Add A Southern Touch To Your Home Decor With This Floral Upholstery Style

When you shut your eyes and picture a Southern home, what vision comes to mind? Collections of vintage decor items that have been passed down through generations? Blue and white chinoiserie sets sitting pretty on display in cabinets? Four-poster beds that are so comfortable, you just can't help but snuggle into them? Although Southern home visions may be different in everyone's minds, the feeling is always the same. Southern homes feel cozy, timeless, meaningful, and inviting. And whether you live in the South or not, you may want to bring this vibe into your home by adding Southern touches. One quintessentially Southern household addition is crewel upholstery, which holds a wonderful nostalgic charm. 

Speaking to Southern Living, the designer Colleen Bennett said that crewel "adds detail and gives you that very Southern vibe." It has been in the South since the colonial days, after it came over from England, and is a style of embroidery that uses thick wool. Traditionally, crewel depicts florals, fauna, trees, and exotic imagery in bright colors, and was inspired by Indian fabrics. If you grew up in the South, you may have seen this type of embroidery on chairs, pillows, and throws. Now, you can use it to personalize your space with patterns to create a comforting and homely feel.

Adding patterned upholstery furniture pieces, such as dining chairs or chaise lounges, can seem quite daunting, even when the pattern is as cozy and timeless as crewel. However, by considering the colors and textures in both the crewel upholstery and the rest of the room, you are able to curate a beautiful and relaxing space. A crewel upholstery furniture piece can be a great item to blend the colors of the room, allowing the other hues to be led by those in the crewel fabric. So, if you have a crewel upholstery armchair in your living room in hues of purple, blue, and green, try to find accessories and decor that match those colors. 

You should also think about the other furniture in the room and how you can create a cohesive theme. It is helpful to balance patterned furniture with solid color pieces, as this means you can avoid the space being too overwhelmed. However, if you are a lover of anything OTT and eccentric, you may want to experiment with pattern drenching and incorporate other Southern patterns, such as gingham and paisley, into the room. When pairing different upholstery prints together, it is useful to vary the size of the pattern, placing larger prints with smaller ones. 

Crewel is a great way to create that Southern feel in your home, no matter where you live. Wanting to go full on Southern? You may also wish to incorporate other Southern styles into your space, such as cozy throws and pillows and vintage items, to really bring in the welcoming charm of the South.