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Upholstered furniture adds style, personality, and versatility to a space. It can improve practically any room, and almost any piece of furniture can be upholstered, including sofas, couches, and chairs.
Choosing the right fabric is the first step, but there is more to consider when investing in upholstered furniture. If you’re unsure, understanding the pros and cons of upholstered furniture can help you make the best decision. Let’s take a look!
Upholstery enhances the look of your furniture, whether you’re updating an old piece or customizing a new one. Moreover, with countless fabric options, ranging from sleek leather to plush velvet, you can create a fresh, elegant, or even bold look, depending on your preference.
Upholstery also fixes imperfections, updating worn-out surfaces and giving your furniture a brand-new appearance. No matter your design vision, upholstery gives you the flexibility to achieve a more stylish and cohesive look in your space.
BEFORE and AFTER
One of the biggest benefits of upholstery is the added comfort, as it allows for cushioning and other elements to be customized. Here’s a short list of specific ways upholstery makes your furniture more comfortable:
Upholstery allows you to tailor your furniture to your comfort needs.
Trends in interior design are always changing, and upholstery makes it easy to keep your home’s furniture looking fresh and up-to-date. What better way to show off your space than with new, trendy upholstery? It’s a fun way to show off to your friends and family.
Updated upholstery can also enhance your office or meeting space with a more professional and inviting atmosphere if you’re in the corporate world.
Upholstery allows you to customize your furniture exactly how you want. The sky’s the limit, from small refinements to full-blown custom projects.
Upholstery options include:
You can update existing furniture with reupholstery when it shows wear or no longer fits your style. Very importantly, reupholstery allows you to refresh your furniture without replacing it.
This is especially useful for high-quality or sentimental pieces. Instead of buying new furniture, you can restore and improve what you already own.
Last but not least, upholstered furniture is often super easy to clean. It’s also durable, but like any furniture, it requires regular maintenance to keep it in good condition.
For everyday cleaning, a damp cloth is usually enough to remove dust and minor spills. For a deeper clean, upholstery shampooers can help keep your furniture looking fresh and spotless.
Upholstered furniture isn’t always suited for environments with kids or pets. Spills, stains, pet hair, and everyday messes are inevitable, and some fabrics are more prone to absorbing liquids or trapping dirt. Sharp claws can also snag or tear delicate materials, leading to premature wear.
Moreover, if you have furniture outdoors, you want to be careful about the fabrics you select. Prolonged exposure to sunlight and moisture can cause the fabric to fade. Selecting the right outdoor fabric type will help combat this.
Even if your upholstery doesn’t get damaged, it will still wear out eventually. How long this takes depends on how much you use it.
Choosing durable, stain-resistant fabrics can help extend the life of your furniture, but regular maintenance is still necessary to keep it looking its best.
Upholstered furniture can be flammable when not treated with flame retardants. In fact, certain untreated fabrics and padding materials can catch fire easily if exposed to open flames!
That’s why choosing trustworthy professionals who use high-quality, fire-safe upholstery materials is essential. If fire safety is a concern, be sure to ask about flame-retardant options to help reduce risk!
While upholstered furniture offers many benefits, it’s important to understand that quality, durability, and maintenance depend heavily on the materials and craftsmanship used.
Here are some things to keep in mind:
• Not all fabrics are created equal
• Reupholstery isn’t always cost-effective (Low-end furniture may not be worth the investment.)
• Padding and internal components matter (Cheap materials can lead to premature wear.)
• Who you choose matters (A poor upholstery job can lead to discomfort, sagging cushions, or fabric that wears out quickly. For the best result, look for upholsterers who use quality materials and proven techniques.)
As you can see, upholstered furniture is not without its issues. However, for many people, the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks.
If you’re ready to get your furniture upholstered, you can browse our fabric selection in the Redesign Upholstery Store.
