apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I would choose a fairly traditional print with a modern color choice...such as this fabric by Amy Butler

I'm a velvet/velour addict, so I'd go with a pattern-free velvet, myself. Then you could add (and later change) more colorful accents freely.

Yes I was thinking the same thing....a two-tone damask in the same color family or a brocade would be pretty...

If you think this will be an heirloom for your descendants, hit it with a neutral with a sheen (khaki, sage), and then mod it up with pillows.

I'd avoid the brocades or damasks and go for something with a more modern texture (either a plain weave or perhaps a linen-like weave?) to modernize it. Avoid the cream tones, perhaps the cranberry colour above or a blue-grey neutral.

I like the two-tone idea as well. A little color in the fabric is more forgiving with dirt/stains as well. I personally like to keep my big pieces of furniture fairly neutral because I know I'll have them for a while and they'll need to be flexible enough to work with different color schemes. Another idea would be to go for a heavy linen? I'd like to hear other's opinions on heavy linen for a couch. I have a great chair that I had reupholstered in linen and it has similar lines and wood color to the picture you posted. It looks great - I like the texture of the fabric with the wood. But it gets less use than a couch does.

it would be saucy in vinyl or leather...

Saw something attributed to Conran's that was simular, wood painted white with white vinyl upolstery: very polished looking.

I personally love older antique furniture with an updated modern look. If this were my sofa I would choose a rich velvet in a solid but dramatic color. You can add pattern with accents, so I would chose something lovely and timeless.

I would go either with kkbutler's idea or a funky hot pink/bold yellow-orange denim.

I'm thinking a foppish gentleman's silk tie-styled fabric - this image is the closest I could find, though I'd look for one with maybe some magenta or another electric color in it.

http://discountdesignerfabricatschindlers.com/images/Portfolio_Fabrics_Pattern_Edisto_Color_Onyx_Stripe_Fabric_M092206-009_3.jpg

Melanie, that fabric is awesome.

That's a pretty damask-inspired print above, but when you're talking about a big, long-term piece like a sofa (as opposed to a pillow or something) I'd stay away from that kind of thing because its trendy color combination & updated take on a classic pattern will date really quickly, whereas an ungimmicky real damask has been a classic for a few hundred years now, and it has plenty of life left.

If you want punch, go for a strong solid color and a large-scale pattern in silk or wool (or, in pinch, rayon & poly) damask. A raspberry pink damask sofa against a lapis blue wall trimmed in white & hung with empty gold picture frames would do one thing, the same sofa set against a gigantic six-foot white stripe of the same color running down a slick white wall would do another, and used in a room where everything was painted the same raspberry color, set off with a big abstract black-& white rug yet another, none of which approaches would be anything but frankly modern, even though the same sofa could fit just as easily into a polite room full of traditional furniture & fabrics.

Alot of people think that strong colors are limiting and that neutrals are adaptable, but that's exactly backwards. Neutrals seem to offer flexibility but, often, all they offer is nothing but dullness. Think about it: the same neutral sofa can work in a huge room that has real architecture & fancy moldings or that's filled with art & oriental rugs or that's painted a brilliant, trendy color, but there's nothing more boring than a neutral sofa stuck in a neutral-walled modern apartment that your landlord won't allow you to paint, with curtains in another--but non-matching--neutral and a bland, beige builder-standard carpet. Monochromatic rooms can be beautiful, but they require great skill & sensitivity and more often than not (especially in the hands of amateurs) they just end up deadly boring.

At any rate, whatever color or fabric you ultimately choose is less important to your final effect than how you work with (or against) that color. That's what will let you use a single brightly-upholstrered sofa and still be able to create rooms' decors that are variously calm or elegant or over-the-top PeeWee's Playhouse wacky.

pink or pale blue velvet possibly tuffeted at the back, though I'm not sure about that...

I did the same exact project! I did go with a modern fabric, a dark-orange moleskin with gold circles. Just make sure you love the fabric wholeheartedly, and don't worry if it is bright or modern. It can make your whole room, so go for it.
Here is a photo:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8698937@N02/?donelayout=1

I would do the following:

1-an organic colored, sage-y green Mohair Velvet.

http://www.studioilse.com/interiors/private2.html

2-black leather

http://turquoise-la.com/interior/OMD%20ShowHouse/index.html

3- Enormous modern black and white print.

http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/catalog/productdetail.jsp?_dyncharset=ISO-8859-1&_dynSessConf=2942090242858546752&id=66401&parentid=LIVE_UPHOLSTERY_SOFAS&pushId=LIVE_UPHOLSTERY_SOFAS&popId=LIVE_UPHOLSTERY&sortProperties=&navCount=6&navAction=poppushpush&fromCategoryPage=true&selectedProductSize=&selectedProductSize1=&color=one

it could also be great in one of those fabulous Paul Smith Stripes.

