor collection here. Find a design you like? You can order free fabric samples from TwinBru as well.

Ready to go outside?

To sum up, there’s a wealth of choice of available for your outside space this summer in terms of on-trend colours and patterns. When creating an ‘outdoor living room’, just make sure you use furniture and fabrics specifically designed for outside use. That way, you and your loved ones can enjoy summer in the garden, safe in the knowledge that your stain-resistant outdoor furnishings can handle whatever the weather can throw at them!

Looking for more ideas for your outside space? Click here to read about FibreGuard Outdoor’s fabrics, or be inspired by our Outdoor Living Design Pinterest board