Selecting the Perfect Fabric for your Chair or Sofa for a Phenomenal Look
At Tomlinson/Erwin-Lambeth, we craft the perfect canvas on which to create your dream design. Our frames are 100% hardwood, hand-crafted and designed by some of the most renowned furniture designers. But that's just the start. You make the design all yours by selecting the perfect fabric or leather, trims and detailing to create a masterpiece that fits your vision.
With the large number of fabrics and the multitude of frame options, you have thousands of combinations. Add to that our As You Like it program where you can customize the length and depth of your sofa, and your choices are almost limitless!
Here are a few tips to guide you as you match the perfect fabric with the perfect frame.
Leather is durable, natural and can instantly add a feeling of warmth and comfort to your home. Because leather is a natural material, it inherently contains slight color variations and markings that should not be considered imperfections. Thick, coarse leather will not give you the highly tailored look you seek. Look for a finer, supple hide. Leather is easy to maintain and can actually become more beautiful as it ages.
Some leathers today are called pull-up leathers. Wax pull-up and oil pull- up leathers change colors when you pull or stretch them adding to the beauty and individuality of the piece. Once the leather is stretched it tends to slightly change the color.
The two primary considerations for fabric are the type of fabric and the pattern. Consider first how the chair or sofa will be used and the wear it will receive. A sofa in a house filled with teenagers will need a more durable covering than a small, delicate chair in a parlor.
The type of fabric you select will be based on your personal preference and its ability to enhance the room design. There are some considerations, however, when selecting the fabric:
Chenille - Chenille offers a beautiful, transitional option. In most cases, it is important that it be backed as it tends to relax over time causing it to not be as taut as when originally upholstered.
Silk - Silk is beautiful and a surprisingly durable fabric that normally needs to be backed. Silk has very little stretch and should be avoided on curved frames. Avoid horizontal patterns that can become distorted in the backing process. Wrinkles on the edges of cushions are to be expected. If your chair or sofa will be exposed to direct sunlight or water, silk is not the optimal choice.
Paisley - It is important when choosing paisley to indicate which direction you want the design.
Linen - Linen is a great look and popular with today's focus on natural materials. It is prone to wrinkles and does not work well on curved pieces. It also does not allow for a lot of stretch.
Mohair - Mohair is a wonderful, luxurious look with a great "hand". It is especially appropriate in cooler climates as it offers optimum warmth and comfort. Be aware that the welting on mohair can be bulky. Consider using another fabric for the welting.
Velvet - Velvet is a durable fabric that is easy to use. Silk velvet, however, presents challenges because of its delicacy and tendency to show marks where handled. The wrinkles that normally occur in upholstering cannot be removed because steaming is not an option.
Scale of Pattern - Even though a fabric is beautiful doesn't mean it is the correct fabric for a particular frame. A small, delicately-scaled chair will not look its best in a large, bold pattern. Conversely, a large sofa in the wrong fabric pattern can look "busy" and not blend well in a room. The pattern you select should flow easily and not "fight" the frame.
Pattern Design - How the pattern is on the fabric is important. If the fabric's dominant pattern is on the right and left and not centered, it could be difficult to upholster without extra seems that detract from the piece.
Pattern Repeat - The "repeat" of the pattern is also important to consider. Lay the fabric you are considering out to see the full repeat and envision how that will look on the frame.
Curved Frames - Special attention needs to be paid when selecting a fabric for frames with curved lines. Plaids and horizontal stripes are not the best choices because they will not match up and often "twist" near the curves. A better selection is a solid or a small, busy pattern that will hide the upward "twist" of the fabric as it stretches around the curve.
Quilting - Where seaming is required, it is always best to send fabric not quilted, so that it can be seamed before the quilting process. This will make necessary seams less noticeable.
Skirts - Skirting should be quilted with minimal padding to facilitate tailoring.
Ribbed Fabrics - Heavy ribbed fabrics normally have no stretch and tend not to "spring back" making it difficult to achieve fine tailoring.
Your design is only limited by your imagination. Let us help you in the selection of important finishing touches such as nail head trim, fringe, tassels, etc.
Whether you select one of our fabrics or do a COM order, we stand ready to help you create a design that reflects your lifestyle and your vision.
When selecting a fabric and utilizing COM, the most important thing to remember is communication. Clear instructions will help you get the end product you envision. The Tomlinson/Erwin-Lambeth, Directional & Carter team is available to answer any questions about how a particular covering will work on a particular frame.
