Hiring a designer is probably the easiest way to access those fabrics and showrooms that are open to the trade only, but it's not your only option.

Most of the fabric companies have websites that you can browse, or even do searches. The problem there is that what you see on your monitor (or even in magazines) is not the true color. And for your discerning eye, it might be a waste of time to do online searches. But it might give you an idea of the patterns, colors and companies you prefer.

You can also usually see many higher end fabrics at some furniture stores, upholstery stores and paint stores. They most likely will not have all of a company's fabrics but a good selection.

In our town the design center is open to the public on weekday afternoons. During those hours, some of the showrooms are open to the public and you're free to browse without a designer.

What Kravet fabric were you looking for?

Here'a a website with some great designer fabrics .... you may be able to find a larger "batch" lot to buy and use. And their shipping prices are good too .....

Hope this helps! :)

Here is a link that might be useful: Fabric guru website

Try calling the design center -- some have one-day passes or something similar that you can pay for, which will cost you something but will be less than hiring a designer (usually). Or they may have regularly scheduled "open houses" where they are open to the public.

I would suggest visiting local upholstery shops that carry "higher end" fabrics. We have at least one upholstery shop in town that carries Kravet fabrics (and others like Schumacher, Scalamandre, Thibaut, etc.). Anything he doesn't have there in the store, he can order samples for me - the samples are quite large pieces of fabric, and you do have to return them, but its totally worth it to see the fabric in person, take it home etc. Since they get a cut off whatever they sell, they will be happy to sell yardage to you. They can even call Kravet for you to describe the fabric, or email a picture.

We have an interior designer in town with racks of high-end fabric also. Again, he is happy to sell by the yard, even if you aren't hiring him as a designer.

go to the Robert Allen site - Cnadice Olson uses them a lot and they do have lovely fabrics whic you could order through a higer end fabris store.

The fabric I saw in HB is called "Natchez" in Spice, by Kravet.

Teacats, thanks for the fabric guru site. They do have some nice things.

Meg and Sueb, you both mentioned "the design center". Is that a general term you're using, or is it a particular store? I'm not aware of any design centers around here. As I said, I am clueless! I'm sure there are plenty south of here, closer to NYC. But how do you find a design center?

I'll look into Robert Allen some more. Thanks, everyone.

Oh, one more question: Kravet, Schumacher, etc: Are they companies that have designers working for them? Or are they the designers themselves...?

Here in Seattle the design center is a collection of design showrooms in two buildings. Kravet and Lee Joffa have a showroom together. Robert Allen has its own showroom. There's one showroom, The Dixon Group, that has Ralph Lauren, Brunschwig and Fils, Highland Court, and a couple others. I'm sure that each of these companies has a whole staff of designers working for them coming up with new things but you wouldn't be able to hire those designers--at least not at a reasonable price.

In NY, I think it's the D&D building that people go to. I'm assuming it's short for Design and Decorating but who knows.

I'm still not sure who exactly manufactures all these fabrics. I say that because I saw something in the Kravet showroom that I also saw in Calico Corners. (Who knows whether they were of the same quality.) The Kravet guy said that some of their fabrics are exclusive to Kravet while others could be available elsewhere.

If I go back to Kravet I can try to find Natchez in spice and try to get some more info. What does it look like? One thing my designer told me is that Kravet doesn't have retail prices.

I hope this helps!

There are 3 or 4 fabric/paint stores in my small city with libraries of fabric sample books. The most high end of these has available trade only fabrics, which you can order through them, and not have to go through a designer.

Since you have the fabric name and color, you can also google something along the lines of "discount designer fabric" and get tons of places that you can e-mail for a quote.

I have gotten most of my fabrics through a place called southern design concepts...they don't have a web site, but I got their # from the classified section of Southern Living. You can call with any manufacturer, pattern name or # and color name and #, and they will quote it for you. This also includes trade only fabric and trim. # is 800 245-3071. I have no affiliation, just a happy long term customer.

My local wallpaper store that also sells WTs (blinds, etc.) has fabric books -- hundreds of them. All price ranges except the very high and very low. Do you have such a place near you?

check out this site. I ordered from them in the past and they were great to deal with. great prices too!

Here is a link that might be useful: Fabrics and Home website

Egganddart49,
I have access to the Kravet website and got some information for you regarding the fabric you like. Kravet primarily goes by Pattern numbers so I had trouble finding it by the name. The Pattern is 26717 (Natchez) and the Color is 1624 (Spice). Kravet lists the retail at $79.00 a yard (a designer gets a discount off of this and might offer you 20%-30% off the retail) plus tax and shipping. Here are some other facts:
Width: 54"
Durability: Heavy-duty (15,000 double rubs)
Vertical Repeat: 17.5"
Horizontal Repeat: 14"
Railroaded: No
Fabric: 52% Rayon, 48% Cotton
Teflon Finish
Books: #5491 - MidRange Spice and #5550 MR/R Spice Cayenne
Availability: 55 yards available on 1/11/08
Hope this helps you!

