How do you build an interior from layers of textile instead of decor?
Choose textures, not objects. Three or four natural materials of different density (wool, linen, velvet, silk in small doses) in close colours give depth without ornament. Each layer has its job: the rug anchors the furniture, curtains soften light and sound, upholstery works through touch, and a throw and cushions bring the accent.
The rule of a calm interior: colours from one family, with the differences built through pile, sheen and weave. Smooth silk next to coarse linen looks richer than a bright cushion on a neutral sofa. Below we look at how to size a rug, what to do about underfloor heating, how linen and wool differ in curtains and how long made-to-measure orders take.
What size of rug should you choose for a living room?
One where the front legs of the sofa and armchairs sit on the rug. For a living room of 25 to 35 m² that is usually 2.5 × 3.5 m or 3 × 4 m; 2 × 3 m reads as a doormat in the middle of the floor. A margin of parquet of 30 to 50 cm should remain around it; in a large room it can be more, but not less than 20 cm.
In a dining area the rug should extend 60 to 70 cm beyond the table on every side so that a pulled-out chair stays on it. In a bedroom the rug goes under the bed so that it projects 50 to 70 cm at the sides, or two narrow rugs are placed either side.
First mark the edges with masking tape on the parquet and live with them for a day. If the project has herringbone parquet or a mosaic floor, the rug is chosen in light of the pattern: it should not cover what the floor was made for. Furniture layout is covered in our guide to the living-dining room.
Can you put a rug on underfloor heating?
Yes, but choose a short pile and a natural backing. A thick rug with a dense underlay works as a blanket: the floor warms less and the temperature rises beneath it. For rooms with hydronic underfloor heating, flat-weave rugs, wool or silk with a pile of up to 10 to 15 mm suit best; hand-made wool rugs tolerate heat better than synthetics.
Rubber and latex underlays dry out and crumble with heat, and can leave marks on parquet. Better an anti-slip PVC mesh free of plasticisers, which the seller picks for your actual floor, or a felt underlay. The surface temperature of a residential heated floor usually does not exceed 29 °C, and the rug is designed for it.
If the rug will cover more than half the room, take it into account when the heating circuits are designed: the pipe spacing is adjusted or an area without a circuit is left under future rugs. Underfloor heating is covered in more detail in a separate guide.
Linen or wool for curtains in a sunny room?
Linen with a lining for south and west exposures; wool and blends for bedrooms and studies. Linen stands up to sun well, gives a soft diffused light and drapes beautifully; unlined it lets light through and loses shape over time. Wool and its blends are denser, absorb sound and hold a fold, but they are heavier and costlier.
Silk looks rich, but on a south-facing window it fades in a couple of seasons. If silk is wanted for its sheen, it is backed with a dense lining and interlining and the glass is protected with film. Velvet suits a bedroom or study, where blackout and sound absorption matter.
The scheme for a tall window is two layers: a sheer or light linen and a dense curtain. The fabric width is two to two and a half times the width of the track, or the folds will not form. The hem is left 1 to 2 cm above the floor or just grazing it, depending on the effect intended. Blackout is covered in our guide to bedroom curtains.
How long do made-to-measure curtains and rugs take?
Curtains usually take 3 to 6 weeks once the fabric is chosen, and fabric from Italian and Spanish houses adds 2 to 8 weeks if it is not in stock. Hand-made rugs in a bespoke size and colour take roughly 8 to 16 weeks: hand tufting is quicker, hand knotting slower. These are guides; the exact lead time is given by the maker when the order is placed.
Curtain dimensions are taken after the walls, floor and tracks are finished, otherwise the height will be off. That is why in a renovation programme curtains are ordered when the ceiling is ready and the parquet is laid, and are made after the measurements are verified on site. If you live far away, the fabric is approved from samples sent to you and a professional takes the measurements.
A rug is ordered before the parquet is laid if its size depends on the floor pattern. Bespoke furniture upholstery is planned at 4 to 10 weeks. Ordering long-lead items and the order of purchasing are discussed in our guide to long-lead materials.
Where do velvet, silk and linen belong in upholstery?
Velvet and linen suit sofas and armchairs; silk is better kept for cushions and headboards. Cotton and viscose velvet is dense and pleasant to the touch, but it creases and shows wear; polyester velvet is more durable, and in good qualities it cannot be told apart by eye. Linen holds its shape less well, but it is washable and looks livelier, which is why it is used in loose covers.
Look at the abrasion rating. For upholstery used every day, the usual guide is from 30,000 Martindale cycles; for decorative armchairs, 15,000 is enough. Check colourfastness to light and rubbing, especially in dark fabrics: they mark pale clothing.
The best way to decide is to take a sample at least the size of a palm, hold it by the window, rub it, spill water on it. Upholstery samples are approved the same way as tile and stone; the approval process is covered in our guide to material samples.
How does BCN YARD connect textiles with the renovation?
You or your designer choose the textiles; we build into the renovation everything they depend on: recesses and tracks for curtains, underfloor heating circuits, socket positions for floor lamps, ceiling height and lead times so that fabric and rug arrive on time. We run projects in Russian and Spanish, with one person responsible. Write to us and, after the visit and survey, we will prepare the estimate.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need rugs in a flat with herringbone parquet?
Not necessarily. Herringbone parquet already supplies a pattern, and the rug is best flat and plain so as not to compete with it. You need one where you sit or walk barefoot: by the sofa, the bed, in the study. In passages and the entrance hall a rug is often unnecessary. It is a good sign when at least half the parquet remains visible.
How can I protect rugs and curtains from fading?
The main enemy of rugs and silk at a south-facing window is ultraviolet light. Film on the glass, lining and interlining in curtains, a thin light curtain as a second layer and turning the rug once a year so it fades evenly all help. Natural dyes fade sooner than synthetic ones, so it is worth leaving a sample by the window for a week.
What should I do with a rug during and after the renovation?
The rug goes down last, after sanding, painting and dust clean-up are finished. Until then it is stored rolled and wrapped in a warehouse or a closed room. Once laid, check the parquet beneath it: the wood has to breathe, so no dense plastic sheet goes under the rug.