In this post, we’ll outline the basics of what makes up upholstered furniture, go through a brief history of the design, highlight a few benefits, and guide you through choosing the upholstery fabric that best suits your lifestyle. Here we are:
Upholstered furniture: The basics
First things first: what falls into the “upholstery” category? At its most basic, upholstery refers to the materials, including padding, webbing, coil springs, polyurethane foam, and fabric, that make up the soft coverings of furniture.
These soft covers often provide seating cushioning (in the case of seat cushions on a chair or sofa) for added comfort, saving us from having to stretch out and rest on an exposed wooden sofa at the end of a long day.
Upholstery: A Quick History
The word “upholstery” dates back to the Middle Ages and is derived from the Middle English word “upholder, ” referring to a tradesman or craftsman who held up his wares. In the very beginning, upholsterers attached animal skins to the wooden structure with nails. The practice eventually evolved to include padding, loose cushions, and pillows that were stuffed with materials such as animal hair.
While upholsterers in the middle Ages focused on mattresses and wall hangings, the 17th century introduced beds and eventually sofas and chairs that were draped in ornate fabrics like velvet and silk. In the 18th century, springs were introduced into the upholstery, which made the upholstered piece more resilient and durable. In the 19th century, the Industrial Revolution sparked the development of machine-woven fabrics, chemical dyes, and printed cotton. But despite all these innovations, the 20th century saw the emergence of modern upholstery techniques with the development of synthetic fibers, dirt and liquid retarders, plywood, and more.
Advantages upholstered furniture
Upholstered furniture has steadily grown in popularity over the past few centuries for several reasons. For softness, the upholstery adds a wonderful visual delicacy to any room. Whether it’s your bed or sofa, the upholstered fabric adds a warm and cozy atmosphere and practically makes you want to snuggle up.
The convenience factor is important. An upholstered sofa or armchair is probably preferable to a wooden sofa, especially if you plan to spend more than 5 minutes on it. But many people have a bigger question about the bed wood vs. upholstery. Check out our full guide here. In short, if you like to watch TV, read or sit and chat in bed before going to bed or when you first wake up, an upholstered headboard is a must because it provides an extra cushion so you don’t need it. make a makeshift headboard out of your extra pillows.
The best upholstery fabrics for children and pets
Suppose you have children or pets who will regularly interact with the piece of furniture you are considering. In that case, you must consider the resistance and durability of the fabric. Our top choice for any upholstery that goes through children or pets is functional linen. Made from hospitality-grade fabric, it’s designed to be stain-resistant (typically spot-cleaned with soap and water) and withstand high-traffic use. The crispiness of the laundry also holds its shape without feeling too stiff or harsh. On the other hand, we recommend avoiding materials that wrinkle or scratch easily (such as rayon) or pet hair magnets (such as microfiber or suede).