How to choose a Right Fabric for your Sofa?

Once your sofa design has been finalized, the task of choosing a fabric for it comes next. This can be the most exciting as well as the most overwhelming of all. There are so many options when it comes to fabrics for your sofa that you can easily get lost and confused by the colours, patterns, and designs available. It can also take up a considerable amount of time to decide on one option that fits your furniture and the décor best. However, you won’t need to spend hours selecting the best design all thanks to the comprehensive guide we have put together.

Choosing a fabric is not only governed by the styling of the sofa or the overall décor but also depends a lot on your lifestyle too. Then, there are other obvious factors like cost, durability, ease of maintenance etc which should be considered while selecting.

Materials:

Sofa upholstery is available in a plethora of options. You can have them in leather, leatherette, suede, cotton, linen, jute, polyester, nylon, rayon etc. While some of the above are natural fabrics, others are manmade. Leather and velvet are considered the most luxurious and rightly so for their rich appearance. Other natural fabrics like cotton and linen can add a rich feel too. Jute is another great option that has gained popularity in recent years. Artificial options like nylon and polyester can also strike a nice balance between style, durability, and cost.

Styles:

This is one area where the number of options available is virtually endless. You can go for solid colours if you want more uniformity in your design or choose from a number of patterns to add vibrancy. Styles like stripes, plaids, paisleys and other geometric patterns can give a very eclectic feel to your modern sofa and décor. ‘Floral’ is also highly popular due to their bright combinations and lively feel.

Cost:

All natural fabrics like leather and cotton are generally expensive than manmade ones due to the higher cost of raw materials. Velvet can be even costlier but gives the most sophisticated and luxurious feel of all. Leather comes next followed by linen and jute. Artificial fabrics like polyester, rayon etc are a good alternative for the cost conscious buyers.

Durability:

Natural fabrics generally tend to fade over time and under direct sunlight. However, jute is an extremely durable and hard wearing natural fabric. Artificial fabrics have the lesser effect of sunlight and therefore more durable than natural ones.

Maintenance:

The luxurious the fabric, the greater the maintenance required. Velvet will require your utmost attention and care while linen might require dry cleaning after some years of usage. The leather is an exception and can withstand spills or stains easily. Polyester and other similar fabric will require lesser maintenance.

Usage:

This is the most important factor while selecting a particular fabric for your sofa. Assess your usage patterns and then decide on the kind of fabric. If you have pets and kids at home, then chose durability and ease of maintenance over style. However, if you need a very lavish look for your sofa, expect fewer guests and aren’t cost constrained, then choose an extravagant style.