In today’s world of reuse and recycle-minded living, people are more conscious than ever about helping the environment. They are creating new ways to reuse what they already have. One option to consider is to not throw out, but reupholster your existing furniture pieces. Upholstery has come a long way – it has become a fine art in and of itself. Here at Curtain Design Studios, we have mastered custom upholstery to truly transform your furniture into something you can love again. There are many benefits to reupholstering your furniture versus buying new. Let’s look at what I believe are 5 benefits of doing custom upholstery that you need to know.
1. Versatility
Custom upholstery gives you a wide-open canvas of versatility. And versatility is what “custom” is all about. You can choose options like durable fabrics, leather, suede, velvet, Belgian linen, faux materials, silk, indoor-outdoor fabrics, or Tibetan wool to cover your furniture. You have the ability to tailor your furniture coverings based on preferences, lifestyle, kids, pets, comfort and degree of use. You can buy your own fabric or work with the upholsterer to find just the right thing from anywhere on the planet. Another piece of the versatility benefit are the options you can add to your finished look such as contrasting piping, tufting and buttons.
One of the most memorable custom upholstery projects I did was a blue velvet ottoman. The color we searched for was a very specific blue – it needed to match something else in the room. It took several calls to my fabric suppliers to get just the right color. The job turned out beautifully, and I still laugh remembering how Bobby Vinton’s “Blue Velvet,” was stuck in my head for the entire project. I haven’t had that song in my head since then, however, it’s surely coming back now.
2. Modernize Family Heirlooms
Many of us have that one piece of furniture we don’t know what to do with. We move it from room to room and try to spruce it up with pretty decorative pillows or throws. It’s old, lumpy, heavy – but we just can’t part with it. It’s special because it was given to us by a family member. We feel sentimental about keeping these pieces because they keep us connected to our loved ones and our lineage.
Through the process of custom upholstering, we replace the materials such as the fabric, padding, webbing, and springs that make up the soft coverings in order to make old furniture new again. These redone pieces look and feel new. They become more modern and more comfortable, but still hold the sentimental origins of a precious heirloom. If you have a solid wood heirloom pieces, hang onto them. You could not replace their old-world quality today with the same quality without spending a small fortune.
3. Economical
Custom upholstery is a great way to save money on revamping the look of your interior design without breaking the bank by buying all new furniture. They say a little paint goes a long way in elevating the look for your entire house. I feel the same way about custom upholstery – a little fresh fabric over old fabrics and furniture can go a long way in elevating the look of an entire room. On average consumers might save 50% in costs to reupholster versus buying brand new high quality or designer furniture.
4. Green
True solid wood furniture is hard to come by these days at an affordable price. Most of the seemingly cheap furnishings are not made from wood, but economical materials such as particle board. These cheaply made furnishings are predicted to last on average 2-3 years then end up in landfills. By repurposing, through upholstery, you are helping the environment. You are also helping to contribute to a cutback on manufacturing pollution from overproduction of short-use furnishings. Relove your furnishings translates into loving the earth and helping the green movement.
5. Try Before You Buy
A nice little perk to custom upholstery is the ability to try it on before you buy it. You have the convenience to borrow swatches of fabrics from an upholsterer or buy sample snippets to throw over your furnishings. You get to see first-hand if a week later they still have a look and feel you love. If not, you can try new swatches over and over until you find the perfect fit. I have had customers that think they have chosen the perfect fabric, only to find out it didn’t hold up to the dog slobbering on it, or the sun streaming in at 6:00 P.M. and changing the hue of the color to something dreadful. What a benefit to you to be able to be 100% sure your choice, or the choice you make with a decorator, stays true when life happens.
My advice
I am a huge fan of custom upholstery and custom everything else. It’s what I do, and what I love at Curtain Design Studios. Custom upholstery allows you to put a new twist on old furniture. It gives you versatility and the option to try before you buy. My advice is simple – tap into this great resource for transforming your furnishings into something new again. Relove your furniture and it will love you back by being beautiful, comfortable and yours forever.