When I am flipping through the pages of a high end home decor magazine I will always be lured in by a beautifully upholstered piece of furniture. A chair or couch covered in a gorgeous piece of fabric gives the room the desired custom feel, elevating the look of the room. You know that it was probably designed just for that homeowner.
For most homes, why do custom upholstery when it is often less expensive to buy a piece of furniture from the home furnishings store? That is a valid question until you start shopping for a piece that will pull the look of your room together. In order to appeal to the widest group of people with their offerings, furniture makers have to manufacture pieces in neutrals or the most popular colors. A visit to your favorite home furnishing store will verify this. Tan, gray, cream, black and brown dominate the sales floor. Sage green and muted blue bring a little color to the offerings. What if you want to add personality to your room with a plum and green paisley print? What if your sun room cries out for a botanical print? You are going to spend hours shopping in stores and online and not find anything close to your vision. This is when your upholster is going to become your best friend.
If you are working with a decorator, they will help you choose a fabric that will bring personality to the room. If you are doing it yourself you can search local fabric resources or ask your upholster to help you. They will have sample books that you can shop from. Often they will let you borrow them to take home and see how the fabric looks in your room before you commit to it.
All home decor fabric will not be suited for covering your chair. Some fabrics are made for window treatments and throw pillows. Make sure what you choose is upholstery weight Sofa Fabric to insure it will hold up under the use it will get over the years. It should also have a stain resistant finish.