By RIO ROSE RIBAYA
As the original was published on 14 December 2017
Expensive paintings may hang on your walls. Designer pieces of furniture may fill up your rooms. But the thousands of dollar spent on the latest technologies and expensive accessories will all be for nought if high-end fabrics are missing in your lovely home.
Textile is the one thing you should never overlook when attempting to create a luxurious environment. Vibrant colours, rich patterns, and a gentle touch of natural fibres from hand-made cloths and fabrics are the important details that will make your nest posh or plush.
But buying that perfect pattern with the sumptuous feel in between your fingers had been as hard as finding an opulent style crystal chandeliers in Malaysia. Megat Sheriff, interior designer for actress and model Noor Neelofa Mohd Noor and her sister, used to have headaches to find these luxe details in textile shops in Kuala Lumpur.
“There are a lot of fabric shops in Malaysia, where you can find a lot of velvet and chiffon. But there are also a lot of textile don’t match my style, which is more towards neutral. I don’t play with loud prints that much. I like nude, pastel, cream, and other safe colours,” Megat told Lifestyle Asia.
“Before, I used to fly to Bangkok and Bali just to find these fabrics that I like in silk. They are rare in KL,” he continued, failing to hide his excitement when he shared how six months ago he discovered Tatum — a design studio that carries an extremely large collection of luxurious fabrics, wallpapers, furniture, lighting and home accessories and exclusively distribute them in Malaysia. “Now, I don’t need to go anywhere nor wait longer to get my fabrics.”
Read more: Achieve zen at home with these 5 smart bath trends to dominate 2018
Just last week, Tatum added Jim Thompson to its long list of leading brands in fabrics, textiles, and innovative home materials. In an intimate launch, Tatum founder Gerardine Loggere made the heritage brand — known worldwide for its Thai silk — and its Home Furnishings line finally available for purchase in Kuala Lumpur for the first time.
As we fell in love with Jim Thompson’s latest collections Floriental and Saracen, we also browsed through Tatum’s impressively big library of leading brands in fabrics, textiles, and innovative home material and discovered 5 others that can luxe up your home in no time.
Tatum Kuala Lumpur is located at No. 12, Jalan Telawi, Bangsar Baru, 59100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. You may contact them at +603 2202 2253.
Jim Thompson
Jim Thompson was an American businessman and architect who lived in Thailand. He founded his company in 1947 at a time when traditional Thai craftsmanship of hand-weaved silk couldn’t face the competition from large factories producing cheap machinery-made fabrics. Now, the largest producer of hand-made silk in the world, his brand has also been heralded for its capabilities in creating home furnishings. It has established a global reach that had its silk and other durable textiles adorning the walls and furnitures of private residences, hotels, galleries, as well as private jets and yachtss in London, Munich, even Atlanta. A year after opening its Home Furnishings flagship store in Bangkok in 2016, the new Jim Thompson line has finally arrived in Kuala Lumpur to the glee of Malaysian interior designers.
Read more: Here’s a kitchen available in Malaysia that’s inspired by the Lamborghini Miura
Rubelli
This family-run textile company traces its history back in 1858 when Venice by Lorenzo Rubelli founded the brand at the height of Romanticism. It produces and marketing luxury fabrics for top-end furnishings, ranging from damask, brocade, velvet, and silk to lampas. Some of the fabrics are made using latest technology and computerized equipment while the rest are still completely hand-made on traditional looms. All textiles are produced from natural materials – linen, silk, cotton, sometimes mixed with high-quality synthetic fibers such as Novafil, Bemberg and Viscose. Now in its fifth generation, it maintains a name that is considered a leader in Italian leather manufacturing that enjoys a ranking high worldwide.
Lizzo
Since 2001, Lizzo has been drawing inspiration from the world’s most unique places. From Arabic patterns of Azahara to Spanish strokes of Goya, its collections transport us to different cultures and times. The Spanish textile editor is known to use vibrant colours and rich texture that stimulate human emotions. With its natural and elegant style, Lizzo has positioned itself to be among the best European textile editors with showrooms of London, Paris, Vienna, Brussels and Milan.
Elitis
Elitis is an editor of creativity-based wall coverings, fabric and furniture company that’s based in France. Founded in 1988, it has produced about 136 colourful fabric collections that had all been inspired by fashion, film, photography, art, architecture and travel. Its 2017 collection features a wide array of style to suit homes with different style — from the stonewashed shades of Stucco plaster linen canvas to freehand-drawn prints of Giardano and border anglaise Amalfia to geometric patterns of Lontano— that will always remain personal.
Read more: Bringing fashion home: 5 stylish home labels to covet
Black Edition
Black Edition is one of the six design houses under Romo Group, a family-run business that manufactures exclusive furnishing and upholstery fabrics, wallcoverings and trimmings. In the last two years, it exclusively designs contemporary and elegant collections that are meant for the luxury interiors market. The design house made its own mark by blending sophisticated textures, innovative weaving techniques, and artisan effects with a visionary colour palette. It’s based in England with office in London, Germany, The Netherlands and United States.
Studioart
Studioart is a young company finds its roots in a long tradition of leather processing. Founded in 1967, it has been crafting Italian leather wallpapers and coverings as well as fabrics that are often used to dress up pieces of furniture, even create cushions and pillows.
Reveries and Reviews 
Wow, amazing weblog layout! How lengthy have you been blogging for? you made blogging glance easy. The whole glance of your site is fantastic, let alone the content material!
LikeLike
Hi, Alex. Thanks for your kind words. I only started writing about lifestyle in Kuala Lumpur in April 2017. All the listicles and feature are published on http://www.lifestyleasia.com
LikeLike
You actually make it appear really easy along with your presentation however I find this matter to be actually one thing that I think I’d by no means understand. It sort of feels too complicated and extremely broad for me. I am taking a look forward in your next put up, I’ll attempt to get the dangle of it!
LikeLike
You actually make it appear so easy along with your presentation but I to find this matter to be actually one thing which I think I’d never understand. It seems too complex and very broad for me. I’m looking ahead on your next post, I’ll try to get the cling of it!
LikeLike
I am no longer certain where you’re getting your info, but great topic. I must spend a while studying much more or figuring out more. Thanks for great info I was on the lookout for this info for my mission.
LikeLike
I do attend brand/product launches or media events, during which I interview experts in the field. This is where I get inspired about which topics or subjects I should focus on. I also enlist help from the brand’s marketing communicators for some materials. It’s a combination of both and I add that with my own research — that is to check out the brand’s official websites & users’ reviews.
LikeLike
I am no longer certain the place you are getting your info, but good topic. I needs to spend a while learning more or working out more. Thanks for excellent information I was in search of this information for my mission.
LikeLike
You really make it appear really easy together with your presentation however I find this matter to be really something which I feel I’d by no means understand. It kind of feels too complicated and extremely broad for me. I’m having a look ahead for your subsequent put up, I will attempt to get the cling of it!
LikeLike
You actually make it seem so easy along with your presentation but I find this matter to be actually something that I believe I would never understand. It sort of feels too complicated and extremely wide for me. I’m having a look ahead to your next post, I will attempt to get the cling of it!
LikeLike