Chenille: A guide to using this lush fabric from the textile experts at Eastern Accents

Being leaders in all things soft and beautiful, it’s no surprise that Eastern Accents has mastered using luscious chenille fabrics. Product designers from the iconic home textiles brand recently sat down with us to discuss this classic, textural fabric, and all its fabulous uses.

Get to know Eastern Accents

Based in Chicago, the brand has over 30 years’ experience in crafting luxury home textiles. Renowned for their decorative bedding pieces (such as bed shams and comforters), their line also includes luxury throw pillows, curtain panels, upholstered furniture, and more. Almost all items are carefully crafted in Chicago, where Eastern Accents’ headquarters and manufacturing facility are housed on the same close-knit site. Founded by a husband-wife team in 1989, it is still a family run business with a passion for hands-on craftsmanship.

From bedding, pillows, fabrics, and more, Eastern Accents’ is a leader in soft home decor–and this includes the luxurious chenille. We met with their design team to understand what this soft fabric is and the best tips for decorating with it.

What is chenille?

Considered a close sister of velvet, chenille is a soft, fuzzy textile with a velvety hand and unique sheen. Its name means “caterpillar” in French, as its ribbed, wooly yarn is said to resemble the fuzzy creature. This yarn can be made from a wide range of fibers, including linen, cotton, silk, wool, and synthetic fibers.

Chenille yarn is often sold on its own for a range of DIY and crafting projects. It is commonly woven into fun, fringey decorative trims that bring character and dimension to any number of textiles projects. Finally, it can be woven into what is called “chenille fabric.” Lower-pile chenille fabrics may just have a slight fuzzy feel, whereas higher-pile chenilles are more similar to deep velvet or a sort of soft, luxurious corduroy.

A history of chenille

This lush fabric dates back to 1780s France, where it was originally made by leno weaving: twisting two fibers together. Scottish fabric mill foreman, Alexander Buchanan, is credited with the invention of this unique fabric, that involved twisting the yarn with heart rollers, to create the ideal frizz. While chenille production grew to become faster and easier throughout the 1800s, it is still made in a similar way today. Short fibers are placed between two core yarns and twisted to make a strong thread. Heat treating is still what makes it so wonderfully fluffy.

With time, chenille became a popular textile in a number of uses. Today, we probably think first of chenille sofas and rugs. In the 70s and 90s, chenille fabrics were popular in fashion.

Styling chenille at home

Because of its loveable texture, chenille is a versatile fabric that pops up throughout fashion, furniture, and home decor. From the bedroom to the living room, it can make for a perfectly plush addition.

Chenille threads and trims are great for accessorizing pieces that need a little more interest or texture. However, for many, one of the most popular uses is on the bed. Chenille, Eastern Accents’ team reveals, makes cozy bed essentials like blankets, duvet covers, and comforters. As a team of Chicagoans, Eastern Accents’ designers know how to bundle up for a harsh winter. Rich and warm, chenille bedding like the Tilda Duvet Cover and Comforter is ideal for cold weather.

Prefer cooler bedding? Not to worry. Eastern Accents also suggests that chenille decorative pillows bring a little luxury to a bed or sofa, without added warmth. For a fun pop of color, a chenille trim is an even more minimal way to add just a touch of softness and shimmer.

Unique uses for chenille

Chenille isn’t just limited to the bed. Its strong, thick nature makes it an ideal fabric for upholstery. Chenille upholstered furniture, like bed frames, benches, or ottomans, can be luxurious additions to any room. The chenille sofa is a timeless classic. From Nike’s Chenille Swoosh to wonderfully textural home crafts projects, chenille fabrics, trims, and accents add the perfect depth and dimension.

Eastern Accents’ expert design team has found that this velvety fabric is even a popular choice for drapery. Its thickness creates a beautiful drape. Plus, it can keep some morning light out, while still emitting a soft glow.

Creating a softer space with chenille

With this loveable fabric growing more popular, Eastern Accents has seen an increased interest in chenille pieces. This includes Thom Filica’s new Tuthill collection, made for Eastern Accents for Spring/Summer 2025. For those just venturing into the world of this fabric, these pieces are a helpful starting point.

Whether you’re searching for something to cozy up with, or starting an upholstery project, this velvety fabric can do it all.

Eastern Accents is a luxury home textiles brand, proudly based in Chicago. Learn more at www.easternaccents.com.