Could your home use a bit of a refresh? By now, many people are ready for a change of scenery, and the holidays are a popular time to reupholster furniture and do upgrades around the house. With furniture and home furnishings experiencing major delays and backorders right now, it’s the perfect time to try your hand at DIY upholstery.
We’ve rounded up a list of a few of our favorite easy DIY upholstery projects for the home-–plus step-by-step tutorials to walk you through your entire project.
How to Pick Fabric for Upholstery
Before you get started, it’s important to select the right materials. But how do you pick the right fabric for your upholstery project? There are some key considerations:
- Durability – How and where will your piece be used? For furnishings you’ll use every day–-especially in homes with kids and pets–-look for a performance fabric that will endure everyday wear and tear. Think microfibers, velvets, and faux leathers.
- Fibers – The actual fibers a fabric is made of affect everything from durability to comfort, washability to resistance to fading. When selecting the right upholstery fabric, make sure you check the label carefully to ensure it’s the right choice for your home.
- Weave – Not only is it important to know what your fabric is made of, but how it’s put together. Fabrics with looser or more textured weaves like linen, chenille, and tweed can snag on a pet’s claws and encourage scratching. These fabrics are also not ideal for pet hair since the fur can embed into the fabric. Microfibers, ultra suedes, and leathers tend to be a better choice for pet owners for both durability and cleanup.
- Fabric care – When it comes to cleanup, all fabrics are not created equal. Check the manufacturer’s recommendations before you choose to ensure you select an upholstery fabric that will function the way your family and lifestyle really need.
- Color and pattern – Once you’ve found a fabric that checks the boxes above, you can have fun with color and pattern. If your room gets a lot of light, select a fabric that’s less prone to fading. And remember to keep patterns to scale. Typically, the larger the item being upholstered, the larger the pattern it can handle.
Now that you know how to choose the right upholstery fabric, here are some great DIY projects to consider.
1. Reupholstered Dining Chairs for an Instant Room Upgrade
Recovering dining chair seats is the perfect DIY upholstery project for beginners because it doesn’t require any actual sewing. And, it’s a huge bang for your buck (and effort). This simple dining chair upholstery tutorial from Blue I Style gives you all the details you need to give your chair seats an upgrade in time for the holidays. Check it out here.
Reupholstering both the seat and back of a chair can be trickier, but it’s still totally possible for a DIYer. A helpful tutorial over at Design Sponge walks you through each step, with detailed images to help guide you. Check out the full tutorial here.
2. Simple DIY Bedskirt to Hide the Clutter
It’s safe to assume that many of our guest rooms have been under-used in 2020. And as they lie empty, many guest rooms have slowly become storage facilities or served double-duty as a home office or playroom.
If your guest room needs to get back in order for holiday guests, a custom bed skirt is a perfect way to achieve a simple upgrade. Not only does it look stylish, but a bed skirt is key for camouflaging the clutter of under-bed storage.
The DIY experts at A Beautiful Mess have a step-by-step tutorial to create your own DIY bed skirt in an afternoon. Plus, their design uses velcro to make laundering a breeze. They use crisp, white muslin, but you can opt for any upholstery fabric that matches your personal style.
Find the DIY velcro bed skirt tutorial here.
3. Upholstered Room Divider
With many people working and learning from home, our spaces have to fill multiple roles. But sometimes, we need to divide and conquer.
If you need to clearly define your spaces–or just want a spot to stash some things before holiday guests arrive-–an upholstered room divider might be the perfect project.
Because it’s not a high-contact surface (unlike dining chairs or a sofa), you can select your upholstery fabric more on appearance than function. This gives you endless ways to inject a bit of color or personality into your space. Check out the full upholstered room divider tutorial here.
4. Refresh Your Throw Pillows and Cushion Covers
Throw pillows are one of the easiest ways to transform a space, and can be swapped out seasonally or whenever you need to mix up the look of your room.
A great upholstery project for beginners, pillows are something anyone with a sewing machine can tackle. There’s a simple video tutorial here on creating zippered pillow covers. You can even add fringe or decorative trim to personalize them.
Need a box pillow or cushion cover? Check out an in-depth video tutorial here.
5. DIY Upholstered Ottoman
Nothing beckons you to relax and put your feet up like a plush, overstuffed ottoman. Especially after a big holiday meal!
Plus, an upholstered ottoman can serve as an impromptu serving spot when topped with a tray, or as extra seating for holiday guests.
Find a full tutorial for your own DIY upholstered ottoman here. Prefer a round ottoman? You’ll want this tutorial instead.
Get Started with Your Own Upholstery Project
Now that you have an idea for your next upholstery DIY project, it’s time to round up your supplies. KOVI Fabrics has thousands of designer upholstery fabrics to choose from. So you’ll find the textile to fulfill your vision, from luxurious linens to high-performance Crypton fabrics, and microfibers tough enough for the whole family.
Got an idea in mind that needs a professional touch? Here’s what you need to know to find the right upholsterer.
Whether you DIY or go with a pro, be sure to order your upholstery fabric today to allow plenty of time to complete your project before the holidays!