Hello and happy Monday! How was everyone’s weekend? I had a fabulous time celebrating my birthday (thank you so much for the well wishes), and my mindset is fully focused on the holidays ahead now. Ha! Today I wanted to talk about the fun topic of custom upholstery. Having just ordered my custom daybed for my office, I referred Jordan to the local company I used. Obviously you know she moved into her home a couple months ago and is working to furnish it. Given the crazy lead times at big box stores for semi custom pieces, she decided to use the same company I hired for my daybed. She’ll be ordering a sofa for her living room and I’ve been sharing all of my upholstery knowledge with her. If you’re making a big upholstery purchase or are considering a custom sofa, sectional or chair, this post should be helpful! Click through for 10 things to consider when ordering custom upholstery. There’s more to know than you might expect! I hope this proves to be your handy guide.
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Honestly, the most difficult thing about ordering custom upholstery is finding a quality source. You can work with a designer who can help with the entire process, you can find a local company to bring your vision to life, or you can take the semi-custom route with a larger retailer. After ordering my daybed from One Kings Lane and having so many issues, I was thrilled to find a good local source I can use for future projects! I’d much rather support a business in my community anyway, and it’s easier to work together in person. If you’re able to find a local furniture maker or person who reupholsters, by all means- take that route! I promise the end result will be better and the process will be easier.
Nailing down the dimensions requires a bit of planning, but will result in a sofa or piece of furniture that fits the needs of your family. Emmett and I are average height so we don’t require extra deep seats. Take into consideration how you will use your furniture and who will be using it. My advice to Jordan was to sit on a bunch of sofas and see what feels best. She has been bopping around to different retailers testing sofas, even though she is taking the custom route. That’s really the best way to determine what you like since you’re building your furniture from scratch. Jordan and her husband are tall, so they’ll probably end up with a seat height that is a bit higher than what Emmett & I would select. Be sure to record the following measurements that feel best for you…
This also doesn’t have to reflect your size or height… it could just be your personal preference. Do you like to curl up on your sofa- feet tucked onto the seat? Do you enjoy when your feet can easily touch the floor? Consider these things when nailing down your dimensions. The scale of your room will also play a big factor in the size of your furniture!
The next critical decision is the way the sofa or chair sits. I like a soft seat that you can sink into, but I also don’t love the maintenance that comes with a primarily down sofa- like the beloved Cloud by Restoration Hardware. It has down feathers seat cushions with 50 / 50 down-poly blend back cushions. While super soft and sinkable, that ratio can look sloppy if you’re not into the idea of fluffing your pillows before and after each use. It’s just a little too casual for my aesthetic, but I do love the way down cushions sit, so my preferred cushion is usually 90% feather / 10% down, and I typically prefer a wrapped foam core… just so the cushions hold their shape better and require less maintenance. I usually ask for a high-resiliency core wrapped in a jacket of my preferred feather & down ratio. It gives me that cloud-like, sink into the seat feel without constant fluffing. I also like a channeled back cushion core that helps down from settling over time… the back cushions just retain their shape better. Every sofa has a tag under the seat cushion that will read what the sofa is constructed of- it even shares the down & feather content, poly blend, type of foam, type of frame, etc. See what feels best to you and remember what that particular sofa or seat was comprised of. You can also begin to tell the different between different seats once you know what it’s made of!
Selecting fabric is the fun part of the process- or at least my favorite part. Another advantage to working with a local company is browsing their fabric books in person. The fabrics at the top of my list are usually natural materials, like cotton, linen, wool- or a performance fabric like Crypton. For my daybed I just had made, I opted for Crypton because I know our dogs will be hanging out with me in my office and if I’m being honest- the daybed will probably turn into their glorified dog bed. Hah! The truth hurts. Anyway, I wanted something that was stain resistant and that would withstand the pups, so I opted for a performance fabric.
When designing custom furniture, that means you get to choose EVERY little detail- including the leg or foot style. You can choose the overall style and then go into great depth, adding as much detail as you please. I’d recommend doing some quick searches or buying a book on furniture styles to help you see what the options are- because believe me when I say, there are a lot. From cabriole legs to straight reeded legs and tapers to twists or clawfeet, the possibilities are truly endless. You can also consider having casters installed at the bottom of the legs! I always love a classic english caster, and they make moving furniture a breeze.
