One of the best things about custom-made furniture is making it your own, customizing it to be exactly as you want it, from the type and color of the wood, to the finishes, paints and stains, all the way to the perfect upholstery that suits your tastes and needs. But what are the factors you need to consider when choosing upholstery? This handy guide will take you through the most important questions to ask.
1 – Can it handle your activity levels?
Fabric for furniture upholstery is generally created to be hard-working and tough – or at least, tougher than fabric used for clothing. It has to support the weight of people ranging from little kids to fully grown adults, and it needs to look good for as long as possible.
That said, there are degrees of hardiness for fabrics, and you need to consider your family’s activity levels before choosing. If you use your dining table and chairs every day for all your meals, doing homework, crafting, and a host of other activities, you need to choose from the tougher fabrics, to prevent premature wear and tear. If, however, you use the dining room once a week for Sunday dinner, then you’re probably ok choosing from the more delicate fabrics.
Top Tip: We always recommend choosing more hard-wearing fabrics – remember, your Amish table and chairs are designed to last for generations, so choose wisely! Order samples of your favorites from us to get a feel for their durability.
2 – Is it easy to clean?
Cleaning your upholstery properly depends heavily on the type of fabric that’s used. Leather needs different care to suede, velvet finishes need different care to cotton fabrics. Do your research on just what type and frequency of cleaning your chosen upholstery will need before choosing.
Upholstery will usually need to be cleaned anywhere between every three months and once a year, depending again on how hard-working the chairs are. If you have young children who tend to spill food often, it’s worth considering upholstery that can be easily wiped down, like leather or faux leather. If your dining room will primarily be used by adults, or if the children don’t spill that often any more, then you can comfortably expand your options to include fancier, designer fabrics.
Top tip: Read our blog on how to clean your upholstery to get a good idea of what each kind of cover entails.
3 – Should you choose a solid color or pattern?
The look of the upholstery is a matter of choice and personal style, but there are still a few things to consider. For a high-traffic dining room, where seats might start to look dirty quickly, it helps to choose darker upholstery colors, or to choose patterns that are more forgiving of spills and messes. You will still need to deep-clean these from time to time, though.
When choosing solid colors or patterns, consider the rest of your dining room’s design. If you are outfitting the room from scratch, see if you can find curtain fabric in the same color or pattern, or try to match or complement existing curtains, rugs, carpets and other fabrics.
