Fade Resistant . Water Resistant . Stain Resistant

Fabrics so good you can use them indoors

 

When we started creating an outdoor space on our new deck, all we could find was sticky vinyl and ugly floral plastic fabric.  Then we discovered 'performance fabrics' - they felt like an indoor fabric but performed like an outdoor fabric.  I couldn't believe how hard they were to get in Australia - and yet our climate is perfect for these versatile fabrics.  So we decided to start Fab Outdoor Fabrics to showcase the great range of unique quality outdoor fabrics that are weather resistant, stain resistant and fade resistant.

Three years on and hundreds of design-savvy people have discovered how fab our outdoor fabrics are.  From inner city penthouses to outback verandas, our range of fabrics is helping to create innovative outdoor spaces that are both stylish and practical.  Thank you to all the wonderful clients who've shared their part of Australia with us.  

The Fab Team

 

 

Fab Your Garden

 

                
We're in love with this Fab setting, styled by Sandy de Beyer for Your Garden magazine.  

When Sandy first selected Carnations Cream and Antique Beige to go with a taupe stripe, we were wondering how it would turn out.   But the result is stunning!  

By teaming a classic floral with up-to-date neutrals,  Sandy has created a look that's classy and contemporary.  It's a clever way to soften dark wicker chairs, which can look too stark, while keeping the colour palette relaxed.

Photos copyright Sandy de Beyer 2011 

 

Fab Burkes Backyard

Here's another inspirational setting from Sandy de Beyer for Burke's Backyard magazine.   With timeless Adirondack chairs as the focal point, Sandy's added a modern twist using African Journey Water as a stunning piece of wall art and on the scatter cushions.   Throw in some plain French Navy cushions, blue glass accessories, a serene grey wall colour - and voila - a calm oasis of style.  

 

Fab Home Beautiful

                

Five fabrics from our range were chosen to star in a Home Beautiful feature on "the freshest fabrics to revive your home".  

The stylist, Stephanie Powell, chose Zinnias for the daybed cover, accessorised by the Dutch roll in Domino Stripe and large cushion in Daisy Noir (at the back).  All piping in Basic Black.  

Our whole sewing team, led by the very talented Tania, did a great job of making all of the covers.  

(left, January edition of Home Beautiful and above, page 52)

And now we're even famouser (that's a word, right?)  

 

The centrepiece of this gorgeous tropical setting in Home Beautiful is totally Fab!  Our custom sewing team made the cover featuring Hamptons Green Shimmer with Oyster piping.  

 

Fab House & Garden

We're very excited to be featured in the November edition of Australian House and Garden.  The stylist, Jessica Watson, used lots of our fabrics in stylish ways.  

(Right) This stunning beach umbrella is a great way to add instant colour.  Especially if you use Ralph Lauren Floral Sky.

(Below) Fantastic red, white and black colour scheme using Zinnias and Tin Tile Print.  Don't you love the white ceramic rabbits?  We might have to start stocking them.

 

Fab Butterfly

We are really excited to be working with Cathy Cooke, the creative brains behind Hide You Seek.  Her designer butterfly chairs, complete with Fab Outdoor Fabrics, are currently appearing in all the best outlets. Cathy can set your old butterfly chair free with a new Fab cover or you can purchase one of her groovy new stainless steel or painted iron frames.    The chair above features Sangria Monitfleur with Chocolate on the reverse.

Fab Boystown

We were so excited to see some of our fabrics featured in the Boystown prize home.  The interior designer chose a palette of blue, taupe, sand and white which perfectly reflects the home's location on the Sunshine Coast.  Above in the bedroom, Saba Sapphire Paisley makes a classical statement on the bedrunner and scatter cushions.  Some lovely design ideas throughout - see how the blue and white vase just pulls the theme outside?

Right and below: Tree of Life Batik stars in the living room.  Love the galvanised iron ceiling!  You'll find more pics of this Fab home at www.boystown.com.au

 

Fab Inner City Penthouse

Chris created a stunning contemporary tropical feel on his Melbourne penthouse patio using Choc Minty Leaf and Beige Herringbone.  The soft green and earthy tones work beautifully to soften the grey tile and create a relaxing resort from the streets below.

 

Fab Poolside Style

Karen wanted to make her Brisbane poolside area stylish and relaxing,  without resorting to the typical palm trees and bright tropicals.  

The Fab Custom Sewing team recovered her lounge with Deco Ticking, and used a contrast piping in Basic Black, creating effortless style and harmony.  

