A question we’re often asked is “What is the best fabric for sofa upholstery?” and it’s a great question. As we know, most homes have a sofa. But with so many different choices of fabric to choose from, how do you know which fabric is right for your sofa? In this post, we’re sharing our top tips to choose the best fabric for sofa upholstery.
Before we begin, let’s take a look at what exactly upholstery is.
What is upholstery?
Upholstery refers to the fabrics used to make up the soft coverings of sofas, chairs and other pieces of furniture. These fabrics hold 3 main characteristics which we will be discussing below.
How to choose the best upholstery fabric for your sofa
When choosing a fabric for sofa upholstery, there are 3 main things to keep in mind:
- Practicality
- Aesthetic
- Budget
1. Practicality
The sofa will be used and sat on, therefore should be practical for your requirements. Some fabrics may be visually appealing, but not right for your needs.
For example, if the sofa will be placed in a living area where people will be sitting on it every day, it will need to be more comfortable. Whereas a bedroom sofa that is more to fit the aesthetic and may not be sat on regularly does not have to be as comfortable.
Similarly, if it’s a family sofa you need that children or pets will be using, you will need a sofa made from tough, durable materials that are easy to clean. So if you’re wondering what sofa fabric is best for dogs, leather is a great choice. However, it shouldn’t be smooth leather, as this will easily get scuffed. It should be leather with a distressed look.
Questions you should ask yourself when considering the practicality of your sofa upholstery fabric include:
- Where will the sofa go?
- Who will be sitting on the sofa?
- Is the fabric comfortable for its recipients?
- Will children or pets be around the sofa?
- How easy is the fabric to clean?
- How durable is the fabric?
2. Aesthetic
Along with comfort and practicality, it’s important for your sofa to match the look of your home. Our customers regularly ask us which sofa is best leather or fabric, and the answer is it completely depends on what you require.
A leather sofa is ideal for homes with a classic interior, whereas a fabric option like velvet sofa upholstery fabric will complement rooms with a modern, luxury aesthetic.
To find a sofa fabric that will match the look of your home, you should consider:
- What type of aesthetic does the sofa destination have?
- What type of vision do you have for the room?
- Do you want your sofa to look luxurious, modern, classic or traditional?
3. Budget
Some sofa upholstery fabrics are more expensive than others. For instance, faux leather and Sandringham velvet cost an additional £100, whereas tweed comes in at £75 and Chatsworth boucle at £150.
Balmoral is the perfect choice for those on a budget, as it is completely free of charge. Balmoral is available in over 20 colours including coffee, fuchsia and slate. The Kensington collection is another affordable choice, at £50 and available in 10+ colours and patterns.
With over 130 fabrics to choose from here at Sofabed.co.uk, we have a fabric fit for all budgets. For more information on the price of sofa upholstery fabrics, give us a call at 0160 659 4404 to speak to a member of our expert team.
We’ve now covered the 3 main areas to consider when choosing a sofa upholstery fabric. Below are some extras to look out for.
Other things to take into account are:
- The sofa model itself
- Sofa colour
- Sofa pattern
Which sofa upholstery fabric is right for you?
You should now have an insight into how to choose the best fabric for sofa upholstery.
At Sofabed.co.uk, all our sofa beds are handmade from scratch, so you can choose the fabric and colour that suits you. With over 130 to choose from, there really is a fabric for all requirements. Check out our fabrics page to see all available options and click here to order up to 6 fabric swatches free of charge, so you can see how the material will look in the comfort of your home.
Each sofa bed model is handcrafted at one of our 2 UK factories and we deliver your sofa bed fully assembled to your house for FREE. So there’s no need to worry about assembling the model or paying high delivery costs.
If you have any questions about sofa beds, please don’t hesitate to ask our expert team. Our team has all the knowledge and know-how of our products and is always happy to help, however we can.
In the meantime, please check out our 5-star TrustPilot reviews and give us a call if you have any questions.