Upholstery

Upholstery

Cushions on your sofa should be 60/40 feather/down. Only have your cushions filled to 60%, otherwise, they are too hard. To recover is to change the fabric on a piece of furniture. To re-upholster is to effectively rebuild the whole piece.

Make sure you understand the difference before going ahead with an upholsterer. Alleviate the puddingness of upholstery by adding things to the room that aren't upholstered creating balance. Make sure you buy the best sofa you can. Avoid the big box stores, and buy something that lasts. If you are going to buy from a big box store, get the sofa with a tight upholstered seat & back, and then add your own cushions over time. Cushions are a good place to be bold and to slightly throw off your design.

Tips for Upholstery

1. Don't be afraid to mix patterns and fabrics. When it comes to fabric, work gradually, mixing patterns, weights, and materials is most effective in the long run. Nathalie Farman-Farma's Decors Babares collection is a great option.

1. Horsehair and mohair are particularly durable natural fabrics. While white lambswool chairs are fashionable at the moment, unbleached brown is a better choice.

1. It's not hard to find a good plain fabric that won't blow your budget. Designer's Guild's Cotton/Linen "Manzoni" comes in 76 colours and is reliably brilliant.

Discover More

For your sofa, I recommend:

• Howard Chairs
• Lillie Rd
• George Sherlock
• Howe
• Christies Interior Sale