 

 

Fab Groovy Courtyard

A courtyard blooming with daisies!  Amber and her husband wanted to soften the edges of their custom-designed courtyard while adding colour to offset the white walls.  Daisy Choc perfectly echoes the statement brass artwork, while the cushions in Silk Quilt Choc add a touch of  luxury (looks comfy too!)

 

Fab French Casual

French style combined with good taste make this one of our favourite outdoor areas.  Amanda chose Hamptons Green Shimmer for the base cushions of her white-panelled bench seating and then carried through the classy theme with Botanical Mist and Botanical Mist Stripe scatter cushions.  The end result is an elegant but relaxed setting that perfectly reflects the heritage character of Amanda's gracious sandstone house.

 

Fab Lime Fresh

How's this for fresh and cool?   This coastal backyard features stylish landscape design elements including warm decking timber and charcoal grey walls perfectly offset by white stones and structural plants.  The addition of Fab covers in Kiwi, with highlight scatters in French Navy and Salty Olive Stripe, really adds to the modern resort feel.  Just the place to relax with a lime margarita!

 

Fab Elegant Deck

If your style is casual elegance, then this is the combination for you.   Christine started by choosing Tucker Chambray Charcoal on the base cushions.  The large motif gives a sense of drama, without being overpowering.  The reverse piping on the back cushions, which are Basic Black and Antique Beige, ties the look together.  The Fab Sewing Team did a great job of helping Christine create her beautiful elegant oasis.

 

Fab Retro Chic

This Canberra annex proves that you don't have to be boring outdoors.  A daring choice of fabrics perfectly complements the custom-built designer furniture from Robert Plumb.

 Karen chose Surf Pinstripe Sunset and Coral Sunset to echo the stunning orange of the dining chairs.  The glossy black of the armchairs inspired the selection of Domino Stripe and Tin Tile Print.  Finally, Margarita Palm was thrown in to mix it all up and add the final retro touch to the uber comfortable lounge.

Love the contrast of the bold colours with the grey feature wall and weathered decking.  

 

 

Fab Colour Patio

This amazing outdoor room, designed by Mark Nicholls of Voodooo (devilishly delicious rocky road), shows what you can do when you're not afraid of colour.  We imported Beach Bouquet Citrus especially to meet Mark's requirements for a fabric with colours that stood out from the crowd.  Mark accessorised boldly  with Wave Canary, Wave Lime and Daisy Noir. Then our sewing team did the rest.  The result is an area that makes you happy as soon as you step outside.

 

Fab Beach Terrace

Carolyn and her husband turned their rooftop terrace by the beach into a great place to entertain friends using some of the brightest and prettiest fabrics from the Fab range.   Wave Fun Sun Stripe, teamed with Wave Petunia, Wave Lime and Wave Tangerine create the perfect invitation to relax and enjoy a cocktail or three!  

 

p.s.  Didn't the Fab sewing team do a great job of all the cushions and chair covers?

 

Fab Tuscan

Anthea's outdoor area has some Tuscan influences with a modern twist.  To add colour, she selected from our new Ottoman range.  It plays beautifully against the soft grey walls and tones in with the great stained glass window and mosiac prints.   Below left, Ottoman Lapiz covers.  Below right, Ottoman Persimmon cover.  Bottom centre:  Linen Ginger and Ottoman Persimmon.

    

 

 

 Fab Sydney Style

   

Louise chose a maritime colour scheme to reflect the stately beauty of her Sydney Harbourside home.  Salty Olive Stripe and Whitsunday Blue provide splashes of colour around the pool.  

Below Left, Hello Sailor Stripe, used as a tablecloth in the dining area, ties in with the theme.   Louise created the coordinated look on the bench seat by sewing panels of a stripe onto the plain fabric to make interesting  scatter cushions.

             

 

Fab Sunroom

Sally's beautiful conservatory-style sunroom is a stunning area with full length windows opening to the garden.   But the original lounge faded quickly with so much sunlight streaming in.  By using an outdoor fabric to recover the lounge, Sally found a solution that's stylish and practical.   As it's a fade-resistant outdoor fabric, the lovely pastel colours of Botanical Mist will stay fresh for years.  

 

Fab Window Seat

Here's a great example of how colour can bring warmth and life to a room.  Annie and Michael created the perfect spot to relax in the morning sun with this custom-built window seat.  When it came to choosing colours, they concentrated on bright and happy because it's the main living area of their holiday home.  Dessert Orange on the seat cushions is paired with Sunflower, French Country Stripe Warm and Beach Flower Multi.

        

 

 

Fab Nautical

With such a stunning view from their back deck, you can see why Scott and Meilyn chose a nautical theme.  Using an innovative combination of Fab Outdoor Fabrics, they've created the perfect spot for a sundowner or two.  

