There are a lot of reasons upholstered furniture is a great investment for your home. Every home needs some upholstered furniture. It is comfortable, stylish, and attractive in a home. One of the main stressors with upholstered furniture is trying to make it last. Fabric can fade, become damaged, and show signs of wear over time. Discover ways to extend the life of your upholstered furniture.

Keep It Out of Direct Sunlight

Direct sunlight is one of the worst things for upholstery. It can be detrimental to upholstery when exposed over a long period of time. Sun fades fabrics in the same way it can fade the color on carpets and in stained wood flooring. To avoid your fabric fading over time, try to keep it out of direct sunlight for long periods. Sometimes sunlight is unavoidable in different rooms in your home—simply keeping the shades shut or drawing the curtains during peak sunlight hours can help combat this.

Treat Spills and Stains Right Away

There are a lot of upholstered items that are ruined by spills or stains remaining untreated for too long. A spill on upholstered furniture doesn’t have to be a huge deal if treated right away. Most spills won’t even turn into stains if they are closely monitored and properly cleaned up. With upholstered fabric, be sure to dap the spill area with a damp, soft cloth, such as microfiber. If this doesn’t lift the stain, consider using a furniture shampooer to inject a cleaning solution directly into the source of the stain to prevent it from settling or allowing mold or mildew growth.

Cover It for Protection and Style

Furniture covers are perfect for extending the life of your upholstered furniture. Investing in a custom slipcover for your sofa, chair, or other upholstered items is an idea that can prolong the life of your items and make them more stylish. Slipcovers simply attach over the existing upholstery and provide a stylish and easy-to-clean layer of protection. This protects the original fabric from sun damage, spills and stains, and other daily wear and tear issues. Consider investing in a high-quality slipcover for your upholstered furniture so the lifespan is extended, and you can enjoy your items even longer.

Different homes exhibit all sorts of styles. There are the minimalist homes with nothing but the essentials; midcentury modern homes with defined lines and a retro style; and many, many more styles. However, one thing that most styles have in common is wooden furniture. Wood furniture is a great addition to any home. Check out this guide to learn some of the many advantages of wooden furniture.

Wooden furniture is timeless

Wooden furniture is one of the only things that never loses popularity when it comes to home décor and style. The carving or simplicity of wooden furniture design may vary, but the demand for quality solid wood furniture never changes. Wooden furniture is timeless, so it will evolve along with modern trends and your home’s style. It can be a standalone wooden piece or even mixed with upholstery; wood furniture with upholstery is a contemporary trend that adds character to any home. Rather than buying countless trendy pieces, invest in a piece of high-quality solid wood furniture that will last a lifetime—at least. Pro Tip:

It lasts forever

Wooden furniture made of heirloom-quality wood is built to last for decades. It’s designed to last in your home, and you can even pass it on to younger generations if you take care of the piece. You can also easily salvage wooden furniture if it becomes damaged by simply sanding out the damage and refinishing the item. Since wood holds up so well over time, it may be beneficial to consider replacing any upholstered parts of your item. For example, a wooden futon frame may outlast the cushion’s upholstery. This is where a futon cover or slipcover may come in handy.

It’s super-customizable

If you like to revamp your home’s look every few years, you’re not alone. Updating and redecorating a home to keep it feeling fresh and new is a huge trend. Wooden furniture lasts a long time, so you may think it’s the wrong investment if you like to redecorate—but you can actually customize it super easily. If you change your mind on the color of the piece, you can refinish it in a different stain color or even paint it a fun, bright color. All the changes you make are changeable again in the future, so you won’t have to worry if you hate the bright yellow chair after a few years—you can always repaint it. Another fun way to customize the wooden furniture in your home is by investing in colorful slipcovers for the upholstered parts of the items. These are easy to wash and attractive, and they can even be custom-made to fit your item perfectly. Wooden furniture often comes with cushions, and those won’t last nearly as long as your furniture piece. Check out our selection of custom-made slipcovers. Here at Slipcover Shop, we have futon covers, cushion covers, and even outdoor furniture covers.

