Choosing Your Upholstery (incl. Linen) Fabric
Your choice of upholstery makes a big impact on the look and feel of a room. From chairs to cushions, you can revamp an entire room simply by adding new upholstery, whether you love bold color and patterns, or prefer a more minimalist style.
If you are thinking of a new upholstery project the wide choice of upholstery fabrics – including upholstery linen fabric, synthetic materials, cotton, leather and even such delicate fabrics as silk and organza – can feel overwhelming. Choosing the right style, material and durability of upholstery fabrics needs proper planning and knowledge to ensure you get the perfect match for your needs.
Whether you're an interior designer or a home maker, we've got a simple guide to choosing your upholstery fabric:
Work with what you've got
- Try to keep your upholstery coordinated with the broad look and style of the room.
- Think about the size of the room. For example, large repeating patterns work well in a larger space, while finer, more detailed patters look great in smaller rooms.
- Consider how the room is used – light upholstery linen fabric will suit a bedroom, while you might want darker colored cottons for a children's room.
Durability
- The traffic of the room is is crucial when planning upholstery fabrics. Fabrics for a room with a heavy traffic are going to be frequently washed, so you need to choose machine-washable , durable materials.
- When purchasing upholstery for children's rooms, choose dark colored fabrics instead of lighter shades as maintenance will be easier and marks will show up less.
Fabric-specific characteristics
- Note the thread count of different fabrics as this will give an indication of its strength and quality.
- If your room is sunny, consider the fade resistance of the fabric to ensure sunlight doesn't alter the color too much.
- When making your own upholstery projects you might want to find a fabric that is easy to tailor. Some fabrics catch in the sewing machine or ruche as you work them, making it a more complicated task than you might want to take on.
- If you are concerned about using sustainable fabrics then look for low-carbon, natural fabrics like upholstery linen fabric, cotton or silk fabrics. These are also more skin-friendly and healthy for your family. Natural fabrics are recyclable which also helps to preserve our planet for the wellbeing of future generations. Linen, traditionally more widely used for clothing and home textiles, is an increasingly popular choice for home and furniture décor.
When choosing upholstery fabrics it is important to select the best possible material for your home and your style, as well as your environmental concerns. We recommend natural fabrics – such as upholstery linen fabrics – as the best all-round way to bring a fresh new look to your home.