Apple green plush or tweed linen? Each one gives a different look
For most of us, a sofa is a major investment. But what if we get tired of it and want a change? Although most of realize that an upholsterer can change the fabric on a piece of furniture, that's only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to
what they can do...
It's true that even a simple change of fabric can change the look of a piece. Take this sofa, the Chet from CB2, which we've blogged before. In apple green velvet, the sofa reads nouveau 80s, modern and sleek. In linen, the look is softer and would easily fit in amongst the simple wood pieces we've been seeing a lot of.
A good upholsterer can:
- change a straight arm to a rounded or flared arm. Or a square arm to a rolled arm.
- lower the sides or the back of a sofa, and knock off sharp corners for soft curves.
- cut down sofa arms.
- remake a sofa into a love seat.
- change a tight back to a plump, soft, cushion-back style or a row of pillows
- soften a tailored piece with draping, tucking and button-tufting
- modernize a rounded piece with piping or by replacing multiple bottom cushions with a single bench cushion
- add interest to a plain piece with details like cording and bullion fringes
- add a skirt, with or without a kick pleat, to a sofa with legs.
- change the legs
Before you consider plunking down money for a new sofa, it's worth a visit with an upholsterer to find out if your old sofa can be remade.
Related Upholstery Posts
[image: Chet Sofa from CB2]
Cool post. Didn't know upholsterers could make structural changes.
view sarahisaghost's profile
While these things are truly possible - they're not always recommended, particularly for moderate/low quality pieces which have flimsy and cheap frames.
Vintage upholstery is more often better quality and therefore more reasonable to be remade than the newer stuff.
view bepsf's profile
I've been thinking of getting my couch re-upholstered because the current upholstery is non-removable (and lightly stained) and therefore non-washable. Does anyone know a good place that would do that kind of work in San Francisco?
Thanks!
Alex.
view alexandre's profile
I completely agree with bepsf. Don't put the money into re- building a cheaply built frame. Vintage almost always is better quality. Some cheaply built frames have joints that are glued together with connector plates or just HUGE furniture staples or brads shot in to hold them together. With enough ware, they just get wiggly and give out.
view ModHomeEcTeacher's profile
cool post, but why? i couldn't imagine all that work would cost less than a brand new sofa that may be built better because it wasn't hacked up.
view Matt. M's profile
"For most of us, a sofa is a major investment. But what if we get tired of it and want a change?" this makes it sound like you should go ahead and get that expensive sofa, because if you get tired of it, you can just twinkle your nose and viola! new sofa! umm.. reupolstering is expensive. it can cost more than the sofa itself. i can't even imagine how much more it would cost to additionally modify the structure of the piece. THAT would be a whole other major investment into the same piece...that was already a major investment in the first place. what's so good about that? when you "get tired of it", just sell it to someone who will appreciate and be happy to have it, and then buy another one that you do like. everyone will come out ahead!
view dM's profile
alexandre you can email me I know an excellent guy in the East Bay..he can work with anything and affordable.
lorijj2000@yahoo.com
For me its so many fabrics so little time. My sofa is 9 years old and it still looks amazing. I have a dog too, keeping it cover with a quilt has helped. I guess I get that from my mother except she covered the sofa in plastic, yicks!
view LoriSF's profile
Alex--
There's a place at the foot of Franklin Street on Market that I've been meaning to take my Saarinen Executive Armchairs to for reupholstery - His work looks really good.
view bepsf's profile
Lets be serious - when they talk about "you getting tired" of your upholstery I assume they are talking years. Like...you bought the sofa before you had kids, and you reupholster it when they go off to college. In that case it makes perfect sense. But I also echo the sentiments that you should spend the money on solidly constructed pieces - no one is ever going to spend hundreds of bucks to reupholster an Ikea piece.
view Modfan's profile
I have had great success getting a number of pieces of furniture reupholstered. I bought all the fabric from iluvfabrix.com and online store that I really like, and had the upholstery done by a really great local guy.
He also did a number of structural changes that really "made" the piece.
If you want to have a look at where I buy fabric, click this link: http://www.iluvfabrix.com
Lanny
view lannyt's profile