Fabrics & Upholstery
Elevate your home decor beyond the cookie-cutter catalog vibe with the magic of fabrics and upholstery. Start your transformation with the unsung hero: the pillow. A single stripe, pattern, or pop of color can redefine your space. Looking to give Aunt Tilly's chair a facelift? Refresh the fabric! For newbies to the custom fabric game, explore in person at your local designer's mart or fabric shop – feeling the textures is key before making your investment. If that's not an option, I’m sorry to say you have to dive into the abyss of the online fabric search, order samples from some of these gals Joann, Etsy, or Spoonflower.
Raleigh Hills Living Room
These swivel chairs were a white boucle before Teal recovered them in a hand-selected fabric/color that is not going to be matched by your neighbor. The large throws on the couch were also custom-covered. If you can’t find the pillow, chair, etc. you want in stores… make it yourself!
The next step is to bring samples of what “could be” into the space. When selecting the fabric there are a few things to consider:
Durability in terms of furniture upholstery is measured in double rubs. Think of it as the fabric's way of flexing its muscles to prove it can handle the daily grind. You might see something like 15,000 double rubs, or if it's a heavy-duty fabric, it could boast a whopping 100,000 double rubs. It's like the fabric version of bragging rights – the higher the number, the more hardcore the fabric.
Quality fabrics should be resistant to bleeding color onto surrounding pieces or fading from exposure to UV sunlight.
Maintenance is key when considering your options. Is the fabric stain resistant or easy to spot clean? If not, what is the best way to clean the fabric assuming the chair or pillow is not going to be sitting in a museum? Be realistic about your lifestyle and how that impacts the usage of your furniture.
Style and Design is where the fun comes in.
ALWAYS take your samples into the space to see how they play off of the existing textures, colors, and patterns in the room.
When considering patterns, put a smaller pattern repeat next to a larger repeat and mix in the direction or orientation. When putting together a pillow series, layer a solid with a stripe or pattern. Not every pillow needs to scream “look at me!”
Another consideration before you take on a custom fabric or upholstery is our favorite subject: the budget. Does the price per yard fit in the overall budget scope?
Cost of the fabric per yard - you should expect to pay anywhere from $80-$300 per yard for quality fabric.
Amount of fabric for pillow or upholstery - a 24” x 24” square pillow requires approximately 1¾ yards of fabric. For furniture, you need to account for the length, height, AND depth. 5 yards would be a common amount for a small upholstered side chair.
Cost of labor to make the pillow or upholster the furniture - this fee is based on the size of the chair or sofa and the yards needed. Do your research. Read reviews and ask around to ensure your upholsterer can be trusted with the recover. Once they cut and use the fabric, it’s all over.
Raleigh Hills Primary Bedroom
Layering is key! If you are feeling overwhelmed with patterns. Try replicating this bed ratio. The bedframe is neutral with some texture. The shams are another neutral creating some light contrast. The lumbar pillow is the strong accent and is complemented by the blush sheets.
Raleigh Hills Living Room
In the Raleigh Hills living room, I also did custom pillows using a Brentano fabric from ROMO fabrics . Notice how the colors play off of the kitchen while adding contrast through the darker rectangles. They are a great example of investing in a statement piece.
For other fun pillows to add to your space, we love Linen + Cloth. Use code IFPREGFPNP for 10% off all Linen + Cloth purchases
We’ll leave you with a few expert tils for pillow fabric selections:
If you fall in love with a pillow fabric that threatens the budget, use the fancy product for only the front facing of the pillow and find a cost effective solid color that matches for the backside.
Make sure your local upholsterer makes the pillow cover with a zipper or buttons so you can easily remove and clean the fabric.
Whatever size you want your finished pillow to be... The filler you put IN should be 2 inches larger (24 x 24 pillow should be stuffed with 26x26 pillow filler).
Have more fabric and upholstery questions? Message us @tealandscott on Instagram!
Helpful links:
This Pillow Calculator will help you identify how much fabric you need. We encourage you to over-order by ½ yard for some wiggle room.
Whether you are looking for vibrant prints or woven textures to update your living room these ROMO fabrics are high quality with a not so scary price point!
Kelly Wearstler is a queen of the home and has several collabs out there with established fabric lines including one with Groundworks and Lee Jofa. Decorators Best is a good place to browse for lines and collabs.
Hey Portland, grab a designer and run into Kate Ause showroom and get lost in her fabrics, or pop in to the perfect stop for a recover at Kravet Portland.
Affiliate Disclosure: Teal and Wendy hand pick every product they recommend. Some product links are affiliate and may provide a small kickback to T&S at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate they earn from qualifying purchases.
