Date:  June 25, 2021  |   Story: Tiffany Adams  |   Photography: Rett Peek  |   Styling: Steph Smith  |  

Classic and practical, we have mattresses to thank for the origin of ticking stripe fabric. The thick canvas twill was heavy enough to cover and corral loose pieces of straw and feathers, which comprised the earliest mattresses. These coverings not only contained the mattress’s inner contents but also kept them from irritating the bed’s inhabitant. Thus, it’s not surprising the simple yet striking fabric takes its name from the Greek word theka, meaning case or covering. Both then and now, the pattern’s stripes consist of a white or linen-hued background with black, blue, or red stripes—making it a natural, understated choice for summer décor.

Fabrics available through Designer Effects, Little Rock, designereffects.net