To help your favorite upholstered pieces last longer, it’s important to care for them properly. Removable cushions, for example, should be routinely flipped, rotated, and fluffed to extend their longevity and ensure more even wear.
By 2019 those living in the United States will spend some $121.7 billion on new furniture pieces. Typically, our old furniture will be relegated to a landfill. That’s a total of about 8 million tons of trash. Re-upholstery is a green option that benefits everyone.
How long has your school district had those chairs in the different libraries throughout the system? Instead of tossing everything and starting anew, inspect the inventory. Those pieces still in good shape, but with ratty upholstery, can be cleaned up and reupholstered at costs far below replacement.
To care for silk upholstery fabrics, keep these tips in mind: store silk furniture pieces out of direct sunlight, spot clean stains with an approved silk fabric cleaner and vacuum pieces once a week to reduce the accumulation of dirt in the fibers.
If you have a room that tends to have a more feminine feel, you can make a large-scale print or ruffled curtains look less fussy by adding a plaid upholstered sofa, chair, or ottoman. Plaids, and to a lesser degree, stripes, add a structured, gender-neutral note to your rooms.
If you are planning to re-upholster furniture that lives in high-use areas, like family rooms or kitchens, it’s best to choose durable and stain-resistant materials that are easy to maintain. Elegant textiles and light colors are best left for the more formal rooms.
