Upholstery Fabric 101 - Choosing the Right Fabric for Your Project
If you have recently decided to embark on an upholstery fabric project to upgrade furniture appeal, then congratulations! Taking on a DIY such as this is a great way to promote authenticity, creativity, and customization to give your home a more personalized atmosphere. Not to mention it tends to cost much less to leverage quality upholstery fabric than replacing your entire sofa, chair, or other furniture.
Now, if this is your first-time purchasing fabric like this, the primary thing that may be on your mind is the ideal color to pick. Yes, the design you choose, whether it be turquoise upholstery fabric, orange upholstery fabric, green upholstery fabric, floral upholstery fabric, or any other patterned linen fabric in between, is vital to nail down. However, that is not the only thing you need to be mindful of during the selection process.
Choosing the Right Fabric - Things to Consider
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The Type of Fabric
The type of fabric you choose should be a priority during your decision-making process. After all, if your vision is to have a soft cotton upholstery, you will not want to select polypropylene woven fabric. For some more insight, here are common types that are on the market today:
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Natural fabrics like cotton, silk, leather, and linen.
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Synthetic fabrics like polyester, nylon, and olefin/polypropylene.
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And others that are mixed between natural and synthetic like Waverly fabric and upholstery chenille fabric.
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Style and Color
Again, style and color might have been first on your checklist, but make sure you narrow down your scope from various perspectives. Just because a color looks nice on the fabric itself does not mean it will match well or be practical in your home. For example, if you have pets, going with a delegate and/or highly textured upholstery fabric might not be ideal. In addition, choosing a casual style for a formal room will not add complimentary value. The best thing to do here is to pick your favorite style and color that aligns with the current vibe, is practical for your living needs (i.e., offers fade resistance and does not surface allergies), and will blend nicely without overpowering or underpowering the room aesthetics.
Tip: Though large fabric patterns tend to work well in larger rooms, neutral colors are generally the safest choices to go with.
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Durability and Use
This one may sound like a no brainer, but the durability of your fabric and how your furniture will be used is worth noting on its own. As mentioned above, if you have pets or small children, then choosing a fabric like silk may not be favorable. Another consideration is if your furniture will be indoors or outdoors, as outdoor use will likely require you to invest in a fabric that will be fade and mildew resistant to promote longevity. To determine your durability standards, monitor your day to day living, such as how often the sofa/chair will be used, who will be using it, and where it will be located.
Tip: woven patterns hold longer value than printed ones.You can always email us to check durability of a certain fabric)
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Consider the Furniture Piece Itself
Lastly, the shape of the future you are looking to upgrade does play a significant role in how well the result will be. This is because some angles and curvatures may not illuminate an attractive outcome, despite how beautiful the fabric is on its own. For instance, a very ornate shaped sofa may not look great after a fabric with a distinct directional design is integrated into it. All in all, some patterns and textured fabrics may fit nicely on traditional pieces, but recognize that this is not a "one size fits all" type of scenario. Take your furniture itself into account when picking out your fabric, and that includes the size. Larger pieces tend to look better with solid colors, and smaller ones are great for statement-making, bolder patterns. Just make sure that your final choice of colors, patterns, and textures work well together and with the whole décor scene.
Conclusion - Diligence Now Equals Favorable Results Later
There is no denying that upholstery is a process that has withstood the tests of time. Since first immerging in the 18th century to today, wholesale upholstery fabric has become a $961.5 billion industry. In fact, it is predicted to grow 4.3% by the year 2027. Nonetheless, this all illuminates that there are tons of designs, styles, colors, and textures you can choose from.
With that all being said, it is essential that you do your due diligence to narrow down your scope. Don’t just pick the first one you see because you like the color, and dive a bit deeper into the details under the surface to make a well-educated decision. Because by doing this, regardless if you choose a Designer Print fabric, Indoor outdoor fabric, or upholstery chenille fabric, you can have the solidifying confidence that your final project result will be something to be proud of.
Good luck, and make sure to take before and after pictures!
Would you like to order a sample? If so, you can do so here.
Resources
https://bestfabricstore.com/blog/how-to-choose-upholstery-fabric/
https://blog.comfort-works.com/upholstery-fabric-guide/
https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/textile-market
https://revolutionfabrics.com/blogs/gotcha-covered/upholstery-fabric-types
https://www.designsponge.com/2017/04/designers-explain-how-to-choose-the-right-upholstery.html
https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/how-to-choose-upholstery-fabric
https://www.britannica.com/technology/upholstery
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