Fabric Sofa Covers

Fabric Sofa Covers

Slipcovers are an easy and affordable solution to update furniture. Over time, wear and tear start to show on the fabrics of most chairs and sofas even when the piece is still in good shape overall. Custom slipcovers spruce up any chair, sofa or love seat, but it's important to pick the right fabric for the look you're going for and to take into consideration how much use each piece of furniture gets.

Choosing The Right Slipcover Fabric

Figure out how much wear and tear the piece that is being covered gets on a daily basis.

Chair slipcovers that get daily heavy wear should be covered with tough, durable, tightly woven fabrics such as twill, canvas, cotton or denim. Natural fibers such as cotton provide good wear resistance including fading and pilling, but may wrinkle easier than synthetic fibers. Fabrics with a percentage of synthetic and natural fibers offer the best versatility. Microfiber fabrics such as faux suede offer excellent wear resistance. Damask fabrics where the pattern is woven wear better than printed fabrics.

Color also comes into play when determining the wear and tear of a furniture cover. An accent chair in a formal living room won't get as much use as a favorite chair in the family room so a light colored fabric would probably be suitable, whereas a darker fabric might be a better choice for a piece where children play or where food is eaten. Color also comes into play if pets are involved. A dark color wouldn't be a good choice for a sofa that is frequented by a light colored pet that sheds.

Texture is another consideration. Linen is not the best option for chair covers that get daily use as it wrinkles easily and requires more care to keep clean. The fibers in linen can also have a tendency to stretch, which means repeated sittings will make it lose its shape faster. Silk fabrics are beautiful, but are delicate so they are best used as chair covers on accent pieces in formal areas of the house that do not receive a lot of wear.

Before choosing a fabric, order swatches to test out the fabric. By seeing and touching the fabric, you'll be able to determine if the color fits the scheme of the room and if it's sturdy enough for the furniture.

Fabric Sofa Covers