FibreGuard's velvet upholstery in a heritage apartment setting [CASE STUDY]

This case study features a boxy apartment transformed into a Parisian getaway thanks to the work of a talented designer with incredible attention to detail. Oh, and FibreGuard upholstery too!

Get ready for some beautiful photography, courtesy of James Dunlop Textiles, with thanks.

Project Context

Based in a heritage protected Queen Anne Revival style building, this Melbourne apartment clearly needed the finest materials and treatment. Enter designer Anouska Milstein of Studio A.mi.

The space would serve as a frequent getaway destination for a family and their friends, designed to host family gatherings and guest visits throughout the year.

“We wanted the apartment to feel chic but also relaxed. Parisian interior design often tends to feel quite feminine, as is Queen Anne Revival style, so we wanted to play with that binary. We loved the idea of it feeling very femme, floaty, and powdery, so working with dusty hues made a lot of sense.” – Anouska Milstein

While the building's heritage status demanded premium finishes, the practical reality of children and guests meant that any fabric specification needed serious performance capabilities behind its good looks.

The clients were also unsure about the selection, given that their previous experiences with traditional velvets had made them hesitant about using this fabric type in a family setting.

“Our client loved the look of the velvet but was concerned about durability with her young daughters and guests, so we ultimately specified a velvet designed with FibreGuard – making it safe for spills.” – Anouska Milstein

Technical Requirements

Countering the boxlike feel of the existing apartment, decorative cornices, millwork, skirting, and architraves were introduced. The kitchen also features stunning, custom-made banquette seating in a soft blue velvet atop an eye-catching wooden base.

Given the diverse range of users, from young children to adult guests, superior stain resistance was essential to maintain the fabric's pristine condition.

The project needed a hardworking velvet upholstery that could retain the luxurious texture, as well as its colour vibrancy, despite regular use. Some designers might balk at the idea of sky-blue upholstery on kitchen seating, but Anouska Milstein knew exactly what she was doing.

Did you know? FibreGuard’s ‘stain free’ technology is applied at the yarn level, so it is inherent to all our textiles, granting 360° protection against all household stains. In contrast to other topical and spray-on stain treatments, FibreGuard’s inherent coating will continue to protect your furniture, wash after wash, year after year.

Technical Solution Implementation

Fibres: Performance Characteristics

The client's banquette seating installation presented the ideal opportunity to demonstrate the capabilities of FibreGuard’s velvet. The pile retention is exceptional, maintaining its direction and bounce-back properties even in this heavy-use seating area. Its gentle sky-blue colourway showcases our colourfast technology, which ensures that the fabric maintains its visual elegance even against exposure to natural light and regular use.

“FibreGuard embodies the perfect synergy of stain resistant fabric, high performance fabric, stain free fabric, stain protection fabric, and durable fabric. Seamlessly integrating the latest advancements in home furnishing textiles to provide long-lasting, low-maintenance, and easy clean fabric without compromising on quality or style.” – James Dunlop, textile supplier

Conclusion

The success of this installation lies in meeting both the aesthetic requirements of a heritage building and the practical needs of a family weekend home. FibreGuard’s performance technology allowed for a velvet specification that might otherwise have been impractical for such a well-used space.

Could our fabrics be the perfect fit for your next project? We love building long-term relationships with our contract customers by providing outstanding service alongside our high quality, market-leading products.

Contact us today to start your FibreGuard journey