Durable Fabrics For the Family Room
Jeanelle Deppner
When you are thinking about either buying new family room furniture or reupholstering what you have, you should give some careful consideration to the fabric that you choose for the job. A family room is a casual space that is used every day and because of this you want your fabric choices to be durable. You may wind up with an occasional foot or pet on the sofa, and it should not be the end of the world when that happens. So look for fabrics that are durable and easy to clean when you are thinking about new furniture or coverings.
Easy to Clean
Look for fabric that will not snag and that will wear well. If you are considering a printed fabric, make sure that the design is woven into the fabric and not stamped on top of the fabric, because as the material wears on a stamped fabric, the design will simply fade away. This will prove to be a less durable choice. With patterns, you also want to be careful that the size of the pattern works with the furniture as well as with the overall scale of the room. When the pattern is too large or too small it throws off the balance of the furniture in the room.
Durability and Fade Resistance
Look for high thread counts and tighter weaves as these fabrics tend to hold up better to heavy use. You also want to get the benefit of a little camouflage in your fabric color, so choose a color scheme that will not show off every spec and spot on it.
Look for fabrics that are fade resistant, and if your room is very sunny this is particularly important. Window coverings offer some protection, but you will still get fading, so choose a fade resistant material to help it look new longer.
Natural Fabrics
When looking for natural fibers, you have some great options. Cotton is, of course, extremely durable, and it is relatively face resistant. The drawback with cotton is that it wrinkles, and it is not particularly stain resistant. You may wish to choose a cotton blend, because you will get better stain protection and wrinkling will be severely reduced. Leather is a great option because it is hardy and easy to wipe clean. The only drawback to leather is that pet claws can wreak havoc on this material.
Synthetic Fabrics
When you are looking for durable and easy care, you are probably not going to beat some of the new synthetic fabrics for your family room furniture. Microfiber is a relatively new offering made from polyester. It is comfortable and durable. It is also budget friendly, easy to clean and just an overall great choice for the family room. A great solution for children's furniture is vinyl, because your can simply wipe it clean, and olefin is also a great fiber for durability.
Whichever fabric appeals to your, choose the best grade of fabric that you can get even if it is a little more expensive. Your furniture will last longer, and in the long run it will probably end up saving you money.
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