There are many things a husband and wife do not agree on, and interior design is generally one of them. However, one thing that is generally agreeable is a sense of overall concept design and uniformity. So if a central design idea can be agreed on, then sticking to that when making decorating choices will keep everyone happy. So if there are old, outdated, but quality pieces of furniture that hold certain sentimental value, then re-upholstery is the key to happiness.
Think Outside the Chair
Re-upholstering a chair doesn’t just mean swapping the fabric out or removing a skirt – furniture reupholstery can include shortening sofas, changing chair arms from round to square or vice versa, and turning small tables into ottomans. So work with what you have to create what you really want. All you really need to have is the skeleton of something great.
Save Your Couch
Reupholstering your favourite chair or sofa is a great way to get exactly what you want from a design point of view, while holding onto the sentimental value of your favourite piece of furniture. Or if the sentimental value isn’t already there – revamping a piece of furniture that you kind-of liked but weren’t crazy about the style might make it into your favourite chair. Upholstery fabrics can range from loud designer prints to retro fabric found in your parent’s basement – whatever the fabric reupholstering your couch will give it a fresh new feeling you will enjoy for months and years to come.
Garage Sales
If you don’t already have a couch or sofa that you are wanting to reupholster then try checking out garage sales and antique shops to find a good quality second-hand sofa. Generally speaking, the workmanship on quality older furnishings is far better than what you might pick up from Ikea. Getting a second-hand couch and reupholstering it will cost you about the same, or probably less, than buying a new couch but the quality you will end up with will far exceed what you would have bought for new. Plus when you reupholster you can pick exactly the fabric that you want and that will go with your interior design.
Finding Fabrics
Fabrics don’t have to be bought in rolls but can be taken from almost anywhere. A blanket can be used to reupholster a chair, or curtain material, tablecloths or even rugs. If there is material that you love you can most likely use it to reupholster your furniture.
Chair Image Source: https://www.bhg.com/decorating/do-it-yourself/fabric-paper-projects/diy-chair-upholstery-guide/
Picking Patterns
The best thing about re-upholstering your own furniture is that you are only limited by your own imagination and what you can find in terms of creating your design. If you love stripes, then why not put some colourful striped fabric on an old vintage armchair. The contradiction in styles will make the chair pop and become a real focal point of the room.
Alternatively, if you have a really comfortable couch that has an outdated and almost sickening floral pattern that your grandmother chose – reupholstering it to a darker colour or even to leather will recreate that sofa and also the design of the entire room. Be sure that the fabric is right for the piece and for the overall design of the room – sometimes just draping the fabric over the piece of furniture and leaving it there for a few weeks can let you know how you feel about it long term. Give it a trial and see how you feel about it down the track.
So if you have a piece of furniture that looks like it may not survive the next big cull you have on your home’s belongings, then think about reupholstering it – it may just become your next favourite thing.
Have you reupholstered any of your furniture?
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