Sure, spill wine on my sofa

JUAN MARTIN DEL CAMPO admits that the vinyl bench he shared with Christoph Korner was “definitely not a cuddle couch,” but the couple entertained a lot, and inevitably wine would be spilled. “We could just spray it clean with Fantastik,” Martin del Campo says.

When the couple finally agreed to buy a sofa -- a vintage 8-foot piece scored for $150 at the Pasadena City College Flea Market -- they wanted it reupholstered in a fabric that could withstand not only wine, but also their two Chihuahuas and a cat that sheds.

Korner, an architect, suggested solution-dyed acrylic. Why outdoor upholstery fabric in the living room?

Why not? Once plastic-to-the-touch, outdoor fabric has become plush, emulating velvet, chenille, terry cloth and matelasse. Instead of traditional woven stripes or printed florals, new textural patterns include linen weaves, checked hopsacks and reversible, large-scale damasks and ikats. The old yacht-club blue and cabana yellow are out; shocking pink, modernist orange, chartreuse and other fresh hues are in.

Fabrics conceived to make outdoor rooms more vibrant are finding favor indoors by mirroring larger trends in interior design: the layered ethnic look of bohemian chic; the tailored, menswear-influenced look of Ralph Laureninspired rooms; and the glamour of Hollywood Regency homes.

Until recently outdoor fabric simply meant “canvas for awnings,” says Marcy Ettinger, manager of Diamond Foam & Fabric. “It was utilitarian, felt stiff and looked boring.”

But during the last two years, the L.A. upholstery supplier has expanded its outdoor fabric inventory from a few dozen colors and patterns to hundreds of eye-catching designs. The store carries Tempotest, a fashionable Italian collection with bold graphics and bright colors, as well as outdoor fabrics with a more sensuous hand and more sophisticated materials that look -- and are priced -- similar to indoor furniture fabrics.

“People are much less resistant to the idea because the fabric is evolving,” Ettinger says. “They are increasingly using it for indoor upholstery because it now looks as good as it wears.”

The late furniture designer John Hutton gave the material a style update a few years ago with Perennials, a company that produces acrylic boucle and mesh sheers for outdoor curtains. L.A. interior designer Rose Tarlow has a collection represented by Holly Hunt in the Pacific Design Center, where Donghia Inc. offers outdoor fabrics featuring African and Pacific tribal patterns with a full complement of braided trims and tassels. According to designer Sherri Donghia, the Serengeti Impala outdoor fabric has been the company’s best seller for the past year.

These materials can cost more than $100 a yard, a price equivalent to that of fine silk brocade and luxury mohair.

More basic outdoor fabrics, priced comparably to cotton duck or denim, are increasingly used “anywhere there are kids or food,” says Anthony Kafesjian, owner of Lloyd’s Custom Furniture in Los Angeles. Buying a Sunbrella fabric with a linen weave almost certainly will cost less than upholstering with real linen and using a finishing company such as Fiber-Seal.

Old outdoor fabrics were difficult to use on curved surfaces, Kafesjian says. “Now the manufacturers have come up with ways to weave them so they are softer, easier to work with and look more like interior fabrics.”

The trend is being embraced by L.A. designers such as Bret Witke, who has used outdoor material for flat Roman blinds and furniture in spa bathrooms. Decorators and do-it-yourselfers alike have noted its colorfastness and resilience to stains.

Whereas many indoor fabrics use Scotchgard and other stain-resistant additives, solution-dyed acrylics such as Sunbrella are woven from yarns that can be scrubbed. They are also prized for fending off mildew.

Elizabeth Mayhew, New York-based lifestyle contributor to the “Today” show, covered her dining room chairs in a high-end outdoor fabric instead of leather.

“I have kids and animals, so it’s what I use now,” she says. “There has been an explosion of extraordinary materials and designs with color and feel that you never had before. It’s so durable and chic that all my friends are copying me.”

Mayhew is partial to fabrics by Great Outdoors (at the Holly Hunt showroom in the Pacific Design Center) and Perennials (at David Sutherland in the PDC), but she also notes low-cost options from the Ballard Designs catalog and www.outdoorfabrics.com, which carries Sunbrella products ranging from $14.95 to $34.95 a yard.

“People want a lifestyle where they don’t have to worry about their fabrics,” Mayhew says. “And now they can have it at every price point.”

For Martin del Campo and Korner, solution-dyed acrylic turned out to be a better choice than MicroSuede, a brushed polyester often recommended for pet owners. “It was more expensive, didn’t come in the color we envisioned and I didn’t want it because you have to smooth it out after people sit on it,” Martin del Campo says, “or else you’ll see butt marks.”

They settled on a Sunbrella pattern with fine stripes in blue and green. A 20-yard bolt was $300 at Michael Levine Inc. in the downtown fashion district, and Kohlman Quinn on Sunset Boulevard completed the upholstery for $600.

“I really had to be sold on it. I was concerned it would be too tough, and I didn’t think it would translate to an indoor piece,” Martin del Campo says. “But I fell asleep on it watching a movie the other night, and it’s actually really comfortable.”

David Keeps can be reached at david.keeps@latimes.com.

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Swatches

A quick primer on indoor-outdoor fabric and resources for it:

Materials: Sunbrella, the best known brand, is made of solution-dyed acrylic whose color goes all the way through the yarns; those yarns are then woven into patterns. By contrast, synthetic fibers that have patterns printed on their top layer are more prone to fading. Homeowners with pets should avoid fabrics with looped fibers, which can catch on claws.

Designers’ source: Donghia Inc., F. Schumacher & Co., Pindler & Pindler, Jeffrey Stevens, Holly Hunt and David Sutherland are among the showrooms in the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood that sell outdoor fabric to the trade. If you don’t have a decorator, you can buy fabrics through Pacific Design Services, (310) 360-6418.

Retail: Indoor-outdoor materials are widely available at patio stores, upholstery shops and fabric outlets, including Michael Levine Inc. in L.A., (213) 622-6259; www.outdoorfabrics.com, (800) 640-3539; and Diamond Foam & Fabric in L.A., (323) 931-8148.

-- David A. Keeps