- Sizing and Measurements
Determining the appropriate size for your furniture is very important. There are a number of factors you should consider when making these custom decisions.
- How you sit and feel in a piece of furniture will determine your overall comfort. Get out a tape measure and test different sizes of furniture before ordering.
- Measure the door openings and hallways leading to your room before you order.
- Preview the delivery path from your entry door to where the furniture will be placed. Beware of sharp turns, narrow openings, elevators, stairways or any barriers.
- To ensure good traffic flow within a room, as a general rule, allow approximately three feet of clearance on each side of your furniture for circulation and end tables.
- Care and Protection
- Fabric Care
- Vacuum upholstery and slipcovers at least twice a month. Furniture in high-traffic areas such as family rooms will require more frequent care. Normal use of furniture leaves dust and dirt on the textile surface. Left unattended, this everyday dirt will make your furniture difficult or impossible to clean. Regular maintenance and cleaning keeps this everyday dirt from setting, which prolongs the life and new appearance of your fabric.
Sun and Heat: To keep your upholstery looking its best, avoid placing it in direct sunlight or near a heat source like radiators or vents. Sun and heat fade fabric colors and deteriorate textile fibers. Darker colors and finer weaves are particularly susceptible to the effects of sun and heat. If upholstered furniture must sit in direct sunlight or near a heat vent we recommend you select heavyweight neutral cottons or blends to minimize deterioration.
Spots, Spills and Stains: The dye found in a colored cloth or towel can bleed onto your textile during the cleaning process. Keep a clean white cotton cloth or towel handy for spills. Immediately blot spills with the dry towel. Don’t rub spills, as this tends to spread the stain and weaken the textile. Have all stains professionally cleaned immediately. If you allow time to pass before having a stain cleaned, the stain may set permanently.
Fabric Stain Protection: Most textiles are lightly treated with stain protection at the mill to provide some protection against stains. However, fabric guards that offer effective stain protection need to be reapplied frequently. If you want maximum stain protection for slipcovers, you’ll need to apply fabric guard after every washing.
Washable Slipcover Care:
If you have children or pets, slipcovers are a great option. When slipcovers need cleaning you can simply run them through the washer. If your slipcover has not been pre-washed, washing may change the appearance and fit significantly. So, you’ll want to dry-clean a slipcover that has not been pre-washed. Here are a few rules to keep your slipcover looking its best:- Do not wash portions of your Slipcover at different times. If you wash the pillows more often than the body, the pillows may fade at a different rate.
- Slipcovers on larger pieces like sofas and daybeds can be too large for regular home washing machines, and you’ll need to use a commercial, triple load washer with cold water and mild detergent.
- Do not line dry slipcovers. Most slipcovers are so heavy when wet
- Dry slipcovers in a commercial, triple load dryer on a low setting. Constantly check the slipcovers to make sure they are drying evenly. When they are just slightly damp, reinstall them to minimize wrinkling.
Leather Care:
Leather is a durable, natural material that will improve with age. But, leather can stain and requires some care. Blot spills immediately with a dry, white cloth and remove as much of the moisture as you can. If the stain doesn’t lift out, have the leather professionally cleaned immediately. Nubuck leathers can be treated and cared for with a suede brush, available from most shoe-repair shops.Avoid supermarket cleaning agents or solvents. Some of these products can permanently set stains making them impossible to clean.
- Fabric Care
See the Basics of Upholstered Furniture Construction.
Read about the Padding, Cushions, and Fabrics of quality Upholstered Furniture.