Similar to leg style, you’ll also need to nail down the arm style… which personally, I think is an easier decision because there are a few less options. The classic or most common arm styles include the following:
There are also an array of fabric details you can choose from, that really can add a nice finishing, tailored touch! This is another one of my personal favorite parts of the process- be sure to consider adding any of the following to your cushions or upholstered frame:
Just like the fabric details, you’re also able to choose your wood preferences. If your sofa has wood legs, wood details on the arms, or a plinth base, you can also customize a stain color, specify the wood species you’d like, and confirm what the inner frame will be made of. My preference is always kiln-dried hardwood!
Something you may not think to have made are additional cushions. Since you’re having a piece of furniture custom made, you’ll be able to have extras constructed to match exactly. There is nothing I love more than a monochromatic moment or cohesive seating look! Be sure to consider additional bolsters, or custom sized pillows in the same fabric for a super tailored and designerly look. It will be much less expensive and easier than trying to buy cushions after the fact. It’s always a great way to incorporate that same fabric into another area in the same room… toss a pillow onto a lounge chair that matches the sofa you just had made. Having that cohesive element is really a nice thread of consistency.
The last point I want to discuss is the hot topic of cost. Custom furniture can be really expensive (I think the word “custom” automatically gives people sticker shock) or it can actually be pretty reasonable… seriously! It totally depends on what exactly you want. Fabric selection always highly influences the cost. The same style sofa in two different fabrics can be thousands of dollars apart. My best advice? Tell your furniture maker what your budget is, be upfront, and ask them to show you fabrics and finishes within your price range. I went in to buy my daybed, rattled off exactly what I wanted (without sharing my budget), landed on a Crypton fabric right away (a more expensive fabric), and was pleasantly surprised that my cost was slightly LESS than what I was going to pay for a super similar daybed from One Kings Lane. Jordan (who is very smart) went into the same shop, shared her budget, her vision, and asked if they could make it work- and of course they said yes. Being honest and straightforward helps manage expectations on both ends- it also saves both parties time. My point? Follow Jordan’s lead in this scenario, rather than my own. It somehow worked out for me, but I should have known to share my budget up front… then again, I was also pretty desperate and was willing to pay a hefty amount. Hah!
Was that an insane amount of information? I hope I didn’t overwhelm you! My goal was to help you consider every last detail if you’re planning to invest in custom furniture someday. It can get expensive, and it’s important to ideate and communicate EXACTLY what you’d like for the best outcome. Definitely pin this post for later, that way if the time comes- you’ll be armed with knowledge and ready to make the fun design decisions. I hope it was helpful! Hit me with any questions in the comment section below and have a wonderful week, friends.
When shopping for furniture, not only do looks and comfort matter, but also it's important to know what materials are used to create the piece. This guide details all the materials we use for upholstery, the pro's and con's of each, and why we use those materials to create high-quality, durable furniture.
Leather, a hardy and flexible material made from animal hides, is an amazing choice for upholstery. It's incredibly durable and can last decades with proper care. At World Interiors, we use 4 main types of leather for our furniture: Top-Grain Leather, Suede Leather, Bi-Cast Leather, and Vegan Leather.
Leather has been used for upholstery throughout history. Due to the labor-intensive process required to make leather for upholstery, leather, for the most part was reserved primarily for the wealthy. Dating all the way back to even before the Roman Empire, leather could be found in the homes of the wealthiest and most powerful. Before that, Arabian kings were using leather to decorate their throne rooms.
When the Industrial Revolution came, the leather upholstery process became more streamlined. This made leather upholstery much more affordable; however, the process still requires much work to be completed by hand and still widely considered a luxury product.
Top-Grain leather, perhaps the most sought-after type of leather, is produced from the top half of the animal hide, with the outermost layer sanded off so that imperfections and irregularities are removed.
Top-grain not quite as tough as full-grain leather, which makes it ideal for use in conditions where exposure to the elements and rough use is avoided by enlarge. Top-grain leather is, however, much less expensive than full-grain leather, costing about 1/5 of the price. That's why top-grain leather is a favorite material to use for purses, wallets, briefcases, satchels, and of course, upholstery.
Because top-grain leather lacks the outermost layer of hide, it is easier for manufacturers to work with and tool and used in a variety of products where both flexibility and a consistency in appearance is desired. While pieces may lack the hide pattern from the original animal, the leather can be made to resemble any hide pattern.
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Top-grain leather is the second most durable type of leather, favorable to other types such as split or bonded leather. The following section goes into further detail about split and bonded leather.