Left, Saba Sapphire Damask and Saba Sapphire Stripe tell the main story on the lounge setting.  Cushions with highlights of Fab Red add a splash of colour.  Below, the daybed in Bandana Cherry is accessorised by scatter cushions in Deck Polka Navy and bolster cushions in Deck Stripe Navy, with Fab Red accents tying the two areas together.

 

 

  

 

Fab Transformations

What a transformation!  Years of humid weather had taken their toll on Lorna's Darwin patio.  

 

By choosing a bright, happy colour scheme, Lorna has completely rejuvenated the area. 

 

The lounges are covered in a bold mix of Beachfront Blues with Wave Canary piping.  The scatter cushions are Deck Lime and Deck Blue, while the floor cushions are Wave Tangerine and Wave Petunia.  

 

Another great "before" and "after".  Sue's old cane lounge suite was comfortable but it had seen better days.  A refurbishment in Beach Bouquet Fern (done by one of our favourite upholsterers, Gotcha Covered in Dural) gave the old suite an instant new vibe. 

 

 

Fab Seating

Above:  Joan's love of all things French Provincial extends to her deck where this gorgeous white panelled bench seat, with cushions in Deco Ticking and Essence Onyx, provides the perfect place for a glass of champagne.  Our upholsterer made the bench seats with Basic Black piping while our cushion specialists made the scatter cushions with Deco Ticking piping.

Below:  This stunning terrace on the Gold Coast has been designed to enjoy the great views all year round.  Gaye used a different combination of fabrics to create a look that's both funky and feminine.  It's a great example of using scatter cushions to "dress" an area, adding colour and comfort.

 

Left:  Onyx Stripe, Magnolia Black and Tommy Bahama Tampico Rattan. Below:  Magnolia Black

 

 

Above:  Our new favourite chair!  Melinda from the gorgeous Lily G shop in Brisbane used our Sea Damask Lagoon and French Navy to stunning effect.  Love the white piping acting like a frame.  The chair is from a new range of divine cane available at Lily G.

Below:  It's easy for the Fab Sewing Team to whip up creations for customers, but when it comes to choosing their own fabric  - talk about tough decision time!  After months of dithering, Tania, our Fab Cushion Specialist, finally settled on Cremorne Stripe for her chair cushions.   They're accessorised with a tablecloth in Divine Floral Raspberry (not shown here because it was in the wash when we finally got around to taking pictures!)  Love the hexagonal scatter cushion cover!  

 

Above: Here's some smart detailing.  Catherine jazzed up a plain black sofa with an inspired combination of Blackberry Stripe, Blooms and Wave Leaf.   She cleverly used contrast piping and pleating to link them all together.  Just love it.  

Below: This papsan chair was looking a bit dated until Judi from Vicious Vintage restyled it with a groovy black and white theme.  The cover is Deck Polka Black and the scatter cushion is Deck Stripe Black.

 

Above:  After a big renovation, that included installing a pool, Carine wanted an outdoor area where she could entertain, while still watching the children play.  Saba Sapphire Damask and Saba Sapphire Stripe were a great solution because they add a touch of structure to the area, while the pretty blue colour reflects the new pool.  

Below: Just because it's an outdoors area, doesn't mean you can't have a bit of Hollywood glamour.  The lounge cushions in Tin Tile Print work beautifully with Domino Stripe, especially on the scatter cushions where the stripe has been mitred to stunning effect.   

 

Above:  Herman and Susan have a lovely tropical retreat in Gidgegannup (try saying that fast four times!), Western Australia.  Their choice of Orchids Ebony perfectly coordinates with the lush greenery of the garden and the terracotta paving - and it works with the retro vibe of the cane suite.  Susan made the covers herself and did a great job of getting all the curves right.

Below:  Love an Adirondack chair, especially in white.   When it came to choose cushion fabric, Anna selected Cremorne Stripe for it's fresh mix of aqua, red, kiwi, chocolate and white (we stock all the coordinating solids).  Our upholsterer made the cushions, carefully matching up the stripes for maximum effect.  See how each cushion has exactly the same stripes, and the stripe runs perfectly between the back cushion and the seat cushion?  That takes an expert to get right.

 

Above: Parterre Blue livens up this retro cane chair from Naturally Cane

 Right:  Aileen took a classic chair and gave it a graceful, timeless new look with Paris Fleur.   

 

 

Above:  Denise's husband created this fantastic bench seat, which opens up to provide storage underneath.  The finishing touch are the cushions in a combination of Indo Floral Ebony, Serene Stripe Mist and Shiraz Burgundy.  Love the squatter's chair for the little one in the family!

