Interior Design Ideas

Interior Design Ideas Using C.O.M.

June 28, 2026

Customer’s Own Material or COM as it is known in the design trade is the standard for high end manufacturers and opens a world of possibilities to customize your interior.

While you may be content with the furniture manufacturer’s fabric choices for many selections, sooner or later finding just the right fabric and putting it on a specialty upholstered piece lifts the entire room. For a client’s bedroom I upholstered a bergere chair with a vivid light weight floral print on the back, decking and arms (where it will not wear out) and put ultra suede on the seat and back cushions. More of each of the two fabrics was needed for this combination, but my client could enjoy a fabric that was otherwise inappropriate in weight and she has a one of a kind piece.

Likewise, on the now popular sofas having a single long seat or back cushion, fabric which can be railroaded, or rolled out sideways as opposed to being cut in vertical strips, can save yardage and allow cushion covers without seams. Stripes which run from selvage to selvage are woven to be used this way.

Generally fabrics which are 54″ wide at a minimum, are suitable for upholstery. The narrower 36″, 48″ and 50″ goods are best reserved for draperies, bedding and accessories. But there are times when we just have to have a beautiful silk or hand dyed cotton batik for use as upholstery. The way to ease the furniture manufacturer’s justified concerns is to have a fabric converter, such as Kiesling Hess Finishing Co., back the fabric for extra stability. That way you can have your fabric and chair too.

The furniture factories have worked out exactly how much yardage they need for their models and if they run short, well, the bolt is there to cut more of the same dye lot. Sometimes there is literally no going back to the fabric house when working with COM. Ask how much fabric is needed to match a pattern or work with multiple patterns on one piece, and send extra. I always attach a cutting stapled to the work order so the factory can see which is the right side of the fabric as this is never readily apparent from a 2″ square cutting of cloth. Besides, sometimes I want to use the back as the right side for a faded effect.

Not all manufacturers will work with your own material, but it always pays to ask. Now even Ballard designs, a predominately mail order retailer will take it on but they understandably have preset guidelines about how to order. And now the waiting begins. Having it fabricated your way with COM is not a speedy process, but your patience will be rewarded, with a piece that no one else has.

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Posted in: General, Upholstered Furniture