How to Choose the Right Material for Your Living Room Sofa
Living room sofa comes in two types of materials – natural and synthetic. Knowing the difference between these two kinds of fabrics is essential in choosing your sofa.
Natural Fibers
These types of materials pride themselves with extra smoothness and a more untreated appeal. Linen, cotton, silk, wool and rayon belong to this group. They are comfy enough as cushioning; however, they require more time to be maintained. They can easily be spoiled by the changing climates such as getting exposed to the sun or develop mold when the weather is damp.
Synthetic Fibers
These materials are stronger; however, they are not that comfortable. Falling under this category are olefin, nylon and polyester, all of which resist stain. Vulnerable to being damaged by the sun are nylon and olefin. Choosing these types of materials would entail you to use coatings for your windows to prevent them from losing their color. Pilling is a common thing especially if they are used by people on the heavy side.
With the above reasons, fabric producers thought of combining the durability of one with the luxuriant appeal of the other resulting to the natural/synthetic blends or combinations. These are now what we call the microfibers.
The Microfibers
This is a combination of cotton and polyester or wool and acrylics. These combinations have gained fame and recognition for they do not pill easily and are very soft to the touch apart from not being too expensive. They are, likewise, available in various colors.
Pile Fabrics
Boucle, velvet and chenille fit into this type. They are capable of camouflaging dust and defy deterioration even when used frequently. Cotton velvet, nevertheless, shows deterioration and visible imprints. Good for everyday use are denim and twill which gives a relaxed feeling.
Choosing the material for your living room sofa is not enough. You also need to think of how it will endure outside factors. Sofa materials are commonly damaged if they get exposed to the direct heat of the sun as well as playful kids and pets. Hence, taking care of them is a must.
For your family sofa, choose the material that is woven firmly and is durable. Fabrics like ultra suede, cotton or denim with polyester of about 20%.
A fabric is generally considered extra strong is it has a high thread count. You can check this by holding more than enough samples at the ends and beat it hard. If it extends, then it is fine.
To resist stain, it would be better to have your cushions fiber-sealed. They must also be turned around to guarantee their wearing off and it will help to vacuum the upholstery as well. Fabrics made of velvet usually get dusty.
When you have finally decided the kind of material for your living room sofa, you now have to consider what will fit within your budget. You can do this by checking at magazines, catalogs and the manufacturers’ web sites. Once you have found what you want, call the producer or their showroom to know if it is available.
Take a few swatches at home before buying the fabric to really see how they will fit in your area. The materials for living room couches are commonly based on their sturdiness and not on the production cost.
Gabriel