Derived from the French term meaning “curled” or “ringed”, bouclé most commonly refers to a style of yarn made from looping fibres together. According to Architectural Digest wool is the most common fiber used in this technique, however, cotton and linen can also be used to create this textured look. The material has many benefits when it comes to durability and comfort, it has a warm, sophisticated quality that works well with mid-century design style furniture. The trend is not new, trends are often times retrospective. Bouclé’s first introduction into the design scene was in 1948, when renowned furniture producer Knoll debuted the “Womb Chair”. Florence Knoll requested that industrial designer Eero Saarinen design a chair that was “like a basket full of pillows - something she could really curl up in”. The result was an unexpected use of bouclé upholstery fibre for the now iconic chair. Saarinen was a great experimenter and so his interpretation of what Knoll requested was both in the shape of the chair and the actual curled fibres it is made out of.
Bouclé furniture is undoubtedly very popular at the moment and just one piece of furniture in this fabric can take your décor to the next level. Below are some of our favourite pieces and where to find them.
