Fabric & wallcovering

The manufacturer mined the talent of the Rhode Island School of Design to create the RISD collection of five fresh patterns. The designers looked as far away as Africa, for Rai, and Japan for Wanda, to find their inspiration, turning details of their impressions into original, beautiful fabrics. 200 Varick Street, New York, NY 10014; 800-221-1540; dtex.com. circle 380

Groundworks brings the tropics home with Ondule Stripe, an elegant warp-silk upholstery fabric. The hues of the 5 colorways include bright coral, moss, and fuchsia tones; and brings equatorial style to walls, windows and furniture. 201 Central Avenue South, Bethpage, NY 11714; 516-752-7600; leejofa.com. circle 381

Otto Prutscher's Camellia, a stylized floral rendered elegantly on a stark background, is now available in an upholstery-weight blend of cotton, viscose, and polyester. Ruth Caplan, 232 East 59th Street, New York, NY 10022; 212-826-3756. circle 382

Nothing brings old-world Euro-style to a room more effectively than stripes of rich colors—Epoca, Caprice, and Eleganza do the trick. High-pile velvet solids from the Bel Ami collection, meanwhile, evoke Italian country elegance and French city chic. 31-11 Thomson Avenue, Queens, NY 11101; 718-706-7000; jab.de. circle 383

If anyone can be counted on to do solid, brilliantly versatile designs that lend themselves equally well to buttoned-up and whimsical interiors, it's those Swedes. As in Eclipse, Kinnasand fabrics explore finish and texture but are, for the most part, reliably uncomplicated cottons and wools. Paula J., P.O. Box 196, Milford, MA 01757; 508-473-1550; kinnasand.com. circle 385

Picnic in the Park's bold floral patterning evokes the arrival of spring. The classical-style tapestry is woven entirely from ribbon yarn, giving it density and a pleasing texture. It meets all ACT specifications. 901 Foch Street, Fort Worth, TX 76107; 817-336-2310; anzea.com. circle 384

The arts of dynastic Korea inspired the Koryo window treatments, made from intricately woven grasscloth and hemp. The texture, created by tiny hand-tied knots, compliments the sheer weave. 540 Ninth Street, 2nd Floor, San Francisco, CA 941030; 866-426-6723; conradshades.com. circle 386

Bermuda is a beautifully wrought floral with exquisite detailing—hibiscus petals and palm fronds are articulated in multiple tones to create dimension against the warm ground. Available in three colorways in 100 percent Avora FR polyester. 15 East 26th Street, New York, NY 10010; 212-689-2200; covington-industries.com. circle 387

Two new collections add edge to any room. The faux alligator and snakeskin patterns of Urban Jungle up the ante on sex appeal, while the cool raffia blends of Reggae put the mood on island time. Stroheim & Romann, 31-11 Thomson Avenue, Queens, NY 11101; 718-706-7000; stroheim.com. circle 388

The subtle beauty of the Japanese Paulownia tree inspires this design for Paulownia, Flutter, and Printemps. Available in five colorways, the patterns are woven with antique twist yarns. 150 Varick Street, New York, NY 10013; 212-627-7766. circle 389

Suzanne Tick once again turns weaving conventions inside out. A fabriclike vinyl, Beveled Square mimics the texture of corrugated craft paper, courtesy of a nifty vacuum-draw embossing technique that pulls the pattern out of the vinyl. In eight bright colorways. 800-343-5665; knolltextiles.com. circle 390

Pink ostrich? Gold snakeskin? The range of provocative textures and colors in the Nightlife collection make one wonder just exactly what sort of nightlife the designers imagine we have. 800-886-8339; edelmanleather.com. circle 391

In a sophisticated partnering, the company offers complementing patterns. The geometric Trio, a cotton-linen blend in seven colorways, is rendered with softness. Djemal is a simple raised textured cotton-linen blend of contrasting yarns. 1330 Bellevue Street, Green Bay, WI 54302; 800-472-5527; pallastextiles.com. circle 395

