Best Fabric Choices for Sun Porches

Your sun porch should warm you, inside and out. The room needs to feel cozy and inviting, casual and unassuming. Let the natural light and colors from outside guide your colors and accessories, and let a low-maintenance mindset help you find the right fabrics for the space. The furniture in the room should be comfortable enough for savoring the last chapters of a novel while looking good enough for unexpected company. Choose the fabrics which can endure the elements of porch life.

Bye, Bye Mildew

For an an indoor/outdoor porch, use fabrics which resist mildew better than others. For a fully exposed porch, use outdoor cushions. For those indoor and somewhat protected porches or spaces which tend to trap moisture, consider these fabrics.

* Linen - It will resist mildew in mildly moist rooms.
* Silk - This luxurious natural material will resist mildew, but is not the cheapest choice for your sun porch.
* Olefin - In addition to being resistant to mold this synthetic fabric will not fade in the sun. It's strong and resists stains like a lady at tea time.
* Acetate - This is one of the best fabrics to use on sun porches where mildew tries to creep in. Use it out of direct sunlight, though as the colors can fade in direct sun.

Insulate the Space

Sun porches tend to rely on the warmth of the sun and may not always have heat or effective heat. Use curtain fabrics which help insulate the room better than others.
* Olefin - This synthetic is a decent insulator. It's also lightweight, so you don't have to worry about it pulling narrow curtain rods.

Least Likely to Shrink

If you find yourself washing your sun porch fabrics frequently, you want fabrics which won't shrink or stretch.
* Polyester - this fabric is machine washable and won't stretch or shrink.
* Cotton and linen - these natural fabrics are easy to wash but they also tend to shrink. Line dry and iron

Least Flammable

If you tend to light candles on the sun porch consider fabrics which are non flammable or less likely to burn easily.
* Olefin and rayon are not flammable.
* Silk, wool and acrylic do not burn easily.
* Cotton and linen burn easily.
* Synthetics nylon and polyester melt when exposed to high heat.