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Los Angeles-based furniture maker Elite Leather (www.eliteleather.com) recently came out with the Huntley ottoman and the Alexandria stool in leather. The dramatic black and white pattern is based on the classic houndstooth but the unconventional fabric and the way the furniture is styled lends the look a hefty dose of modernity.

The new direction has a timeless quality. Furnishing fabric maker Maharam (www.maharam.com), in New York, adds a sense of luxury with a tweed fabric in an exaggerated houndstooth print (below), rendered in shimmering ochre and gold, berry and scarlet, as well as the traditional black and white. Similarly, Chicago-based Twill Textiles (www.twilltextiles.com) has a linen in a miniature plaid print. It comes in delectable-sounding colours such as latte and paprika.

For other designers, the idea is to evoke a wintry mood. Kansas company Classic Cloth (www.classicclothfabrics.com) is selling plaid fabric for upholstery and curtains in autumnal colours such as heather, thistle and bracken.

Even mass retailers such as Target (www.target.com) are catching on. The chain's tartan shower curtains and window panels come in blue and earthy tones, and are modern enough to dress up any bathroom.

The look works well in all kinds of settings. At New York-based Lee Jofa (www.leejofa.com), the Ongava plaid fabric in green, orange and rust is perfect for outdoor use, while the beige and green houndstooth chenille and multicoloured silk plaids are great, summery fabrics. Also notable is a small checkered pattern atop a sprawling paisley print.