Bouclé has been making a resurgence, bringing back cozy texture to furniture and accents. It creates warmth and depth in interior styling and is perfect for Scandi and Mid-century Modern spaces, but can be integrated into most styles. Often seen in shades of crisp white and cream, the textured wool furniture has started to feature across leading Instagram profiles and pop up in bedroom and living room corners across the globe and the trend isn’t slowing down.

Now if you’re sitting there still wondering what the bouclé we’re even talking about, we’re here to give you the low down on why this trend has us all heart-eyes and swooning over its cozy goodness and how you can incorporate the bouclé trend into your home.

What is bouclé?

The term boucle comes from the French word meaning ‘curled’ or ‘looped’ and is generally made from wool fibres which characterise its beautiful fleecy and soft feel.

First created in 1948 by furniture designer Eero Saarinen when he adapted his iconic ‘womb chair’ to suit a client’s request of designing a chair that she could ‘really curl up in’. Saarinen interpreted her description down to the upholstery fabric that was chosen and the result was the Classic Bouclé, a cozy textile made from a yarn of curled fibres.

In the years that followed boucle fabrics were used by leading fashion designers around the world (Chanel among the most notable) and became a favourite upholstery choice of many mid-century designers.

So, why are we swooning over bouclé?

Bouclé is like the holy trinity of fabric- comfy, long-lasting, and simply beautiful. It can be used for a variety of home styling tastes, and with its soft teddy-bearish feel- who wouldn’t love that inviting ‘come home and curl up on me’ bouclé vibe? One of our favourite things about bouclé though is its versatility. You can make a statement with bouclé upholstered furniture, or you can introduce it softly with subtle bouclé accents.

How to incorporate bouclé into your interior design?

The trending textile is perfect for adding a soft, welcoming touch to your home decor.

Bouclé Furniture - The fluffy finish of bouclé means it pairs perfectly with curved or rounded furniture shapes- think a drool worthy curvaceous couch or feature arm or swivel chair, the perfect place to curl up with a glass of wine or your favourite book. Designers and brands like Sarah Ellison, Coco Republic and Temple and Webster each have their own bouclé pieces but you can often find second hand pieces on marketplaces if you know where to look. Because bouclé works so well in neutral tones, it’s nice to balance a bouclé lounge out with a fairly plain coffee table in a dark colour to make the couch the feature, as well as pairing it with angular pieces and contrasting textures.

Ottomans are also another way to dip your toe into the bouclé pool without going all in and look beautiful when paired with a leather couch. As you approach the kitchen and dining area, bouclé dining chairs can make a luxurious statement complemented by a stone dining table and brushed brass tapware, achieving a contemporary minimalist style.

Bouclé can also be used in the bedroom to create a cosy, peaceful escape. A fabulous bouclé bedhead can act as a statement piece, laying the foundation for a sophisticated and cloud-like space to curl up in at the end of a long day.

Bouclé Accessories - If you’re not ready to commit to the big statement piece of bouclé furniture you could also consider incorporating soft furnishing such as bouclé cushions, or a throw. The cloud-like texture makes it an ideal accent for your living room couch or draped across your favourite armchair. You could even consider a 100% wool bouclé rug to add warmth and texture to your lounge room.

How to maintain and look after your bouclé pieces

If you’re like us, the thought of owning any type of furniture in shades of white and cream causes equal amounts of excitement and stress. Surprisingly though, bouclé is relatively easy to keep clean. The fabric has a low liquid absorption, which means if you’re quick on your feet to dab up those drops of savvy-b, spills won’t be a big deal. With any kind of upholstery if you do spill a liquid on to it its best to get onto it before it dries. Using a microfibre cloth and some warm water with a gentle soap or wool wash dab the stain out in circular motions towards the centre of the stain and allow it dry.

The vacuum will also be your best friend- simply give it a quick once over with your upholstery attachment for general maintenance and to keep the pile look schmick, or to clean up any dry spills like crumbs. It’s important to note though that you shouldn’t use your usual vacuum floor attachment as you could potentially damage the bouclé pile.

The bouclé trend is going to stick around for a while and whatever pieces you choose to incorporate into your interior design- from a feature armchair in your living room to a simple cushion- this fabric is perfect for injecting some personality and a touch of contemporary luxe into your home- oui oui!