No fabric quite says English country house like chintz. Fresh, floral and elegant, this fabric is key to a classic English interior. Though chintz never went out of print, it suffered a lot of bad PR in the 90s, such as when Ikea released a ‘Chuck Out Your Chintz’ book in order to promote its Scandinavian look. Well, decorating with chintz is firmly back.
The problem with chintz is that it’s notoriously difficult to get right. Too much can look outdated, yet too little can look lacklustre. If you’re looking to achieve a look that is deliciously English, fresh and elegant, then read on. This guide will take you through five steps to decorating with chintz.
What is Chintz Fabric?
Chintz fabric refers to glazed printed cotton. The term actually refers to the finish – not the pattern. Though we tend to refer to any floral pattern as chintz, technically if the fabric isn’t glazed it’s actually cretonne. Nevertheless, for the purposes of this guide we are referring to chintz as a glazed printed cotton fabric in a floral design.
How to Decorate With Chintz In Five Steps
1. Where to use chintz fabric
Those familiar with the old English country house aesthetic, will think of chintz being used everywhere – curtains, upholstery, accessories. People often asked what is chintz fabric used for?
Though printed cottons are suitable for upholstery, they will not wear as well as heavier-weight woven fabric. The light backgrounds of many chintzes mean marks will be more visible. This means chintz is a bit impractical for upholstery unless used for a decorative, occasional chair like below. If you decide to go for a chintz sofa, a popular option is go for loose covers. However, remember longevity.
Chintz works very well when used on objects that don’t get a lot of wear. A classic way to use chintz is for window dressings. Whether floor-length curtains or a simple roman blind, these seldom touched spaces mean chintz will last a long time. Another option is decorative accessories. Chintz used carefully on more than one surface can help tie a scheme together. Think cushions, a valance or contrast piping on a headboard.
2. How to Select a Chintz
Fabric gives a room atmosphere and chintz is known for its spring-like freshness. However, a lot of chintzes just look outdated. How do you strike the right balance? With any room design, you should start first from the fabric. Choose the chintz pattern first, then use this as a guide to select the other fabrics and paint colours in your scheme.
It’s important to think of what atmosphere you want to create. Do you want your room to be warm and cosy, or bright and elegant? For a cosy country cottage look, a faded chintz might work well. Many chintzes come in lovely faded colours that have a vintage feel. Coloured and/or slightly textured grounds can add warmth and depth making a scheme look effortlessly cosy.
For a grander country house look opt for a large, bold design. A tip for creating a modern look is to go for white. Large, bold chintzes on crisp white backgrounds create a light freshness that modern eyes love. Be careful though, as such fabrics can look severe on their own. To add warmth, pick out the warmer colours from the design and use them for paintwork or accessories.
3. How to Decorate With Small Pattern Chintz
Small-scale patterns look good on their own or as an edging or contrast lining to complement a larger pattern or plain fabric. They are effective for light treatments such as a small window, where a larger pattern would either overwhelm or shrink the space. Small pattern chintz also works well for decorative accessories, such as cushions or seat pads. Generally they look better in informal settings, rather than more public spaces like sitting rooms or dining rooms where a greater impact is needed.
4. Decorating With Large Pattern Chintz
The most important thing to consider when using fabrics with a large scale design is to consider the space. Is it large enough to cope with the pattern repeat? Does the pattern dwarf the space or rather add to the scale and proportion of the room? When using such patterns for curtains, it’s important to ensure the two curtains match up. Patterns at different heights, cut off at different points in the repeat will look unprofessional. There is often more wastage with such patterns. However left-over fabric can be used for complimentary accessories – such as cushion covers. This helps the fabric not appear too isolated, as well as adding to the flow of a scheme.
A tip for choosing a chintz with a large design is to check a long length of the fabric. A pattern in its entire length can look very different from a small swatch or sample in a pattern book. If your intention is to make curtains, loosely gather a long piece to see how it hangs.
5. How to Clean Chintz Fabric
Generally chintz fabrics do not take well to water-based cleaning. Cottons with glazed or resin finishes should really be dry cleaned, though this process will eventually reduce the glaze. If you are cleaning chintz fabric yourself, use a vacuum cleaner with a brush attachment to remove any surface dirt or dust. If you need to remove a dark mark, use a waterless spot cleaner like the Janie Dry Stick Spot Remover.
You should only wash pre-shrunk 100% cottons that use run-resistant dyes. Even then, it is recommended you test a small patch beforehand. If curtains are lined and interlined, they should always be dry cleaned, even if the individual fabrics are washable.
PHOTO CREDITS
INTRO
1.Colefax and Fowler
2. Veere Grenney
ARTICLE
1. Alexander Interiors
2. Tuft and Trim
3. Amy Berry Home
4. Amy Berry Home
5. Sarah Bartholomew
6. Amy Berry Home
7. Lauren Elaine Interiors
8. Anna Louise Wolfe