Do you need help choosing the right upholstery fabric for your sofas, couches and settees? No worries! Selecting the right material for your furniture can be challenging. All you need to do is read our tips which will teach you more about upholstery properties.
Table of Contents
What is upholstery?
This might sound simple without the need for clarification, but let’s do this.
Upholstery is any covering of your furniture like sofas, chairs or similar that includes all types of fabric, springs, webbing and padding. While a lot has changed over the years, on the inside and outside, any of these parts is important.
They signify the furniture’s durability, comfort and level of maintenance.
Fabric’s durability
Needless to say, a fabric’s durability is of extreme importance, especially if you are going to use the furniture daily. The essential questions you have to ask yourself before choosing any upholstery are who will use it, how often, for what type of furniture, in which room, what kind of maintenance it needs and finally, what are your personal preferences.
If the piece of furniture is going to be used daily by the whole family, with children and pets included, then it is preferable to try microfibre fabrics or leather. These are easy to maintain and will withstand some extra wear and tear. Of course, if you choose these fabrics in white colour, the story will change.
Another excellent choice for your home furniture is nylon. It is often added to the original fabric to make it more durable.
Style
We do not say that the style of the upholstery is as important as its durability, but we are saying it is. You need to choose a fabric that will complement your home style. Some materials have a calming effect with their casual look, while others give you formal or office vibes.
Make sure the fabric is suitable for the piece of furniture you want. If it has any pattern, you need to check if it will fit the furniture and room size. For example, designs with large and bold ornaments will look better in a bigger room than in a small one.
If you find it hard to combine different styles, it’d be better to go with the traditional safe look. Another option is just to follow the same manner your interior is in.
Colour
You have heard that colours can affect our mood, right? Well, more or less accurately, colours affect how our furniture looks in a room. You need to be happy and feel comfortable with your choice.
Warmer and neutral colours are the safest answer of them all. They fit almost all styles and furniture, are durable and hardly fade. However, if you prefer to go with a bold colour, you need to consider the size of the room, the furniture and if it will look too glaring after some time.
The same goes for your favourite colour. If it is too bold or does not fit your home’s other style and colour, you should probably reconsider.
Trends
Fashion has made its way into all aspects of our lives. That includes interior design as well. However, only some pieces look amazing after a year or two.
Even if you are artistic and want to make a statement with your furniture, you’d need to consider a few things. Is it going to have the same purpose as in the beginning for you after time has passed? Will these colours be as bright after two sunny seasons? Are you using it daily? Is comfortable? How much you paid for it and to keep it the same?
Most of the time, such upholstery items are expensive and need even more maintenance. With furniture factories being in a rush who will show the latest modern piece of upholstery, it takes time to keep up and be always on trend.
A great advice is to choose more traditional styles for your furniture. They are durable, easy to clean and sustainable. If you want to bring the fashion show home, you can always go for some crazy pillows or small ornaments on the coffee table.
Pets and allergies
As mentioned above, when discussing fabric’s durability, it is essential to know if your pets and children will use the furniture. With pets, you should expect hair, scratches and some stains on your sofa. With children, it is more or less the same. Of course, if you or anyone from your family has allergies or asthma, you need to focus on that too.
On such occasions, what you need to look for is a fabric that will resist pet hair, scratches, stains and dust. It may sound hard, but there is an easy solution – a synthetic blend in a neutral colour.
Unlike natural blends and fluffy textures, synthetic ones do not store so much hair, dust and dirt. You can also avoid fur and dust on your furniture with denim, leather, canvas, microfiber and outdoor fabrics.
Maintenance
As mentioned throughout the whole article, upholstery maintenance is essential. Furniture pieces, trendy or not, are expensive, and we need to take care of such investments.
Cleaning your upholstery regularly will not only extend the life and quality of your furniture but will also help you maintain a cleaner and healthier atmosphere in your home. You see, with every sitting on the sofa or another piece, we release from it dust, bacteria and mouldy spores.
Not to mention the regular wear and tear and that we stain it with our body oils and fluids.
When it comes to upholstery cleaning, trust a professional company. They know all types of fabrics and can prevent future damage or stains. Of course, there are many DIY cleaning methods you can try. However, it is not recommended.
Conclusion
When choosing your upholstery, you should depend solely on your needs and desires. Make a list of your priorities and choose the best that will fit your home. Of course, consider our tips and enjoy your new piece of furniture.
