8 Questions On The Truth About Textiles

How do textiles play into the intentionality of space?

I absolutely love the use of textiles because I am a very minimal designer. We don’t love a lot of ‘stuff’ and we want to ensure each piece in a space feels intentional. With fewer pieces, we don’t want a space to feel sterile or unfinished. By creating layers and texture with minimal pieces, it allows you to feel comfortable in a space.

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What’s so important about textiles?

Textiles are super important to a space—not only because the texture they provide create depth and layering to a space from a visual standpoint, but also because they dictate the comfortability of a space. The feeling of a rug under your feet, the plushness of pillows and blankets… they all play a role in the experience of a space.

What are some of the best products you can use to bring in textiles?

We love bringing texture into a space with plush wool or natural rugs, unique pillow shapes, as well as anything woven in items like lighting, art, furniture, and decor.

The Iconic collection as styled by Wolfe. Photography by Kevin Brost

How do you ensure the rooms you design have both function and style? 

We prioritize functionality in all of our designs, really because most of our work is designed for our clients’ daily lives. In all of our early design meetings with our clients, we ask detailed questions to really understand how they live and function. The function of a space drives the layout, the storage solutions, the lighting layouts, and materials of furnishings. Then we match this with the desired aesthetic our client hopes for when it comes to color palettes, prevalent shapes/lines, art genre, and more.

Where do you get your inspiration from?

The majority of our inspiration comes from the outdoors. I personally love hiking, camping, and visiting national parks. Allowing my brain to reset in nature and gain inspiration from the color palette and texture from the desert really drives our designs. I also get so much inspiration from hospitality spaces, such as boutique hotels and restaurants all over the country.

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You’re also a general contractor. How does this work differ from design work?

Although there is definitely an overlap of design and construction and it’s a benefit that our team can seamlessly transition from the design process to the construction process, there are stark differences in process and project management. During the design process, we are learning about our clients’ lives. Our goal is to create the overall vision and the supporting documentation to communicate it to the client, as well as the subcontractors executing the job.

During the construction process, we are estimating the construction and ensuring it’s feasible from a budget, timeline, and structural standpoint. We love to incorporate textiles into the hard surfaces of a project—for example, in lighting, cabinetry, and woven wall treatments. Adding textiles into the hard surfaces creates a more unique architectural experience in our projects.

A cozy living room and kitchen space from Wolfe showcases the Pathways collection by Verde Home. Photography by Kevin Brost

Do you think about textiles differently if it’s a commercial or residential project?

Yes! When considering textiles for a commercial space, we are very careful as to what materials we are bringing in as well as the construction of the items and the color palette. We want to ensure the textiles are going to last and look amazing for years down the road. We ensure that all furnishings are contract grade and can easily be wiped down for maximum longevity. In addition, we have to be very intentional with the color palette as we want to ensure we’re on brand with the company’s vision.

For residential, we also want items to last, but typically our clients take care of their items to keep them looking and feeling great. If our clients have kids, we also want to ensure we’re using performance fabric for the main items in the space.

Does geography come into play for textile selection, or is it a personal style only for the client?

Because we get so much of our inspiration from the desert, there is a Southwest influence when it comes to texture and color palette in our projects. We feel that it’s important for our client’s personal style to also align with our iconic style.

We want to bring their vision to life, but we also want to be able to personally stand behind every design decision. This is how we create magic together and ensure we have a positive experience from start to finish. We love asking our clients from the beginning about their favorite places to travel and how they want their home to feel. In addition, we definitely take into consideration the landscape surrounding the home and how we can bring that into the interior of the space.

The Designer Edit Highland collection of pillows is among Wolfe’s favorite Jaipur Living products.

Kaitlyn’s Jaipur Living Picks

I love the Highland pillow’s texture. The fringe detail on only two sides is super unique. It has an untamed texture to it, which I’m really into because it can complement a very refined furniture piece well.

I love the texture the boucle has on the Folke pouf. The colorblocking with the gray and cream make it an elevated yet playful feel, and the lines are very clean and modern.

The Skandi pouf feels very natural and textural, which would create so much depth to any interior or exterior space. I can see it fitting an organic contemporary living space very well. In addition, the firm construction would make it a great stool, side table, or footstool.