Most small design centers and wallpaper shops have a selection of sample books but I wanted a place devoted to fabric. So the other day while driving through Valois Village I noticed a window front with rolls of fabric and made a mental note to stop by.
Today, I had the opportunity to the stop by for a proper look. The shop is called Short’s Fabric Center and it’s on Donegani in Pointe Claire, close to Boul. des Sources. The showroom is full of samples stacked on shelves and sample books fill old steamer trunks, there are racks of buttons, thread and zippers. They have a large selection of upholstery, draperies and furniture fabrics even marine and industrial fabrics in designer names.
I love outdoor fabrics for my playroom and dining room because they’re super durable and when my kids use the pillows lining my window seat as napkins, I can clean them. Short’s offers a lot of services from bedding to upholstery; you can even have a costume sofa built. The space is full of natural light thanks to big windows so you don’t have to walk around sample in hand looking for the some natural light.
Here’s a couple of quick tips from the folks at Short’s: A lot of furniture found these days at big box stores just don’t have the quality of older pieces. They’ve seen new furniture put together with cardboard and staples, so consider reupholstering over buying new. Also fitted slipcovers are a great solution for tight budgets and homes with kids and pets. They suggest using neutrals as a base and building on it.
It’s the smaller places like this where you can ask questions and get someone who knows what their talking about, whether you want to do it yourself or have the work professionally done. I got a tip on another resource from the staff at Short’s; I’ll check it out and let you know what I find next week.
Have a personal style question or interior design conundrum? Have a great local style resource? Please send them to me . . . we want to hear from you! Send e-mail questions, comments, insults or complaints to jakdesigns@live.com