Of unusual construction and even more unusual beauty, Lisére Moonlight Lattice is a fine wool felted onto a single delicate layer of silk chiffon. Blending an age-old technique with a modern aesthetic, it's at once ultra-sheer and richly textured. 20604 Grand Mound Way Southwest, Centralia, WA 98531; 360-273-8548; jafelt.com. circle 392

The company's Techstyle contract division delivers artful beauty once again with Premier III, a collection of fabrics woven from Avora FR. At once funky and mod, these eye-catchers make quite a statement. 1775 Fifth Avenue, P.O. Box 9179, Bay Shore, NY 11706; 631-231-7704; duralee.com. circle 394

Barbara Barry's Made to Measure collection includes five subtle, easily layered patterns—Bond Street Flannel, Saville Row Stripe—rendered in wool, cotton, and alpaca. The total of 31 colorways makes for a complete wardrobe. P.O. Box 8, Hickory, NC; 800-801-8033; hbf.com. circle 393

Rather than a prolific output, the people at Yoma create unique designs one at a time. The rich textures of Matsu, available in six brilliant colorways, perfectly exemplify this credo. 580 Broadway, Suite 1209, New York, NY 10012; 212-431-4795; yoma.com. circle 396

Stripes and geometric shapes create patterns and a play of translucency in this sheer drapery fabric. Sarondo is reversible for a change of effect as well. A jacquard weave of 100 percent Trevira CS, it's available in five colorways. 110 North Centre Avenue, Rockville Centre, NY 11570; 800-727-6770. circle 398

Karima is an elegant cotton-viscose sheer whose bright tones and tropical creeping-vine motif offer a sexy scrim for windows or outdoors. The colored burnout flowers are framed with lacquer printing. 110 North Centre Avenue, Rockville Centre, NY 11570; 516-678-6770; creationbaumann.com. circle 397

Diminutive, Indian-inspired patterns in bold but pretty colors are the company's stock in trade. Rajmata, Jaipur, and Udaipur are elegant permutations of Indian prints that can mix well together or stand on their own. 909 North Orlando Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90069; 323-848-9900; peterdunham.com. circle 400

Technology marries luxury in UnrealPlush, a sumptuous, seriously indulgent 100 percent Trevira CS from the Unreal collection. Mohair-soft—but super durable—it's available in a rainbows of colors, as well as custom options. It comes in both upholstery and drapery weights. 3333 Commercial Avenue, Northbrook, IL 60062; 800-621-0827; architex-ljh.com. circle 399

The company continues its mission—reissuing iconic 20th-century designs—with Blumen. Dagobert Peche's 1913 pattern suffuses traditional botanical structure with mid-century geometry, creating both ornament and order. Available in seven colorways. 251 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10010; 800-645-3943. circle 401

Alternating chunky clear, transparent, and white yarns, Krystal Weave allows light to filter into a space while providing visual privacy. 32 Union Square East, Suite 216, New York, NY 10003; 212-254-7501. circle 405

The Santa Fe Stripe collection takes design inspiration from the Native American patterns of the West, and refines them to a clubby stripe that's equally suited to the East. The rib-textured pattern of rich camel and ivory striped with black promises to work equally well on the ranch or the sitting room. 310-680-4300; jrobertscott.com. circle 402

Fashion icon Stephen Sprouse teamed with Suzanne Tick to suffuse these two drapery fabrics with hints of street grit and high art. Static Screen's striations are inspired by a blank television, and forsake Knoll's traditional nubbly wool for bold metallic silver. 105 Wooster Street, New York NY 10012; 212-343-4000; knolltextiles.com. circle 403

Poetic and enduring, Jun-ichi Arai's textile collection is woven with polyphenylene sulfide and claims to withstand temperatures up to 320 degrees. Utilizing the same technology used for industrial pollutant filtration, these ethereal fabrics are anything but delicate. Gallery Gen, 158 Franklin Street, New York, NY 10013; 212-226-7717; gallerygen.com. circle 404

Like the master painter himself, Matisse renders bold sweeps onto a solid background, carving simple broad floral patterns in warm contrasting shades. Ambers, blues, and browns evoke the Provençal scenes that inspired the painter. In 100 percent cotton. Covington Industries, 111 Eighth Avenue, Suite 930, New York, NY 10011; 212-647-6900; covingtonindustries.com. circle 407

