How
to Pick an Upholstery Fabric
For some people this can be the best part of designing your own custom sofa or bedframe, for other people its definitely a chore but however you feel about choosing an upholstery fabric its going to make or break the look of the piece of furniture. There
are so many fabrics to choose from these days and when you're trying
to pick a fabric for a piece of furniture that is going to last for
years to come the task can seem daunting. In this day and age there
are a variety of textiles formulations from natural fabric like
cotton to man-made fabric such as rayon that the choice can seem
endless. We hope this blog will help you choose the best fabric for
your home.
Things to Keep in Mind: Durability and Aesthetics Remember
Keep
in mind where the furniture is going. Will it be in a media room, a
sitting room or a sun room? Do you have children, pets, or red wine
drinking pals? Upholstered furniture that is going to be subjected to
heavy daily use needs to be covered in tough, durable and tightly
woven fabrics. Polyester is great for this and there are a lot of
soft, breathable versions of this material to choose from.
Its
also important to keep in my where this piece of furniture is going
and whether is compliments the style of the furniture. Silk brocades
on mid-century couches? Probably not. But a highly texture tweed or
velvet would look great. Also, if your picking a pattern its
important to keep in mind the room dimensions so that the printed
fabric doesn't overwhelm the space or is too dark or too light for
the amount of lighting in the room. Don't choose a fabric just for
its color, make sure the undertones of the fabric go as well. Is it a
cool or warm tone and does that go with the colors you already have?
How To Choose the Right Fabric Type
When
shopping for fabrics, you’ll find a vast array of different
patterns, textures and fiber contents to select from. But your choice
will come down to two basic fabric types: natural fabrics and
man-made fabrics. Let's look at the options:
Natural Fabrics
COTTON
durable,
but absorbs stains
This
natural fiber provides good resistance to wear, fading and pilling,
but is less resistant to soiling and wrinkling.
COTTON
BLEND
sturdy,
family-friendly
For
everyday use, it’s a good idea to apply a stain-resistant finish.
LEATHER
very
forgiving, easy to clean and should last a lifetime
This
tough material comes in many colors and finishes and develops more
character and softness with age.
LINEN
Absorbs
moisture
This
fabric is best suited for formal living rooms or adult areas because
it soils and wrinkles easily. While it won't withstand heavy wear,
linen does resist pilling and fading.
SILK
delicate,
soft
This
fabric is only suitable for formal areas. Must be professionally
cleaned if soiled.
WOOL
water
repellent, durable
Wool
and wool blends offer good resistance to pilling, fading, wrinkling,
and soil. Generally, wool is blended with a synthetic fiber to make
it easier to clean. Blends can be spot-cleaned when necessary. Wool
is warm in the summer and cool in the winter.
Man-Made Fabrics
ACETATE
AND TRIACETATE
imitation
silk, tends to wear
Acetate
resists mildew, pilling and shrinking. On the other hand, it offers
only fair resistance to soil and wrinkle and fade in the sun. Not a
good choice for furniture you will use everyday.
ACRYLIC
resists
wear, lightweight
Developed
as imitation wool, acrylic resists wrinkling, soiling and fading.
Low-quality acrylic may tend to pill excessively in high-wear
situations. Better-quality acrylics are manufactured to resist
pilling. (Sunbrella is a good example of acrylic durability.)
MICROFIBER
durable,
easy to clean
Microfiber
fabric is lightweight, highly absorbent and does not stain or wrinkle
easily. Microfiber fabrics that are electrostatically charged can
pick up small particles, such as dust, without the use of cleaning
solvents, and leave no lint behind.
NYLON
soil
resistant, durable
Rarely
used alone, nylon is usually blended with other fibers to make it one
of the strongest upholstery fabrics. Nylon is very resilient; in a
blend, it helps eliminate the crushing of napped fabrics such as
velvet.
RAYON
durable,
wrinkles easily
Developed
as an imitation silk, linen or cotton. Rayon is the oldest
manufactured fiber. Rayon is made from wood pulp, which is passed
through spinnerettes to form filaments. Recent advances have made
high-quality rayon very practical for upholstery.
VINYL
easy
to care for, much less expensive than leather
Vinyl
is a practical choice for busy family rooms and children’s
furniture but does not age well and isn't for everyone.
What Is a Fabric Grade?
You
may have to decide on a fabric grade. Fabric grades typically range
from “1” on the less expensive end, to “20” on the pricey
side. Depending on the manufacturer, the grade of the fabric can
vary. Intricacy of the weave, fiber content, construction and
performance are all variables. But it’s important to note that
grade is NOT an indication of quality or durability. It’s just an
indicator of how expensive the fabric was to make. The trick is to
read the details on the fabric card attached to the swatch and to
make your decision accordingly.
Do I need help?
No.
Anyone can pick a fabric out on their own without hiring an expensive
interior designer. However picking out fabric may not be for everyone
and not everyone can see color the same or envision a custom piece of
furniture in the right fabric. If this is you then hiring an interior
designer can save you from making costly mistakes that you will
regret down the road. Of course if hiring a designer isn't in your
budget or seems intimidating we at The SofaWorks will be happy to
help you select a fabric based on your style and preferences and many
fabric companies also have attentive staff that can help you select
COM fabric.
Thanks,
Amanda
Bolender @ The SofaWorks
214.760.1181