I would recomend that if you are going to reupholster this baby, no matter what you chose, DO NOT SKIMP ON THE FABRIC. Choosing a less expensive fabric will often seem like a simple way to knock a few hundred off the overall price, but you will regret it later if you do.

Have fun and pick something wonderful. that is a wonderful sofa.

ValHalla I love your re-do! Beautiful

I think stripes would be great because it can be read as modern and somewhat traditional at once. Something bolder would work, or something like melanie suggested.

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions. ValHalla, I have to agree with AndreaU, that is a beautiful piece of furniture. Did you refinish the wood as well? Also, if you’re in Philly (as your flickr name suggests), I’d be interested in knowing the reupholsterer you used.

Kristian, how much do you estimate quality fabric will cost? We’ve ordered samples from online retailers and have found several that we like in the $20-$30/yd range. We have also seen fabrics for twice this amount, and more.

Magnaverde, thanks for your thoughtful response. Part of our struggle is coming to terms with the timeline. if this were inexpensive or easy to do, it would take the pressure off to pick something adaptable and with longevity. I imagine the new upholstery may easily last 15 years or more, a horizon with which we don’t have much experience making design decisions. Are you suggesting that a damask is a good choice for sofas generally, or that it is likely to look better on this one because of the style of the sofa? If the former, aren’t there any other fabrics that have achieved “classic” status? I am thinking of some of the very large scale Marimekko patterns, which I think will continue to look good in another 20 years. My concern is that they are not as flexible when it comes to getting all the elements to lie down together.

I agree with Kristian - I think the Paul Smith stripes would be great - its 'neutral' enough not to date the piece but more interesting than a solid.

The bespoke stripe is particularly fine...

http://www.maharam.com/maharam.html

Thanks! My sofa is circa 30s imitation Duncan Phyfe--from my husband's grandmother. Luckily, our wood was in good shape but did benefit from the polishing they gave it. Every other part of the sofa was rebuilt--cushions, springs, etc. It was literally falling out from the bottom. These sofas are so much more comfortable than they look, a pleasant surprise. And they are quite versatile with other furniture styles I think.
Valadelphia is just a nickname, so can't recommend an upholsterer in Philly area. Calico Corners was where we found the fabric, they have frequent sales. I forget prices completely, but when you consider new versions of this type of sofa run around $5000 from Horchow, what you spend will be a deal.
Your last question--"getting all the elements to lie down together"--brings up a good point--consider the room you want to build around it, your other pieces (current or future), colors you love, etc.

Have you seen Domino's gallery called Traditional with a Twist? http://www.dominomag.com/galleries/rooms/livingdining/livingroom/tradtwist

I've always like how animal prints look on traditional furniture, as in this example: http://www.horchow.com/store/catalog/prod.jhtml?itemId=cprod33660046&parentId=cat5720734&masterId=cat5720731&index=0&cmCat=cat000000cat000001cat000002cat1290731cat5720731cat5720734
If you can find animal prints with even lower contrast, they almost look neutral, yet primitive & earthy.

Horchow also shows a sofa similar in shape to yours with several different fabrics -- brocade, floral, quilting, leopard & leather -- in a luxe patchwork. Can't go wrong when EVERYTHING else in the room can match the sofa: http://www.horchow.com/store/catalog/prod.jhtml?itemId=cprod31600033&parentId=cat000008&masterId=cat1290731&index=5&cmCat=cat000000cat000001cat000002cat1290731cat000008

Another option would be a crisp, awning-style stripe like marine blue and white (or chocolate & white, or burgundy & white) or a less bold, mattress ticking stripe.

The web sites for Restoration Hardware and Williams-Sonoma Home let you preview an upholstery selection on the sofa of your choice. You probably won't find this style of sofa, but you can find examples of their sofas with a similar silhouette or partial wood frame.

Lastly, does your family consider the piece an heirloom? Are you open to painting the wood? This sexy thang was hiding in a post about window treatments! http://www.designersguild.com/products/designersguild/fabricandwallpaper/essentials/index.php?id=6
The b&W on the right stopped me in my tracks, but the smaller turquoise photo on the left follows the same idea.

That's great piece you got there, posing a fun problem to solve, good luck!

I like modern, but a mix of old and new is always nice.

I would do a felted dark grey. Just perfect!

This is a beautiful sofa and the beauty lies in the shape and woodwork. So, while a bold, large pattern might seem fun, it will totally obscure what is beautiful about the sofa. You can still use something with a modern feel - such as a linen or even leather or ostrich. But I would suggest a solid or tone-on-tone fabric in order to maintain the overall look of the piece. As someone said above - don't skimp on the fabric quality as it till surely not hold up. If the piece is going to get regular use, then you should expect maybe 10 years before needing to recover. Shorter if you use a mediocre upholsterer or thin fabric. Longer if you use a heavy fabric that doesn't show a lot of wear or fading - such as a cut velvet. Don't expect to pass the fabric down to heirs, but the sofa you should have forever.