The clipped float sheer Lotus seems to have a tranquil spirit of its own. Woven from cotton, polyester, and lurex, this design is part of the Vernal collection, which is available in a broad range of colors. 187 South Winooski Avenue, Burlington, VT 05401; 802-660-8528; lauralienhard.com. circle 406

Part of Mette Krebs Petersen's Muse collection, Whimsy repeats small-scale circles on a solid background to celebrate contrasting hues. The rich, vibrant colors—reds, blues, greens—are emphasized, rather than muted, by its subtlety. 2415 Third Street, Suite 280, San Francisco, CA 94107; 415-252-7125. circle 408

The first collaboration with designer Susan Unger has produced a first of its own—the use of metallic overprinting, a newcomer to the hospitality textiles market. The result is the Susan Unger collection of six shimmering saturated patterns in a variety of colorways. 225 Central Avenue South, Bethpage, NY 11714; 888-891-4112; kravecontract.com. circle 410

From the arbiters of modern graphic textiles, Anna Danielsson's stark, bold Forma uses intensely contrasting colors and almost mathematically geometric shapes to create a cotton print that's decidedly not for the faint of heart. In three colorways. Textile Arts, P.O. Box 3151, Sag Harbor, NY 11963; 888-343-7285; txtlart.com. circle 409

This Class A rated vinyl wall covering looks like a silk tapestry, thanks to subtle embossing and a soft striation on the background that reads just like a weave. Mdcwall.com. circle 413

Independence derives its depth and sheen from a number of minerals and stones, ground powder-fine and fused onto the paper's vinyl medium. It's then hand-screened and layered with acrylic stains. 44-39 Purvis Street, Long Island City NY 11101; 718-361-8181. circle 411

Snap, at once pleasingly geometric and nicely rough around the edges, is a hand-silk-screened print on acrylic-coated paper. Endless patterns of circles in varying shades of bronze, gold, and pewter impart metallic shimmer and add glamour to all the repetition. 578 Nepperhan Avenue, Yonkers, NY 10701; 914-476-0619. circle 412

From this Brooklyn-based husband and wife team—whose output is typically mod fare—comes a departure. Montague is a quietly graphic pattern of leaves in two subtly contrasting tones. Hand-screened and available in several colorways, it's twenty2 all buttoned-up. 888-222-3036; shoptwenty2.com. circle 415

Inspired by the corrugations of antique smoking boxes, Zenith manages to be starkly linear and softly textured at the same time, thanks to a matrix of vertical embossing and three-dimensional lines in soft, warm tones. 2600B Steeles Avenue West, Concord, Ontario L4K 3C8, Canada; 905-738-7313. circle 414

Oolong's designers stand by their mandate: "Play a little every day." Some errant doodling on the computer led them to 'Oolong'—a hybrid of radiating lines, loopy shapes and textures that conspires to form an alluring visual rhythm of tone on tone. TRI-KES Wallcovering Source,11123 Shady Trail, Dallas TX 75229; 800-200-8120; tri-kes.com. circle 416

Midori, Muse, Essence, Tallis, and Samoa are five new patterns that offer the effect of natural surfaces—from deep tinted raffia, to wood, to cork—all rendered in vinyl in several colors. Subtle designs and textures in uniform shades offer sophisticated background options for interiors of all sorts. All are 54 inches wide and backed in fabric. 800-717-5651; muraspec.com. circle 417

Pushing the definition of wallcoverings, Ceramic is better described as an installation. Thousands of hand-thrown ceramic discs, assembled in no certain order to form organic compositions. 739 Fulton Street, Brooklyn, NY 11217; 718-858-1929; jpricharddesign.com. circle 419

Moving their historically eco-friendly line of wallcoverings forward, Innovations'Iridescent uses nontarnishing mica-based pigment to catch light for maximum shimmer. Composed of a recyclable nylon face, laminated to polyester wood-pulp backing. 150 Varick Street, New York, NY 10013; 212-807-6300. circle 418