 

Left:  Sarah went for a stylish but fun look by playing with a mix of black and white fabrics in strong patterns.  It's a great example of how a horizontal stripe can accentuate the length of a daybed.

The base is Deck Stripe Black, the scatter cushions are Domino Stripe, Matisse, and Deck Polka Black.  All piped in Basic Black.

Above Left:  Loving the gorgeous styling by Brisbane architectural firm, Twohill and James.  They've combined Lattice Lawn and Saba Felicity Spa to create a contemporary take on a garden room.  

Above Right:  Saki Flowers Blush make stunning curtains that brighten and freshen this stylish bedroom.

Left:  A great mix of fabrics from the Saba Mocha range is cleverly combined for a modern but classic look.  Kylie's outdoor room looked a bit bare but the new Fab cushions have made the area more inviting.  Contrasting piping on the scatter cushions ties them together.  

The base cushion is fully reversible so Kylie can choose to have either the Saba Mocha Damask or the Saba Mocha Stripe side showing.

 

Above:  Sally's beautiful daybed graces a veranda on her Queenslander, so she wanted something stylish but with a nod to tradition.  Tin Tile Print, with it's great pattern reminiscent of an old ceiling, perfectly fits the bill.  Domino Stripe and Fab Red scatter cushions add to the overall look.

 

Saba Moss Stripe for the seat cushions teams with scatter

 cushions in Saba Medici Paisley and Saba Mocha Orange Stripe

Above:  Sheila and Peter are keen gardeners so green was the perfect colourway for their outdoor setting.    Their cushions were piped with cream (right picture) and green (left picture) from the Saba Moss Stripe, which is a clever way to get the perfect contrast fabric.  Great areas to entertain when their eight children come to visit! 

 

Above - An outdoor lounge gets funky with Hip to be Square Mink, Lattice Lawn and Saki Stripe Citrus.

Below - A retro bamboo lounge suite gets a style update with Wave Beach Night Stripe.    Tania, from the Fab Custom Sewing Team, used the stripe to its full advantage with both horizontal and vertical panels.  But the real kudos goes to Richard, who made such a great fabric selection for his Byron hideaway.  Don't the earthy tones come together perfectly?  Love it when a great decor plan works!

 

 

Bozana's outdoor kitchen area is the perfect setting for Basic Black and Deco Ticking.  The subtle grey stripe complements the stainless steel perfectly.

 

        

           

Above - Got an old chair lying around?  Make it fab in just a few hours with a fabric facelift.  Left, Lisa used Indo Black Flowers and Deco Ticking for a stylish revamp (isn't Finn a great model?).  Right,  Taryn went bold and funky with Beach Bouquet Citrus.

Below - Julie-Anne could give the Fab sewing team a run for their money.  She recovered her cane lounge herself using Divine Floral Cream and Serene Stripe Mist.  The result is simply divine - a modern look with classic style (we helped pick the combination so we're claiming some of the credit!)

 

Fab Cushions

 

Aren't these Botanical Mist cushions divine?  The Fab Sewing Team whipped them up for Narelle.  They carefully chose different parts of the floral pattern to "frame" - it's a decorator's trick to avoid a look that's too regimented. The fringe is also outdoor-proof, so it's practical as well as pretty.

 

Want to give a neutral outdoor area some pizzazz?  Take a leaf out of Sue's back patio.  With a little help from her interior designer, Jillian from Starr Creative (a fab person to talk to if you're in Melbourne, contact us for her details), Sue chose a black, white and red colour scheme. The Daisy Noir cushions are finished with an extra thick white vinyl piping, the Bandana Cherry cushions are piped in Basic Black, and the Tin Tile Print cushions are sewn in our signature "tucked" style. On the dining chairs, Fab Red is piped in Basic Black.   

 

 

 

(Above) For Hazel - 60cm square cushions with a small border in  Tommy Bahama Navy Palm, Tommy Bahama Navy Stripe and Beachcomber.  (Left) For Mira - 45cm square tucked cushions in Robert Allen Summer Garden 

 

(Below Left) For Jon - 50cm square cushions in African Journey.  (Below Right) For Sophie - 40cm square tucked cushion in Dessert Orange, 63cm square tucked cushions in Saba Orange Stripe and Saba Orange Damask.

        

Wicker style never goes out of fashion - Left, Hydrangeas with buttons.  Right, Wailea Ebony on base with scatter cushion in Botanical Mist Stripe.  Below Left to Right - Zebra, Essence Onyx with Basic Black surround, Tin Tile Print.