How to Find the Perfect Upholstered Piece

Whether you’re looking to upgrade from shabby to chic or searching for that piece de resistance to finish a new space, take the extra time to find furniture that fits your special needs. Finding a fabulous piece of upholstered furniture, whether it’s a sofa, chair, or ottoman, requires more than spending a few minutes with it in a store — no matter how far you’ve fallen in love. So before you go shopping, take a look at our helpful tips below.

Measure, measure, measure

There’s nothing more disappointing than having new furniture delivered to your home only to realize it doesn’t quite work as you had imagined, or it simply doesn’t fit. Ensure your new upholstered furniture is the right size and scale by measuring the space before you shop. Use our helpful Room  Planner tool to mock up a layout of your room. Mark off windows and doorways, too. Remember to measure your doorways to ensure your furniture will actually fit through the door.

Imagine living on it

Your upholstered furniture should reflect the way you live, so you’ll love your furniture just as much in years to come as you did the day you bought it. What room is your furniture going in and how often do you use it? For example, if you need a sofa for the family room, you’ll want something that can withstand years of daily use. If you love to lay down watching TV, find one that’s long enough to stretch out on.

Got kids? Look for more durable fabrics that are pre-treated with stain repellant. The most effective stain guard treatments are done by the manufacturer because the repellent is embedded in the fabric and heat-set for sustainability. Ask a salesperson to help you choose a fabric with a stain guard treatment that best meets your needs.

Another easy-care option is slipcovered furniture. We happen to love the casual live-in look of slipcovers, and they’re easy to clean and maintain. Plus, you can completely reinvent your look with a simple change of your slipcovers. We have slipcovered collections in a variety of styles and sizes, so you can find the one that fits your life best. You’ll find a helpful guide explaining their construction at the end of this article.

Look for sink-in comfort & lasting quality

It’s important to know what’s under that beautiful fabric that you love so much. The quality of the construction is what makes the piece last and provides the comfort you’re looking for.

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• Bench Made – What does it mean? Well, technically, it means that your piece of furniture is made by one person and not on an assembly line. So if a piece of furniture is bench made, it’s crafted by a highly skilled artisan from start to finish. Bench made furniture is always of higher quality.
• Frames – The finest frames are made from kiln-dried hardwood. The corner joints should have corner blocks that are glued, screwed and dowelled for maximum reinforcement. Try feeling the edges of the piece—they should be well padded with smooth corners.
• Spring Support Systems –The industry standard is using eight-way hand-tied springs, but there are other systems that are as resilient and long lasting. S-shape springs are continuous steel and are attached from front to back to provide long-lasting quality. The best way to test the springs is to bounce on them. Good springs should bounce back with no noise and should not be visible through the deck fabric, or top layer of padding.
• Cushions – Choosing the right cushion often comes down to your personal preference, but there are other factors to consider. Unzip the cushion to make sure it is encased in fabric (muslin). A cushion should be heavy for its size and should be plump and well- shaped. Poly-foam cushions should bounce back to their original shape immediately. Some feather or down blend cushions are less stiff looking and require some plumping to return to their original shape. They have a softer, more relaxed look and feel.

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What fabric should you choose?

Aside from body style, fabric is the most important factor that stands out and speaks to your personality or preference. Of course you want it to look great, but you also want it to last. For durability, always look for a tightly woven fabric. Some may even have a backing for additional stability. We’ve identified some of the most popular choices – and our favorites – below to help guide your search.

Natural fibers
Cotton comes in a wide variety of weights and thicknesses; cotton twill is especially durable. Chenille is another blend of cotton that looks great in a casual setting. (To ensure chenille is tightly woven, hold it up to the light. It’s too thin if you can see through it.) Cotton velvet is also a good choice and is known for its ability to wear well. Plush velvet, on the other hand, crushes easily and is not recommended for frequently used, everyday furniture.

Synthetics
Highly resilient indoor/outdoor fabric options have gained popularity in recent years and we’ve got a beautiful selection. Today’s indoor/outdoor fabrics look and feel fabulous and are usually made from tough acrylic fibers with built-in stain resistance — a great choice for a kid-friendly environment. Any of the microfiber fabrics are equally suitable for heavily used areas. Microfibers are synthetic, non-woven materials that retain their color and are resistant to stains and odors. And how we love linen! Being one of the oldest and most durable fabrics makes it a winner, but with some reservations. Linen does wrinkle, but if it is blended with a synthetic fiber it tends to wrinkle less. Browse our Fabric by the Yard for inspiration.

Browse Our Upholstered Sofa Collections

We obsess over every detail to produce a line of well-designed and well-made upholstered furniture that you’ll love to live with. The guide below explains how our upholstered furniture is constructed and what materials we use, so you can make an informed decision. Find out what’s under all that beautiful Ballard fabric:

Eton Collection – Constructed of kiln-dried hardwood frame, seat support system, cushion cores surrounded by hypoallergenic down blend encased in 100% cotton channel quilted down proof ticking.

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Baldwin Collection – Frames are bench-made in the USA of kiln-dried hardwood, and then corner blocked and double doweled for strength. A sag-resistant, patented steel spring system supports double-wrapped, high-density foam core cushions layered with luxurious down-blend. Each piece is covered in off-white muslin and ready for a custom-fit slipcover.

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Vintage Vogue Collection – Frames are bench-made in the USA of kiln-dried hardwood and fitted with resilient Flexolator springs. Deep, foam core cushions are cocooned in a triple-wrapped blanket of soft poly-fiber. Each piece comes upholstered in off-white muslin and ready for a custom-fit slipcover.

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Manchester Collection – Engineered hardwood frames are kiln-dried and bench made in the USA with mortise-and-tenon joinery, the industry’s highest standard. Arms are nicely padded to accentuate their graceful slope. Split cushions are finished with self-piped seams and filled with luxurious down blend.

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Davenport Collection – Engineered hardwood frames are kiln-dried for enduring strength and finished with sag-resistant sinuous springs. Cushions have a foam core wrapped in soft poly-fibers and encased in luxurious down blend for a perfect marriage of support and comfort.

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Larkin Collection — Kiln-dried hardwood frame is artisan crafted in Virginia using the finest techniques. Cushions have deluxe, high-density foam cores wrapped in two layers of soft fiber.

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