There’s a lot to upholstered furniture outside of just the comfortable seat. The shape of the furniture, along with the material, will play a major role in the style of your room.
There are many different styles of upholstered furniture including the well-known Chesterfields and Howards sofas as well as the Knole settees and many more different styles.
The more popular forms of upholstered furniture can cost you up to $500 but if you really have money to burn you can buy a handmade version for potentially over ten times that. How much you’re spending on furniture is dependent on your budget and the upholstered furniture you had in mind.
If you’re the kind of person who changes their furniture a lot then you won’t want to spend too much. On the other hand you may consider furniture to be the essential piece of the style of your home. If that’s the case you want furniture that can last and have the option to repair and reupholster it when you need to. The more you spend on your upholstery the longer it should last. Some upholstered furniture is guaranteed to last as much as 15 years.
If you’re starting from scratch then you want to first make a decision about the seating arrangement you’re after. You should make a floor plan of your room and decide where you want the furniture to go based on the amount of space you have and the amount of people living in the home.
If you want to create a look that the room has grown up then you should get a sofa and two un-matching chairs. If you want things to be neater then get two sofas and one matching chair to create a contrast.
Get the right size
No matter what option you go with you need to find out what size furniture is going to fit into your room. If you want to replace your old furniture then you can use them as a good measuring stick. If you want to change everything up or are starting from scratch you need to measure your room and take these measurements with you when shopping. Also think about how tall the furniture is because this alters the way the room looks. Having high backed furniture looks great in a room with a high ceiling while smaller furniture helps smaller rooms feel more spacious.
When you do find a piece of furniture you like make a measure of it on the floor plan to make sure it fits in nicely. It needs to have enough room for people to move around it too. If the furniture isn’t the right size ask the store if they have a smaller or larger version. You also need to find a good quality sofa that is not only comfortable now, but will stay comfortable over time. Finally you need to check under the covers. That’s the real determining factor in the lifespan of the furniture. Check the frame and ask about the material. Check everything you can to make sure it is sturdy and comfortable.
Upholstered Furniture Fabric
The cover fabric is the biggest factor in determining the appearance of the upholstered furniture and you may be offered a choice in different fabrics. Plain fabrics are often the most popular but wool and linen are becoming more popular. Really you need to find the fabric that matches your room and needs. Choosing the right coverings for your furniture is essential to creating a look. Feel free to mix them up to create a unique look, as long as the colours don’t clash which just looks nasty.
If you’re buying furniture for your home then it has to pass the cigarette and match test. If it’s more than 70% natural fibre then it should be able to be used with a flame-retardant lining to pass the cigarette tests. You can also apply flame-retardant chemicals to other fabrics to help them last longer. Upholstery can be expensive so you need something that can last. Upholstery is measured using the Martindale Rub Test. This measures, quite simply, how many times the fabric can be rubbed before it begins to fray. You should try and find furniture with a rating of 20,000 rubs which is the usual amount for upholstered furniture. Only buy something with less than 15,000 rubs if it’s not going to be used often.
It can be expensive to buy high quality upholstered furniture but the good news is that it can last a long time if you look after it well. Turn over your cushions regularly and use arm caps to protect the parts of your upholstery that are more likely to be damaged by spills and marks. Also take steps to protect it from natural light to keep the colour from fading. Get it cleaned and maintained regularly and it should last.
