Upholstery fabrics from Cetec's The Origin of the Occident collection. All images: Cetec

Trends may come and go. But when it comes to decorating your home, it takes a certain design savvy to find fresh, fashion-forward styles that can still stand the test of time.

“Trends for interior design and furnishings move at a much slower pace than fashion,” explains textile designer and creative director Pascal Walter. “While we still need these inspiring colours, products for the home need to have a more long-lasting appeal.” He quips: “You can buy a yellow blouse, you wear it for one season and that’s it. If you buy a sofa in yellow, you can’t just as easily get rid of it.”

As such, interior trends tend to veer towards colours that pair easily with myriad decor schemes; blush pink in particular, has been all over furniture and decorative pieces this year. But if this hue is too sweet for you, Walter recommends teal—the blue-green shade is one to watch, says the designer. He suggests pairing hints of this serene shade with grey tones, white marble and gold accents. “Having teal, with grey and  gold together; to me this combination is very inspiring and up to date,” says the designer.

The Hamburg-based designer was in Singapore to launch Origin of the Occident, the 2017 collection from fabrics and furnishings purveyor Cetec. Crafted for the firm’s eponymous line, this new collection draws inspiration from the cross-cultural roots of Cetec, which was founded in 1964 as a distributor of European-produced fabrics in the Asia Pacific region. Today, the company proffers a broad range of fabrics, wallcoverings and trimmings from leading international brands such as Zimmer + Rohde, SAHCO, as well as its very own namesake label.

Here, he shares more about the new collection as well as the details to know, when selecting the right textiles for Singapore’s humid weather.

Global Style

Comprising of 10 interior fabrics, the Origin of the Occident collection was inspired by the east-meets-west heritage of Cetec, as well as the cross-cultural mix of inspiration that defines contemporary tastes today. “People travel so much these days; they stay in nice hotels, dine at nice restaurants, and they take such decor inspiration home,” explains the designer. He too, is as influenced by such cosmopolitan influences.“What I see in hotel and retail design, and colour trends—I take all of these inspiration with me, and it subconsciously influences my design inspiration later on,” he shares.

Inspiring Blooms

 Floral patterns are in vogue again — you’ll find such botanical details within the Cetec collection too. Available in three colours, the Cherry Flowers fabric features the titular blossom, in a rich jacquard weave that’s among the highlights of this collection. “Cherry flowers are considered in Europe to be very Asian,” explains Walter. “This fabric is woven in an Italian mill, and is a European interpretation of a classic Asian pattern.”

 (Related: 5 Ways To Bring The Botanical Theme Into Your Home) 

Pleats Please

Another key style is the Pleats range, which are sheer fabrics that woven in quality polyester with lurex, which adds a metallic shine to the pleated design. “This combination of different techniques achieves a beautiful mix of structure and finish,” says Walter. Though delicate in appearance, these fabrics can be washed without shrinkage because of its polyester composition. “Thanks to the evolution of fibres, these can now create fabrics that are 100 per cent polyester and yet they feel like cotton,” explains the designer.

Colour Your World

 Take the guesswork out of colour and pattern pairing the new fabrics for your home. This collection has been created in an array of complementary colours, across the 10 types of fabrics available, so that it’s easy to mix and match these varied designs. Neutral shades are paired with trending hues such as teal and blush pink, as seen on Cherry Flowers, Edina as well as the Manolo; the latter comes in as many as 16 different tones.

(Related: Think Pink: 5 Rosy-Hued Pieces For Your Home) 

Material Matters 

The high humidity in Singapore isn’t kind to delicate fabrics, such as silk and viscose. “Silk has the most beautiful quality for colour but at the same time it’s so sensitive to UV light and needs extra care,” says Walter. “And curtains with high viscose content for instance, will shrink in high humidity.”  This collection takes the tropical climate into consideration, by opting for mixed materials more suitable and durable for local weather. “We managed to transfer such qualities of silk onto a mix of fine nylon and polyester, without compromising on the quality,” says the designer. He adds: “This combination gives a nice quality and richness to the fabric, with the durability. You still get a very nice lustre and shine, while being easy to care for and light fastness, which is very important because you get such strong sunlight in Singapore.”

(Related: The Secret To Keeping Your Home Comfortably Cool)

 Cetec is located in Singapore at 36 Armenian Street, #02-05.