What fabric sofa is the best for you?

Buying a new fabric sofa is a chance to express your taste, style and even your personality, and fortunately there are an almost infinite number of styles and designs of fabric sofas through which to do so. Not only can you choose the size and model of sofa, and the colour and pattern of the fabric, but you also have access to a myriad of different materials, each with different qualities and textures. From hard-wearing tweed to soft, luxurious silk, there’s always a perfect fabric for your style.

Upholstery Fabrics for Sofas

Perhaps the most popular natural material for fabric sofas is wool. Strong, robust, naturally breathable and stain-resistant, and easy to dye in a beautiful range of colours and patterns, it’s easy to see why. Wool also tends to keep its shape and bounce back when stretched or compressed, so it will last years without look stretched, squashed or crumpled, and this makes it a great choice for heavily-used furniture that still needs to look smart and stylish, such as in a family living room.

Harris Tweed Skye Sofa in Harris Tweed Heather Wool

Another great choice for those who want a natural fabric is cotton. It’s incredibly soft, making it a particularly comfortable choice, and can look fantastic with rich colours and deep texture. Some cottons can be a little less robust than wool, however, especially those with lower thread-count which may be prone to snagging and being damaged by pet claws or sharp buckles and buttons on clothing. This means cotton can be more appropriate for less heavily-used furniture, and for homes without pets.

Kingston Super Grand Sofa in Cotton Linen Blend Chinchilla R8

Perhaps the most luxurious fabric choice for a sofa is silk. It’s cool in summer, warm in winter, it’s soft, feels great, and looks incredible. However, it is unfortunately one of the most fragile fabrics and risks being torn by pet claws, or permanently stained by spills, food or dirty hands or hair. This makes silk a better choice for particularly elegant rooms that are used less frequently and ideally not by children or by pets.

Hornblower 3 Seater in Staunton Damask – Charcoal (Range 6)

You don’t have to go for natural fabrics though; modern artificial microfiber has the advantage of being far more resilient, and less prone to staining or other damage. Like many artificial fabrics it also has shorter nap and are more regular surface, making it less likely that pet hairs will get trapped on the sofa. This makes it far easier to clean and also a better choice for people with allergies.

Studio Lounger Sofa in Lumio Teal Vevlet

Fabric Sofa Options

Fabric sofas are available in all kinds of shapes, sizes and designs. A fabric corner sofa is the perfect way to add a bit of extra seating and maximise space in your living room. They can be pushed into a corner to open up space in the middle of a room, or simply used in place of the more space-consuming sofa and armchair combination.

Darwin Corner Sofa in Habitat Cloud with Mystic Dove Piping

Three-seater fabric sofas are also a great choice for larger rooms; not only big enough to seat a large group comfortable, but also big enough to show off whatever creative and attractive colours and styles you’ve chosen. For smaller spaces, though, most styles of fabric sofa are available as two-seaters and some even as love-seats, so you don’t need to be restricted by the amount of room you have available.

Charnwood Large Sofa in Varese Turquoise R10

Fabric Sofa Colour Palette

Fabric sofas are available in such a wide range of colours, patterns, shades and textures that they can be suited to any interior design style from the classic to the crazy. Even a black or grey fabric sofa can be a great basis for an interior style, though, whether by brightening it up with more exciting colours, or by keeping things contemporary and neutral. Dark sofas really pop when placed on lighter backgrounds, whether on a pale floor or in front of a white or cream wall or curtains.

Ashdown Medium Corner Sofa – Super Grand + Medium Unit in Habitat Sable with Mystic Mink Piping

Alternatively, consider classic colours like brown or cream, which are the perfect base for warm rustic tones set off with orange, yellow or even gold.