Cow is of course the most popular animal hide from which leather is fashioned. But leather can be produced from a wide variety of hides like goatskin, which is used for a few of our pieces. Goat leather is thinner than its cow counterpart but is softer and a more cost-effective option for real leather upholstery.
The Hudson Stitched Lounge Chair, is a great example of goat leather upholstery and its ability to be stretched and manipulated more easily to form timeless designs such as the Hudson. In addition to its beauty, the goatskin is renowned for its softness as a leather. When combined with a sturdy iron frame, this piece achieves our high standard for durability.
Typically, suede's quality is determined by the age and animal from which the hide came from. A mature cow would produce much lower quality, rougher suede in comparison to a sheep or a young calf.
Suede's production process imbues it with the following properties:
Natural suede has a long list of pros and cons. Some of the pros include its rich appearance, wear resistance, good heat conduction, and, of course, its softness. Suede resembles genuine leather, so it looks expensive and stylish. It also can last a long time - 7 to 10 years with proper care. Even when scuffs and other small defects appear, they remain invisible and do not damage the suede. It also keeps you cool in the summer and warm in the winter, making it versatile in many different climates.
Some of the suede's cons include: moisture intolerance, easy tearing, dirt accumulation, a delicate care routine, and price. Unlike artificial suede, natural suede quickly absorbs liquid and dries for a long time. At the same time, its fibers absorb dirt and odors easily. Even a small amount of rain can ruin suede. Suede also tears easily, so keep the pets away! Suede also does not tolerate machine or hand-washing due to its high water absorption. In order to maintain suede's stylish appearance, special care must be taken.
In order to better protect suede from dirt and spills, we recommend that you use a suede sealant. This will provide an additional layer of protection against dirt, oil, and water spills.
After leather is split, the top layer is taken for top grain leather. The bottom layer is then coated with polyurethane and imprinted with leather pattern to mimic real leather. This end product is considered bi-cast leather. It is less biodegradable and less durable than top-grain leather but is less expensive.
One of the upsides to bi-cast leather is that it's fairly easy to maintain. Due to the polyurethane coat, the leather is less breathable and lacks water absorption.
Vegan leather, a variety of faux leather, is made primarily from organic plant matter such as pineapple leaves (Piñatex), cork, and apple skin, as well as plastics such as polyurethane. While more eco-friendly and animal-friendly than bi-cast leather, vegan leather still makes use of fossil-fuel-derived polyurethane, making it the least sustainable leather material.
One of our flagship vegan leather pieces is the Avery Modern Dining Chair. This piece features a square, stitched back made of high quality vegan leather and solid wood construction, combining to form a durable piece that can work in a variety of settings from vintage and transitional to minimalist and modern.
Much like bi-cast leather, vegan leather is fairly easy to maintain due to its plastic coating.
Another great option for upholstery materials is cloth. Cloth is durable, flexible, and eco-friendly. In addition, cloth upholstery boasts a rich history, beginning as early as the 17th century.
Linen is a durable natural textile, made from the fibers of the flax plant. Linen textiles are one of the oldest textiles in the world - dyed flax fibers have been found in prehistoric caves, dating 36,000 years ago.
Linen is actually one of the easiest fabrics to maintain. For extra protection against stains, we recommend scotch-guarding your furniture. Any store-bought scotch guard should be sufficient to protect your upholstery.
Brushed cotton is a material made from the cellulose fibers of the cotton plant. After the cotton fibers are spun into cloth, the material is then brushed using a metal brush to create a soft, napped texture. The result is a soft, hypoallergenic material that offers heat conductivity and breathability.
Brushed cotton's use in upholstery is exemplified by the Rebel Armchair. Performance-grade brushed cotton meets solid wood frame with iron legs for added support and is cushioned with foam padding for unrivaled comfort. The brushed cotton is breathable which helps keep the seat warm in the winter and cool in the summer. This all culminates into a striking piece that combines several styles, while remaining extremely comfortable and durable.
Velvet is a durable, multi-layered fabric with dense piles that are soft to the touch. Velvet boasts a rich history of luxury. Originating as early as the 14th century in East Asia, velvet was originally spun purely from the silk produced by silkworms. Although Asian silk is soft, the unique production process of velvet creates a material that's even more lavish than other silk goods. Velvet was commonly used in the Middle East, eventually gaining popularity in Europe during the Renaissance.
Velvet, like many other materials, is prone to fading when subjected to prolonged sunlight exposure. That's why we recommend placing velvet upholstery in areas that aren't in direct sunlight. If that's not possible, you could drape a throw pillow over the affected area to protect it.
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