Church Upholstery Fabric

Churches require maintenance and with that comes having to care for upholstery fabric as well. Although a lot of churches have wooden seats, there is still a need for upholstery fabric in other places. Usually, I notice upholstered pieces such as the pews, confession box, and the seats on the altar for the speakers and the priests. In other churches with more lavish interiors, they sometimes even have cushioned seats. For interior designers or church goers who would like to contribute to the overall look of their place of worship, here are some useful tips.

Tips for Choosing Upholstery Fabric for Churches

A church has to look presentable while remaining conducive for praying and reflection. Here are some factors to consider when choosing upholstery fabric for churches and some tips on which fabric to choose:

• Colors – The usual colors seen in churches are blue and red. These colors are classic options for church interiors, and they tend to match the colors of the stained glass and other features of the church. Black can also be used, especially for those churches which are aiming for a clean and minimalist look. Some more modern churches have little color in them, but black seems to be one of the popular church pew upholstery fabric choices.
• Patterns – For interiors which are more detailed, choosing upholstery fabrics that have patterns can give a richer visual texture for pieces of furniture. Some have small, almost unnoticeable patterns which are a fresh break from the usual plain upholstery seen in most places.
• Texture – Different textures can contribute to the ease of cleaning and maintenance that the kind of upholstery would require. Some are almost waterproof like leather, and velvet, while others such as wool varieties and tweed may be more difficult to clean. Consider the texture of the fabric if it is easy to clean and maintain.
• Durability – Since the church is a public place, choosing a durable fabric is of great importance too. Choosing fabrics which have thicker thread counts would mean having a sturdier fabric which would last for years compared to other thinner materials.
• Purpose – Remember where the fabric will be used and how much wear you would expect it to go through. The more wear you’re expecting, the thicker and more durable fabric you should go for.

Apart from the upholstery fabric used in churches, I also noticed how the furniture pieces tend to match with the drapery fabric. Drapery fabrics usually have woven designs into them which make them more expensive—especially if those designs were handcrafted. Because of this, choosing upholstery fabric to match the drapery fabric should be given time and attention to help ensure that what you will be spending on would have a great overall appearance for the church.

Bring swatches of fabric if you can, and have a color scheme in mind before heading to the upholstery supply store. This way, you can rest assured that the fabric you choose won’t clash and that the church will have a well-coordinated look that the church goers will appreciate.