It’s the first warm weekend of the year, and while you watch your neighbors jump outside to mow the lawn or plant some flowers, your focus is on the inside of your home and how you can make some furniture reupholstery updates this Spring. This wouldn’t be the first time we avoided yard work, but our skills are best used for a design project, indoors, of course.
We can see it now, light streaming in the dew-covered windows, and you’re sipping your coffee, glancing from one potential furniture reupholstery project to another. You might be wondering which upholstered item most needs an update or which project would be the fastest to complete.
A certain satisfaction comes with completing an at-home project that provides a significant upgrade. After all, what’s the point if nobody notices?
Furniture Reupholstery Reimagined
While many may take time to focus on Spring cleaning and organize a closet or donate unused items, we have bigger fish to fry – reupholstering furniture.
Selecting which piece you’d like to update is no easy task. It’s essential to be selective when making these sorts of changes. You want to love whatever you choose for your reupholstery for a long time!
Nothing’s worse than making a rash decision or following a trend just because you couldn’t make up your mind. Take your time and have fun visualizing different ways you can reupholster your home this Spring.
Potential Projects for a Refresh
Rework the Chair
Yep, you know the one! It’s so well-loved that the material has faded a bit, and the cushions are a bit floppy and sad. Or maybe the chair at your home sits in a corner and doesn’t get any love. A minor upgrade could change that!
We’re all big fans of having a special seat in the house to watch television, read a book, or scroll through social media on your phone. It’s your safe place and where you choose to unwind at the end of the day, so make it somewhere you’d be excited to visit!
Select a material that feels cozy but also something you’d be excited to see after a day of work. This could look like soft leather, neutral linen, or a rich velvet pattern. Whatever sounds right for you, throw it on your favorite chair to enjoy during your next downtime.
Upholstery tip: If you’re updating a chair you spend a lot of time in, be sure to revisit the foam and/or stuffing inside. This is the perfect opportunity to adjust the seat’s firmness and customize it to your personal preferences.
Refresh Your Favorite Antique.
Everyone loves a hand-me-down piece of furniture that has been well-loved for generations, but sometimes the fabric could use an upgrade. Materials fade over time, they collect dust and smell, and we’d all be a bit happier if we could blend the old with the new, right?
Select a material that lends itself to the original piece while honoring your personal design style. Maybe pick a pattern that is reminiscent of the time of the original piece of furniture but with an unexpected pop of color. You could also do the opposite and choose a similar color scheme to the original upholstery print on a new, modern textile design.
Be sure to select a good quality material that can hold up long enough so the next family member that inherits the piece won’t have to rush for furniture reupholstery. Don’t let this stop you from having fun with the textile selection, though!
Our favorite upholstery projects are those that provide a lot of juxtaposition between the original piece of furniture and new upholstery.
Upholstery tip: If this is an heirloom piece that you plan to pass down, leave a little note inside the staples for your next family member to find when they reupholster. Include your name, the date, current events, and a sweet story to go along with the furniture piece.
Upholstery Artwork.
We’ve always viewed window coverings as another way to add artwork to your walls. Unlike traditional artwork, upholstery has more variety with texture, movement, and of course, the opportunity to make a significant impact without breaking the bank.
Curtains soften the harsh angles of windows while also providing privacy and an additional layer of comfort. A window without any decoration is beautiful, but it can become a bit sterile when repeated in every area of the home.
If you’ve been looking for ways to warm up or refresh a window in your home, take a look at our window covering textile options.
Our DIY community is always asking how to make the most significant design impact in a space, and for us, it’s with curtains. The more windows in an area you adorn, the more significant the impact this upgrade will make.
Be sure to select a material you’re comfortable seeing repeated within your home. But don’t be afraid to push yourself outside your comfort zone.
Remember, you can always order samples from Kovi before committing to purchasing yardage for your project. Pick up a few you’re drawn to and place them around your windows to see which one feels best for you!
Remember, you can always order samples from Kovi before committing to purchasing yardage for your project.
Upholstery tip: We want our upholstery updates to look fresh and new while blending into our existing home decor.
Beware; if you switch things up a bit too much and select a material that is significantly different from your current design, you’re going to be tempted to burn the rest down and start over.
If you’re going to update everything in your space over time, we understand but don’t say we didn’t warn you!
Outdoor Upgrade
So maybe you’re not afraid to tackle an outdoor project after all. With the anticipation of Spring and Summer days spent outside, this could be the perfect time to switch out the upholstered items you have on your outdoor furniture.
Whether you’re recovering seating cushions or a few throw pillows, be sure to filter through outdoor fabrics before selecting a material you love. Nothing’s worse than falling in love with a textile that will fade or fall apart after one season outside.
Selecting a graded material to withstand the outdoors will help with moisture, stains, sun bleaching, and durability. Nothing’s better than being able to hose off a ketchup-stained lounge chair cushion or leaf-covered throw pillows.
If you live somewhere conducive to outdoor activities year-round, be sure to select a material you could see yourself enjoying all four seasons of the year.
When you live in a cooler climate and can only enjoy outdoor seating half of the year, you might select a Spring/Summer style material. Again, this is just something to consider when making your outdoor finish selection.
Upholstery tip: To extend the life of your outdoor furniture reupholstery, we recommend you put them away for any season or intense periods of weather.
This typically applies to those that live in colder climates and have a lot of snow or ice. At the end of the warm season, we suggest you wash off the cushions, allow them to dry outside, and then store them until the following year. This is in no way a requirement but will definitely extend the lifespan of your upholstery.
Q & A
Question: What are a few simple upholstery projects to do this Spring?
Answer: When considering reupholstery, the smaller the surface area, the easier the project should be. Keep in mind any intricate details of the upholstered piece, such as tufting or folding.
Question: How do I select yardage for window coverings?
Answer: We believe more is more when it comes to window coverings. In order to create a full and finished look, double the width of the window in material width. This way, when you close the curtains, there is ample fabric to go past each side of the window and create a fuller look.
As for height, this can vary quite a bit depending on window and ceiling height. We suggest hanging your curtain rod between 3-18” above your window. The higher your ceiling, the higher your curtain rod can go. It’s important not to have too much space between the window and the curtain rod, or it will look as if you measured poorly.
It’s better to have too much fabric pooled on the floor than sitting a foot above the ground. You can always hem the material but will have difficulty adding back fabric if not enough has been specified.
Question: How do I know when to DIY an upholstery project compared to paying someone else to do it?
Answer: We all have varying skill levels when it comes to upholstery. A rookie DIY-er should start with reupholstering seat cushions a simple-shaped headboard, and if you’re skilled with a sewing machine, you can handle window coverings or pillows. Keep in mind that these projects require skills and tools that many of us do not have lying around the house.
It’s an important skill in life to know when to outsource work to someone else. We can attempt to complete a project, but sometimes it ends up being time and money down the drain. Have fun with your DIY and when it stops feeling fun or productive, humbly hand it over to a professional; we do this all the time!
Furniture Reupholstery Reimagined
We are constantly seeing design lovers take on new and exciting furniture reupholstery projects and are happy you’ve shown interest as well. Each project is personal, whether you’re updating an antique or recovering your ten-year-old sofa. Sharing our seasonal upholstery ideas has been incredibly fun. We can’t wait to see which projects resonate with you for Spring 2022.