As simple as they sound, soft furnishings are elements made of fabric that complement the walls, fixtures and furniture of any space creating an atmosphere with its style and design. These furnishings add colour, texture, softness and elegance to the furniture and help to cover the design and building flaws along with enhancing the unique features of the structure as well. What are the various soft furnishings used in a home? Curtains: Creating the transition between the interior and exterior, curtains make for an essential soft furnishing used in homes. From blackout to sheer, multiple types of curtains are used in homes depending on their usage, flow of light in the house and the kind of atmosphere the residents are trying to create. Cushions and pillows: Soft, fluffy and an array of options to choose from. Usually filled with foam or down, cushion or pillows are the go-to for adding colour, texture and balance to any space. Besides being fluffy and soft, the other varieties of cushions are wedge and supportive that help in posture correction. Rugs and carpets: Turning plain floors to artistic, rugs give a pleasant feeling to homes. They form become a base for a lot of décor by either contrasting or complementing it. They come in various dimensions suiting the size of your room and can be used multi-functionally at a lot of spaces in a home. Upholstery: Textures or plain, printed or solid, coloured or muted, upholstery for any furniture piece can instantly lift up the space. Be it a sofa or dining chairs, the right style of upholstery can define the style of your home. Bedding: High quality bedspreads, comforters or quilts in various colours and textures or prints form your bedding. It is essential you use high quality products to keep that colour in your room alive for a longer period of time. The good thing about soft furnishings is that they are not so permanent in nature. They can be easily changed, revamping the whole look of a space. But often one could get confused about making the right choice. How to select the right soft furnishings? When there is a wide variety of options to choose from, it is likely that one could get confused. Soft furnishing is that category of product which could confuse any home decorator. Curtains should be chosen based on your need to block light from the windows and basis the palette of your home. If you choose to completely block sunlight then opt for blackout curtains, however if you wish to have those rays of sun flooding your home, go for sheer curtains or semi-sheer. Colours for your curtains define the look of your home. Darker shades give depth to it while lighter colours form an illusion of a larger space. Similarly for rugs and carpet, one can choose from a variety available. Contemporary homes should feature solid carpets or rugs placed tastefully at the center of a living room or bedroom while traditional styles opt for more darker colours contrasting the floor with prints or weaves from specific regions. Upholstery, cushions and bedding should be chosen to stand out and create a contrast and definition in the home. To break the monotony of a muted palette home, textured cushions in contrasting colours could find their place while home. Home decorators can opt for prints and designs for cushions based on the style of their homes like modern, boho or traditional. To create a home with a muted palette one can, choose furniture upholstery in the colour spectrum of grey, beige and white that seamlessly blends with the flow of the home. On the other hand, floral printed upholstery can be chosen to create a vintage look, while simple solid bold colours can make the home look modern contemporary. What soft furnishings do for a home? Soft furnishings are the non-permanent design elements that add colour, texture and a theme to your home. From curtains to bedding, making the right choice can elevate the look of your home. Cushions and pillows are a sure route to add colour to your home. Or contrasting upholstery could be that splash of colour. As trends change, the style of your home can be changed with making small changes in the soft furnishings of your home. “When staying at home became mandatory, all of us developed an innate sense of awareness about our surroundings, especially our homes, which became our safe havens. Elevating spaces and corners through small interventions and minimal investments became the necessary change that people needed. One of the best ways to do it is through soft furnishings” say Disha Bhavsar and Shivani Ajmera, Principal Designers and Co-Founders, Quirk Studio “Elements like rugs, linens, carpets, curtains and pillows are essential parts of the decor and play a seminal role in revamping everyday spaces. A thumb rule to creating glamorous spaces with soft furnishings is to layer them up. Collate different textures, prints, and colours to impart sensorial experiences for the users, adding an air of change and luxury into your spaces. A few accent-coloured pillows could add life to an otherwise neutral couch, or the living room could sport a single couch in a checkered pattern, becoming the showstopper” they added.