Autumn is a beautiful time of year. The air is crisp, the trees are changing, and there are tons of fun activities to explore. One thing this time of year indicates, however, is that winter is just around the corner. Soon the days of bonfires, hikes, and apple picking will come to a close and the frost and chill of winter will set in. If you have an outdoor space you need to care for during the winter, there is a lot to prepare for before the cold season hits. Discover how to store outdoor furniture for the winter season.

Bring in Cushions and Other Non-Winterized Items

If possible, you should bring in items that can’t withstand snow, rain, ice, frost, or cold temperatures. Potted plants should be sprayed for bugs and be brought inside until the spring. Cushions on patio or other outdoor furniture should come in as well. These items can easily become stiffened or mold-ridden if left outside and unprotected. Winterizing your outdoor space is also a great opportunity to remove your outdoor cushion covers and wash them. With slipcovers on your outdoor cushions, washing them is a breeze. Bonus Tip: If you don’t have room to store your non-winterized items inside, consider a garage, storage unit, or even a quality deck box to store and protect your items from frost and moisture.

Rearrange Your Outdoor Setup for Impending Weather Changes

Winter can get windy. During the warmer months, it makes sense to have your outdoor area set up for conversation, play, and even bonfires or cookouts; however, in the winter, you most likely won’t be using your space that much. Stack chairs and move your tables and other outdoor furniture items to a central location, such as the corner of a patio or balcony. This helps keep all the items together and reduces the chance of them being blown around in a storm.

Cover the Items You Leave Outside

The items that will remain outdoors for the duration of the winter should be covered by a water-resistant covering such as a tarp or special patio furniture cover. This will help prevent moisture from getting on the items. Moisture can freeze to the furniture and cause rust over time, so it’s best to avoid unnecessary exposure to moisture when possible. There are many options when it comes to storing your outdoor furniture for the winter. Find what works best for you and be sure to winterize before the first frost!

Every house has at least a few pieces of upholstered furniture sitting in the bedroom, living room, dining room, and more. This furniture is comfortable, cozy, and super stylish—but poses issues when damaged. Upholstered furniture may become damaged from pets, children, regular wear and tear, and even damage during a moving process. If you have an upholstered furniture piece that is damaged, faded, or no longer matches your interior décor, discover the differences between reupholstery versus slipcovers to decide which option to choose for your furniture.

Reupholstery

Reupholstery is the process of removing the current upholstery on an item and replacing it with new fabric. This process is an intense remodel of a piece of furniture that takes time and a skilled hand to complete. This process is recommended for highly damaged pieces of furniture with large tears or rips that a slipcover could not successfully hide.

Reupholstery Pros

• Repairs extreme damage to original upholstery
• Completely customizable
• Gives old furniture a more modern look

Reupholstery Cons

• Costly
• Takes a long time to complete
• Potential of disliking the new fabric or the fabric becoming quickly damaged again

Slipcovers

Slipcovers are pieces of fabric that are fitted to cover certain pieces of upholstered furniture. These are simply placed over the furniture item. They can be easily applied and removed, made custom to fit perfectly, and available in any fabric or color. The process is quick and simple, and it covers up old patterns, colors, and minor damage to the original upholstery on a piece.

Slipcover Pros

• Quick turnaround and affordable
• Can be made custom in any color, shape, size, pattern, etc.
• Easy to apply and remove
• Protects upholstery from damage, spills, stains, etc.
• Washable

Slipcover Cons

• Can’t cover major rips
• Non-custom options may fit slightly looser or tighter than intended

There are strong arguments for either side, but only you will know best between whether reupholstery or a slipcover will work best for your home. Many people will choose to invest in reupholstery to fix severely damaged pieces, and choose custom slipcovers to protect their new upholstery and to match their décor perfectly.