About Toile

Toile: Very French--and a word with a long history and many applications. Toile is a French word for cloth, but it has come to mean something far more specific. The sometimes fanciful, often elegant prints we call toiles acquired their name from the linen prints produced years ago in Jouy, France.

Toile fabrics are often monochrome prints on natural backgrounds. However, we also see them as multicolor prints and backgrounds can be almost any other colors. When the background colors are dark, the toile print is a light color providing strong contrast.

Toile prints are also recognized by their motifs. French pastoral country sides are common as are florals and Oriental designs. Regardless of motif, the look is always traditional.

Toile fabrics can dress up the look of a home but also fit quite comfortably in a more casual setting. The versatility of toile fabrics accounts for much their current popularity.