Finding the perfect upholstery for your home can be tricky. You want it to look just stylish and functional, which is a hard balancing act to pull off.

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Ask yourself practical questions when choosing upholstery. How long will I own this piece for? What function will it serve? What material should it be made of? We’ve got all the answers.

Buy it for life, or, ‘buy it for now?’

The first thing you need to ask yourself when searching for the perfect upholstery is how long you want it to last. Be realistic with how many years of quality service you want out of your furniture.

If you are planning on replacing your furniture soon, you can get away with lesser-quality fabric or faux-leather. If you’re staying in one home long-term, choose a material that will last.

What will be the function?

How will you be using the furniture? Will it be used primarily in a family room for special occasions, or will it be an everyday sofa that’s going to see a lot of mileage? Choose the ideal upholstery for the function of your furniture.

Does the colour look ideal in your room?

After you identify the function and durability of the upholstery, consider how it’s going to look in your home. One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to purchase upholstery that looks good in the showroom but isn’t ideal for your space.

Consider if your furniture is actually going to stay in that room the entire time you own it or if you will be re-decorating that room sooner than later. If you want to play it safe, consider choosing neutral fabric so you can accommodate your upholstery to its surroundings.

What type of statement does the upholstery make?

Your upholstery isn’t a vacuum unto itself: it sets off a vibe that’s felt throughout the rest of the room. To this end, consider how you want people in the room to feel. Do you want it to be a place of conversation and comfort, or a room of serious thought and work? Choose upholstery that isn’t going to distract you, and will only fuel the atmosphere you want to create.

Consider allergies, climate outside

One of the factors most people never consider about upholstery is how it’s going to affect them physically. Allergies can wreak havoc on one’s personal health as dust is attracted to most upholstery. If you want relief, consider choosing a microfiber fabric.

Also, consider the climate where you live. For example, if you experience high humidity during the warmer months of the year, mildew can seep into your upholstery and ruin it. For these instances, consider fabric that is resistant to moisture.

Think about other factors that could affect purchasing upholstery. If this leads to even more questions, reach out to Guaranteed A Fine Furniture and benefit from our expertise. Stop by our showroom so we can point you in the right direction.