The Softer Touch

Walk any trade show these days and you're bound to notice that home textiles are everywhere. Pillows, throws, accent rugs, table linens, and footstools — the list goes on. The soft goods category has become so widespread that you'll no longer find textiles only at textile company showrooms. Gift and decorative accessories manufacturers are also tapping into the softer side of home decor.

"We felt it was a look that completed our line, by adding a softness," says Glenda Ray, vice president of marketing for CBK, one of the many industry manufacturers rounding out existing collections with home textiles, and bringing a softer touch to their lines and to consumers' homes.

Companies such as 18-karat and Not Neutral have also introduced home textiles, and designers like Jonathan Adler and KleinReid have gotten into the act as well. Though these companies are known primarily for hard goods, including everything from ceramics to lamps, the opportunity to get into the softer look of home textiles was too good to pass up.

Still, the jump into home textiles does represent a categorical leap for each. Eighteen-karat, better known for its ceramic, glass, and metal offerings, has introduced a range of soft goods, from pillows to silk robes. Meanwhile CBK, one of the home industry's leaders, padded its hard goods lineup with decorative pillows, throws, footstools, and even purses.

Styles range from the sleek to the ornate, fitting in with each company's design style. KleinReid transferred designs from its Flora vase to create Flora linen pillows. "The pillows have a homemade touch that customers are responding to," says partner David Reid. "That's what's missing in the home: something that feels like it was made just for you."

The new textile lines have been so popular that plans are being made to introduce more products in the near future. CBK will introduce additional throws in organza fabrics, as well as window treatment fabrics, and KleinReid is looking to expand its line of pillows for the spring shows. According to the company, the new line will include a wall piece with the same method of creweling (a type of yarn embroidering) that KleinReid uses on its accent pillows.

During the recent economic downturn, consumers have become wary about how they are spending their money. Throws, pillows, and accent rugs offer an inexpensive way to change the look of furniture pieces, or bring the latest, trendy colors into an interior design scheme, while helping to make the home a cozy, comfortable getaway from everyday pressures.

"If you're looking for ways to change a room, this is an inexpensive way to do it," explains Jamie Young, president of Jamie Young Co. "Add a set of pillows, and it changes the whole look of a couch. And textiles are great add-on items."

CBK's Glenda Ray notes that home textiles are a perfect impulse buy. Customers purchase them much the same way they might buy a scarf or earrings or other personal accessory.

David Reid sees textiles as similar to men's ties, in that a plain suit can be punched up with a vibrant, colorful tie. The same holds true with textiles. "If you have a simple home, you can brighten it up a lot," says Reid. "It works. And it's really easy."

While some trend forecasters have indicated that consumers are beginning to reduce clutter in their lives — perhaps even eliminating accessory pillows and throws — industry professionals disagree when it comes to home textiles, citing their utility and versatility. "In fact, they add comfort and style, not clutter," says Glenda Ray. "You can use them in so many ways. Take a pillow or throw to another room and you give a new look to the whole room."

"It depends on the pillow and the design," says Jamie Young. "Clean lines don't feel cluttered. Simple, graphic shapes and designs won't give you that muddled feel."

"Personally, I like controlled areas of clutter," adds David Reid. "You can have a lot of stuff, but still be organized. A certain amount of clutter is good. I don't want my home looking like a hotel room."

That's where textiles come in to play. The use of pillows, throws, and table linens can dress up a living room, dining room or bedroom, lending warmth and color, making the home a more inviting, personal setting.

To help customers achieve that comfortable, homey atmosphere, specialty retailers would do well to add a selection of home textiles to their merchandise mix. After all, no one wants to live in a hotel room.