Many design centers protect pro designers by not letting retail customers in on their own.

You may be able to get a good discount on the fabric by finding a designer with an account at Kravet who will order the fabric for you for a reasonable fee over cost. You will pay for shipping and tax, if applicable, and there would be no returns. Always ask for a cutting for approval, which allows you to cancel (probably with some type of nominal service fee) if the fabric is not right.

When the general public is allowed in to a Design Center, can they also order things or does one need to contact a designer to place actual orders?

When I lived in central Virginia, there was a fabulous shop called The Second Yard. They have the most wonderful collection of designer upholstery fabric! Hundreds and hundreds of bolts of material. The sales women who work there really know their business, as they accurately calculate how much fabric one needs for the particular project.

Over the years, I returned to the shop again and again to purchase upholstery fabric. My LR sofa and chairs have been reupholstered twice using their fabric (and each reupholstering lasted 15 years!).

For the remodel of my current home, I reupholstered every piece of furniture I own, plus purchased fabric to have a custom bedspread made. All of the fabric came from The Second Yard. And, imagine my delight when I saw the fabric I'd selected for my LR sofa (but only had in a bolt) actually on a chair and ottoman made by Henredon!

So, the point of this example is that by shopping in an upholstery shop that specializes in upholstery fabric, you will find an incredible selection, many of which are used by high quality furniture makers. As you shop, you'll be able to discern the difference between high quality fabric that should last for many years on your furniture, versus the pretty, but not-as-substantial fabric that may not be suitable for family room furniture.

Good luck!

Squirrel,

Whenever I've set up an appointment to go to a showroom at the design center (without my designer), the showroom employee has reminded me that I can only order something there through a designer. They're happy to let me look and to pull samples for me.

I'm pretty sure that our design center has certain days where designers are available to answer questions and possibly for you to hire or to make purchases for you. I still haven't figured that out.

Thank you meg and scooter for your generous help and offers of help! I posted something last night that for some reason didn't show up here. I'm not looking to buy that particular fabric, but when I saw it I became interested in seeing other Kravet fabrics. I figured if I liked one of their designs I might like others.

There's a lot to learn about fabrics, isn't there! I looked at the sites everyone has suggested and there's a lot of textile terminology! Here we go again, another learning curve. Definitely some nice fabrics out there, tho. I just have to figure out how to use the system. (That's where the learning curve comes in!)

Thanks to everyone for all the info. I'm going to get down to D & D as soon as I can.

I think that's probably how it works, as they probably don't want to be dealing with selling to the general public and all that entails.

I guess one could still find an online or other source after seeing things irl.

We went on a field trip during a class once. It was very formal and hush, hush. Felt like we should genuflex or something.

I wrote a follow-up the other day and thought I posted it, but I guess I didn't. I want to clarify something I did write in my OP. When I said I had a discriminating eye and didn't settle easily, I didn't mean to imply that Crate and Barrel or Mitchel Gold's fabric selection was bad. What I meant is that since I didn't see anything there that "spoke to me", I was afraid it would be hard to find something I liked elsewhere. No offense was intended anywhere!

Hi, I've been to the Long Island Kravet Furniture showroom, which is in the same building as Kravet's home office. Sales people there will help you with any fabric you're interested in putting on their furniture, and boy do they have a lot of fabric offerings!! They'll also quote retail price, but tell you to speak to your designer about the price. We were able to go by ourselves, just signed in with the name of the upholstery shop and the contact there.

This was over a year ago & I can't remember what other fabric swatches lined the walls at the showroom as I was mainly interested viewing the Barbara Barry-designed fabrics & several sofas and chairs. I zoomed right over to a huge feature wall with large samples of all of her fabrics. Felt like I was in heaven!

Local design centers, custom upholstery and window teatment workrooms, as well as interior designers, should also have Kravet books. A local custom upholstery shop offered wholesale prices should I order Kravet Furniture through them.

Also, I got a quick peek at the Kravet wholesale price list a few months back, and the designer discounts were in the range of 34% to 50%, higher discounts for more expensive fabrics & also for purchases of four yards or more. For example, a $129/yard fabric had wholesale price of $74.50/yard ($67.05 if ordering four yards or more).

Michelle