Skip The Delays: Make Your Sofa Like New Today

We get it. It’s SUPER frustrating. 

Yes, it’s true that there are supply chain issues with everything from furniture to computer chips to wood chips. But just because the “chips” are down doesn’t mean you have to be! (Couldn’t resist.) 

You’ve just spent more time at home than you ever have before. And you’ve come to realize that — for sure — your furniture is not quite what you’d like it to be. But now there’s no way to fix that promptly?!

You’re not wrong. That stinks. But there’s good news. 

In the spirit of taking a bit of a “glass-half-full” approach to the current delays in getting new furniture, we thought this would be a great time to revisit one of our favorite topics — reupholstery. 

Your favorite furniture CAN be refreshed, renewed, or repaired. And without delay.

We like to say that reupholstering allows you to refurbish your furniture from yikes to likes! Today we’ll focus on sofas and couches.

We’ll give you a quick review of the process and some resources for whatever approach you’d like to take to get you started — all just a click away. 

Consider this a refresher for your brain and not just your furniture. Let’s dig in.

Choose The Right Piece For Reupholstery

If you’re torn over that tear in your precious, vintage, heirloom, or antique piece of furniture, don’t despair–just think “repair.” 

Time to let your imagination run free. Maybe you do want to bring that family treasure back to life. Or perhaps take a piece whose style has seen its day and bring it from drab to fab. Or get adventurous and create some one-of-a-kind eclectic piece that’s just your style. The options are endless.

(Side note: This “supply chain delays” problem not only gives you an excuse to refresh a space and revive a favorite piece of furniture but also reupholstering is a fantastic path to greater environmental sustainability — repurposing instead of repurchasing. Win meet win!)

How do you start? Choose your piece.

Just like when you were deciding which chair to reimagine, this part is pretty simple:

Step 1:

Look around your home or office.

Step 2: 

Decide which sofa(s) you’d like to refresh by reupholstering.

Step 3:

Give it a wiggle and a jiggle — technical terms. Seriously though, the idea here is to check that the sofa is still structurally sound. Too much wiggle? Then maybe not (or it just may need some reinforcing). Little to no jiggle? You’re good to go.

Choosing The Right Fabric For Your Sofa

This can be fun! This is when you get to decide exactly how you’d like to feel when you walk into your space and find your refreshed sofa inviting you to settle in.

Mostly, this part comes down to two questions:

• How will your sofa be used? Does the fabric need to be extra durable Crypton? Should it be easy-to-clean leather or soft luxurious velvet?

• What fabric brings you the most joy (texture, color, etc.)?

At the end of the day, you want your furniture to be functional for how you live AND feel like a couch you can love.  

We find the thorough walkthrough of how to choose your fabric that designer Jackie Glass offers to be a super helpful quick guide. You’ll find that your project doesn’t have to cost a lot either! As always, we recommend approaching this a bit playfully. This is a moment of re-do, after all. Take the opportunity to make an informed but also inspired choice. 

The right fabric can help preserve years or decades of memories and make your favorite piece look as good as new or as good as “old.” 

Browse through KOVI’s huge selection of fabrics, and you’ll be sure to find one that fits your needs and budget. From the luster and snuggle of velvet to the durability of Crypton fabrics, the character and richness of leather, and all points in between. We’ve got you.

Measuring Your Sofa For Reupholstery

Next up is measuring up. Let’s touch on some easy steps to follow regardless of what piece you’re measuring:

Break it down

Think of your sofa as parts and panels. Measuring comes down to measuring every panel: back, sides, bottom, front, etc. Same for removable cushions, measure each panel. 

Write it down

Show your work. Apologies if that triggered you and you’re suddenly having middle school flashbacks. But, for real, this is the math we’re doing. So write it down. 

And don’t be afraid to write on your sofa as well (pro tip: use chalk — it keeps you organized and is easily removed). Give each panel a name or letter. Write it down. Add it up. 

Lay it out

As we covered in detail in the Measuring 101 post, most fabric rolls are 54 inches wide. Once you have your numbers, lay them out on roll-on paper, mixing and matching panel measurements to best use the 54 inches. Then you’ll have a good estimate of how many yards of fabric to order.

There are loads of how-to videos to help walk you through this. Here’s one from Neil at FaceLift Interiors you might find helpful. (Yes, he’s working with an armchair, but just as with our Measuring 101 post, the same rules apply.)

More is less. 

You don’t want to run short and risk any inconsistencies in fabric dye lots (even more so with leather). So always add a bit more than you think you’ll need. 

Case in point? While you’ll be measuring the surface of your sofa, your fabric will likely need a few more inches all the way around to properly stretch and secure it. So, more is less. Work to save money but not at the expense of falling short.

Reupholstery How-to Options

You’ve chosen which sofa to refresh, picked your fabric, and measured to order what you need. Well done. Now how do you want to do this? There’s a huge spectrum of possibilities.

Bottom line: this is a bit of a choose-your-own-adventure moment. The basic question is about time versus money. Do it yourself or hire someone? 

If your goal is for your sofa to look furniture floor room fresh, you can do it independently, but it will require time and effort. Up for the adventure? Great! We found you a SUPER thorough 3-part how-to reupholster your own sectional sofa from how-to YouTuber Ashley Sorrells. And you’ll find plenty more videos and resources curated throughout KOVI’s blog.

Or, to get that crisp “like new” look, you may want to hire a professional upholsterer. KOVI now offers a concierge service, which is a proprietary trade directory of upholstery and design professionals that we can recommend based on your zip code.

If quick, affordable, and done is what you’re after, then you’ll want to think about slipcovers. A well-done slipcover gives you all the charm and energy of reupholstery without the potential expense or effort. You’re all measured up and ready. Check out our sofa slipcover post taking you through various DIY options.

Or forget the sew or no-sew question and click on a renewed sofa instead. Head over here, and we’ll get you to a KOVI custom slipcover.

We’re Here To Help

We hope this review was a helpful primer. Yes, delays are gumming up access to new things and the new life you’re ready for. But your furniture doesn’t have to be one of them. 

With just a little dreaming and the exact amount of doing that fits your lifestyle, you can renew and reinvent your furniture today. Isn’t it time for your favorite sitting spot to look as good as it feels again?
You can do it. We can help. Give us a call or drop us a line today.