An Introduction to Modern Textiles: Kit out your furniture in luxurious silk or no-frills leather,; textiles can add just as much dimension to room as art, and can be equally collectible.

The sideboard in the dining room is by Florence Knoll.

Florence Knoll, Bench, 1954.

The inspiration for Canaan (shown here) is a vest from Proenza Schouler's 2007 line.

The fabric family's signature is Mepal (shown here), a large-scale silk-and-damask textile design.

Pirman, an illustrator, works on a vintage Florence Knoll table in his studio at the front of the house.

A poster for an architectural lecture series.

Architect Christopher C. Deam, Dwell founder Lara Deam's husband, designed Airstream's newest travel trailer, the International Sterling.

No whiteware here. In this moody apartment in Berlin, multi-toned charcoal gray subway tiles make up the backsplash, which contrasts with the pop of rosy color on the kitchen cabinets.

A calming vibe is immediately instilled at the entry.

“I love the house more each day,” says Tamami Sylvester of her and husband Michael's home by Sebastian Mariscal in Venice, California. The kitchen, which includes all Miele appliances, is sheathed in custom woodwork from Semihandmade. Accessories from A+R complement the Caesarstone countertops and Franke faucet. A LifeSource Water System provides filtration. Photo by Coral von Zumwalt.

Sævik designed the wood tub in the bathroom, which features an adjacent sauna. The Inxx A5 faucet is by Mora.

The home is a showcase for the modern furnishings the residents have collected over the years. Vintage armchairs by Florence Knoll and a PA05 Leila coffee table from e15 outfit the living room.

In the playroom sits a 1960s-era white leather Model 67 sofa by Florence Knoll.

In the renovation of a 1950s building in Royan, France, interior designer Florence Deau selected a fleet of vintage and new furnishings.

Pictured here is the door to the bathroom. White curtains inside the bathroom provide privacy.

Sitting Pretty The ground floor was originally two rooms; now it’s been transformed into one continuous space. To compensate for a low ceiling, Kiely’s team dug into the ground to create a true sunken seating section leading to the garden. Built-in sofas, an Eames rocker, a stool by G Plan, and concrete tiles outfit the space. Kiely chose a neutral charcoal finish for the Malm fireplace to balance the green linoleum floor and her own Rhododendron wallpaper in Sunflower.

Kitchen Confidential Kiely and architect Maxim Laroussi designed the kitchen unit. “I originally didn’t want an island, but I liked what we did because it feels like a piece of furniture. It’s cozy to cook around,” Kiely says. Panels of orange and olive Formica accent the 1950s-inspired piece, which houses a cooktop by Smeg. A checkerboard of closed cabinets and open shelves offers storage against the far wall for Kiely’s collection of dishes, knickknacks, cookbooks, and small appliances, like the KitchenAid stand mixer and radio by Vita Audio. The floor is green Marmoleum, selected because it feels warm underfoot. Kiely’s own Stem dish towels and ceramic storage jars add more lively color to the room.

The bed and side table in the master bedroom are from Loaf. In the adjacent bathroom, an antique mirror hangs above a Duravit sink. “There’s a slight Arts and Crafts feel to it,” says Marston of the house.

The units don't even require foundations—simple ground screws from Krinner are enough to support them.

Tucked into one end of the house, a desk by Florence Knoll displays Stacey’s mid-century pottery.

Textile designer Orla Kiely’s renovated London Terrace House is punctuated by her distinctive palette and motifs.

Home of the Brave In the ground-floor eating area, the design team wrapped the walls in rich walnut to instill warmth often found in mid-century homes. “Sometimes one bold move is enough. Be brave with fewer statements,” Kiely advises. “Go for the big thing rather than lots of little things.” Kiely’s Upholstered Dining Chairs from her House collection surround a Danish vintage dining table. Her Gloss vases adorn the hallway console, which is also from her House line.

Marimekko's iconic Unikko pattern celebrates its 50th anniversary this year.

The interiors are clad in white-glazed pine, a contrast to the black-stained facade. The brick fireplace is original. Near a Polder sofa by Hella Jongerius for Vitra is a coffee table of Sævik’s design. The rocking chair is vintage and came with the house.

The old wood floors throughout the open-plan space are painted a dark eggplant. The vintage PP19 armchair is by Hans J. Wegner for PP Møbler. The painting above it is by Ruben Toledo, a friend of Peter Fehrentz, the resident. A trio of Tom Dixon lights hangs over the Pirkka dining table, with bench seating by Ilmari Tapiovaara for Artek. The Berber rug is from Morocco, purchased from the Paris shop Caravane.

Wooten anchored the kitchen with a faux-bois coatrack from France. “Since Greg’s furniture is predominantly wood, we chose to make the interior all wood,” says Massie. “We used laser-cut mahogany and cherry plywood with jigsaw edges to make the house more like a cabin—albeit a very modern one. This puzzle piece motif is something that I’ve done in every project before and after this one—it’s a different way of having surfaces come together without having to abide by a modernist rule of panels. We can snap the whole thing together with eccentric uniformity, and it’s really simple.”

Oficinas Decomarc - Work+

Sliding fritted glass doors provide privacy and sectioned-off spaces when needed.

Textiles by Sveinbjörg-Being forced to rethink your whole profession and output is no simple task. In the case of life-long artist Sveinbjörg Hallgrímsdóttir, the change was born out of the nation's financial strife. "The collapse of the Icelandic economy forced us to think about how to be more commercial, more marketable, around the globe," claimed the designer. For Hallgrímsdóttir, the answer was to transfer her painted motifs and wood block prints to textiles and other home accessories. The international outlook forced on many local designers also reached Hallgrímsdóttir’s manufacturing. All her textiles are produced and distributed from Sweden, but her own store is still located in the northern Icelandic town of Akureyri with a population of just under 18,000. Photo by: Tiffany Orvet

Toghal Textiles Placing equal weight on backstory, sourcing, and colorful patterns, textiles from Toghal showcase an array of eye-catching patterns on blankets, pillows, umbrellas, and kitchen linen.

CaribBEING CaribBEING is a boutique non-profit organization whose mission is to build community through the lens of the Caribbean cinema, culture, and art. Products include Caribbean-inspired, tote bags, tea towels, textiles, pouches, and stationery.

Textiles, including the Lattice pattern, are produced by staff that work at eight-yard-long printing tables, pressing woodblocks into fabric and hand-printing to order.

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