How to Choose the Right Sofa Upholstery Fabric

Re-upholstering a sofa is a sure-fire way to reinvigorate a sitting room’s ambience.

Most older coaches still have perfectly good bases but their aesthetic may be undermined by worn or faded fabric. So save some money – while protecting the environment – by reupholstering a sofa rather than throwing it out.
Of course, the thought of selecting a fabric can seem intimidating. You may feel comfortable choosing a sofa when it’s sitting in front of you. But selecting a piece of cloth and then visualising that fabric on a sofa is something else entirely. How do you choose a fabric? How do you know it will look good? Will your newly reupholstered sofa fit in with the rest of your living room?
Everyone feels like this before selecting an upholstery fabric. The best way to address these concerns is to learn the fundamentals of fabric selection.

Sofa Upholstery: The Basics

Durability

Let’s get the boring stuff out of the way first. When selecting a fabric we immediately think about colour. However, durability is equally important. A sitting room sofa needs to be robust enough to stand up to the day-to-day demands of a family home.
In general, woven patterns are usually sturdier than printed patterns, therefore we recommend selecting woven patterns with the highest thread count and the tightest weave possible.
If pets and young children will be using the couch, we recommend choosing leather or microfiber fabric.

Style

A major consideration when selecting a fabric is choosing the right style to suit your personal taste. The fabric should also compliment the sofa it's covering. For example, if you have a traditional style sofa, choose a traditional style fabric, a modern sofa base should be covered with a modern fabric.
Some fabrics are casual and some are formal. So think about your sitting room. Is your living room casual or formal? Relaxed or elegant? Whether the atmosphere in your sitting room, choose a fabric that reflects this ambience.
When considering patterns be aware of how the size of your sitting room will impact your selection. Large attention-grabbing fabric patterns usually suit larger spaces, while a more muted, simple pattern will work better in a cosier space.

Fabric Color

Colour is probably the first thing considered when choosing a fabric. Fabric colour can make or break a re-upholstery project.
Therefore you should take your time and select a colour you know you will be happy with for years to come. With a view to the future, it's best to avoid bold shades for smaller rooms. Vivid colours can overpower the rest of the space. Neutral colours tend to be the better choice as they age better than the myriad of on-trend colour-of-the-moments that come and go every session.
Avoid delicate colours or pastel colours if you have pets or children. Unfortunately, stains can undermine even the most beautiful fabric.
One tip when considering colours is to gauge the mood temperature of your sitting room. Warm colours like red, yellow and orange give a space a distinctive cosy ambience. Cold colours like blues, greens & violets can give a room a light, airy atmosphere.

Conclusion

The above is an introduction to some of the considerations of selecting a re-upholstery fabric. If you still have questions or would like to see our range of Sofa Upholstery Wexford fabrics, please get in contact with our fabric store today.