You want to make sure you obtain the perfect sofa since it’s the most significant piece of furniture you’ll ever purchase for your living room. So, we’ve put together some professional advice on how to choose the best upholstery to help you decide which sofa fabric is ideal for you.

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When choosing upholstery, it’s important to prioritize stain resistance and durability without sacrificing design or delicate, subtle texture. For a designer, getting to know a client and their family is crucial. What purpose will their upholstery serve? Most textiles lose their lifespan when people sit, hop with their feet up, wear shoes on top of shoes, etc. Owner and founder of Kellie Burke Interiors, Kellie Burke, said, “We want our families to live and function in their spaces, not be afraid of destruction.”

1. WHAT IS THE AMOUNT YOU WANT TO BUY FOR YOUR SOFA FABRIC?

As this will dictate your fabric selection, figuring out how much you want to spend on a sofa is usually the best place to start.

There are many lovely, less expensive couches available (see our advice on purchasing a sofa that fits your budget for evidence), and they come in a variety of opulent materials like velvet.

However, keep in mind that if you have a larger budget and your sofa is being made to order, there are typically hundreds of fabrics and colors to choose from. You can also order swatches before you buy to make sure you’re happy with your selection. With a cheaper sofa, however, your color options may be limited to a small number.

Secondly, how much deterioration is expected for your sofa?

The type of fabric you choose for your couch will depend in part on how you want to utilize it. Will your couch be placed in a high-traffic area where you host guests and where there will undoubtedly be wine spills? Or will it live in a home office, quietly?

For example, luxurious, textured wool mixes work well in rarely used areas. Smooth cotton fabric is ideal if you have kids or dogs since it can be cleaned as necessary. Unlike demanding materials like velvet or chenilles, durable textiles like corduroys or microfibre mixes will function especially well in a living room.

Splash on luxury if you’re searching for a sofa that you’ll just use, such in your home office or library. Consider sofas made of velvet, leather, or high-thread-count cotton, but keep in mind that they will eventually require expert cleaning. The thread count is a crucial factor that determines how long your couch covers will endure. The greater the better. Dark hues should be used with caution. Any natural, dark cloth should be kept out of direct sunlight to prevent fading. As an alternative, go for a fabric that won’t fade or a lighter tint.

3. THE RUB COUNT OF MARTINDALE

The abrasion resistance of textiles is measured using the Martindale technique. This is accomplished by testing textile samples under a predetermined force in order to simulate the natural wear and tear of textiles.

The fabric samples are placed in a strength testing machine and stretched tautly at intervals of 5,000 cycles. The machine then rubs two discs made of worsted wool or wire mesh against the surface. The amount of oscillations the discs have before the cloth breaks down determines the final score.

The fabric’s value or “toughness” and its resistance to abrasion increase with a higher “Martindales” rating. For home couches, for instance, you would want a fabric with a measurement of 15,000–25,000. Twenty-five to thirty thousand hours a day will be used heavily; this is perfect for families.

4. WILL PETS ASK TO SIT ON IT? ARE YOU ALLERGIOUS?

While fluffy textures and natural mixes have a delightful tactile quality, they are likely to cause you discomfort if you have allergies. Smooth, synthetic mixes are a preferable option if you have sensitivity or allergy, since long natural fibers are ideal depositories for dust, grime, and pet hairs. Faux suede is one of the numerous creative mixtures available on the market.

Did you realize that some textiles may attract dog hair? We contacted Curated Nest’s lead designer, Lina Galvao, for her best advice on solving this issue.

Use denim, canvas, and outdoor fabrics like Sunbrella, which are simple to clean and don’t let fur attach to your sofa as much. For some textiles, lint rollers work well as well. Another piece of advice is to look for fabric with a tight weave; stay away from knits, boucle, and broad, textured weaves.

5. WHICH COLOR TO SELECT FOR SOFA FABRIC?

Does your sofa need to blend in or stick out? The color of a couch’s fabric may dramatically alter a space, and one of the most common ways to use a brightly colored sofa in a living room is to create a vivid accent. The drawback? It will be more challenging to change a color scheme.

If you’ve fallen in love with a pale-colored couch, be sure it has washable and detachable covers or, at the at least, that the upholstery has been pre-treated to repel stains. Light colors will reveal stains more rapidly.

A couch in taupe or grey is a decent compromise. Both are sufficiently black to conceal stains and blemishes, and they are simple to include into almost any color scheme. Choose one with a textured fabric to add interest, and switch it up with interchangeable, vibrant accessories like blankets and cushions.