How many leather hides do I need to buy?

When you are getting a lounge suite covered in leather, you need to figure out how many hides you will need. Leather comes per hide, not on a roll from your local fabric store. That means it takes a little brain power to determine the number of hides you need to buy. In general, it's assumed that each hide will give you approximately 4.75 square metres of leather, but how does that translate to how many I need for my lounge suite?

Here are some basics so you can get a better idea of what you might need, but check with your upholsterer to confirm you will have enough for your project before buying. It is likely however, that your upholsterer has their own source on getting hides. So check that the deal you're getting is in fact better than what your upholsterer would be able to get within the trade. 

Upholstery and Headboards

Upholstery is more than just sofa's and chairs. You can pretty much upholstery anything really, but it still needs to be functional of course. 

Cute upholstered drawers

Trends with Upholstery

Upholstery is just like every other fashionable entity, it too follows the trends, but it is not as dramatic as clothing trends. The changes are often subtle, but you will notice them if you look in design magazines and online.

So what's 'on trend' at the moment?

Fabrics

• A lot of the 'new' has to do with fabric choice, with stripes and geometric shapes such as chevron and herringbone being big favourites, but there is also Aztec and Asian influences too.
• 'Occasional' chairs are often be upholstered in a 'wow' fabric which complement other more classic furniture.
• Wrapping furniture. Not technically upholstery, but something that is coming up more and more, is furniture 'wrapped' in fabrics such as linen, leather or raffia. It is an interesting element when done well. often this is paired up with the use of studs.
• Different patterns in the same colour. You will see something like gold used, and it will be used in a chevron print, a dot print, and a floral. So it looks interesting but not overpowering.
• A fabric that has been popular for a long time, continues to do so - plain natural linen. 

Pops of colour

• This is probably influenced by web sites such as Pinterest and StumbleUpon, where brightly coloured furniture such as chairs and dressers sit amongst other more traditionally coloured furniture.
• Jewel colours are popular with deep emeralds, amethyst and amber being the top favourites.

Design Lines

• Straight precise lines that are classic in style with details in stitching, piping, studs and deep buttoning. This makes sense as you try and purchase furniture that will last a long time. If you get a piece that you love the lines of, when you are no long run love with the colour you can reupholster it, and it will feel new again.
• Pieces that are polar right now are sleek sofas with low backs  which are coupled with deep seats and ottomans.

So what do you think? Do you like the idea of these trends? Or do you try and stay away from what's 'in' and stick to the classics? 

Choosing a Couch - a Great Couch

A great couch is something everyone can enjoy.

If you're going to buy a couch, go for gold and buy a great couch. Finding a great one means you need to be aware of a few details. Only then can you decide if it's the one for you.

But before you head out the door, think about what you are looking for. The style the shape, the size, colour, texture and don't forget to measure out the size that you are looking for. Everything seems smaller in a huge warehouse, so don't make the mistake of thinking 'that will fit, it doesn't look that big', only to get it home and it takes up over half the living room.

So here's what to look for:

Success Vs Failure: It's in the details.

So you've had a piece upholstered - either you've done it yourself or you've had a professional do it. Well it's not quite right and you don't think it's been a screaming success. Do you know what the problem is?

It is likely the the problem lies in the details. The devil really is in the details when it come to upholstery.  Here's some areas that may have needed some more attention:

Wrong type of fabric for piece - Was the fabric the right choice? Did you decide to use a fairly lightweight fabric when what was needed was a durable fabric that would withstand a lot of wear and tear? Just because a fabric looks good, doesn't mean that it will automatically work on your piece of furniture. This is especially true in a business setting, because you know durability and maintenance are what should be your priorities.

If you MUST DIY here's some tips.

Last week we talked about  deciding whether to bring in a professional upholsterer or if you should try doing upholstery yourself.

Well if you have decided that your piece is ok to have a go at yourself, then here's a few tips to get you started.

Fabric

The Repeat

What is a repeat and what does that have to do with my furniture?

A full repeat

The repeat is the size of the pattern of your fabric. This is measured both vertically and horizontally. In the above image you see the 9 flowers  - this is the whole 'repeat' since each line is different. These 9 flowers will be 'repeated' though out the fabric. Therefore, you need to measure 3 flowers across and 3 high to get the size of the repeat.

How to make your upholstered furniture look cheap.

I think we've all seen those pieces of furniture. They initially look good, but something is a bit off that makes it look more 'home made' than professional. Do you know what it is?

It's the mismatched fabric pattern.

This tropical chair looks great, the chair is a lovely style, the fabric looks inviting, but look closely at the box cushion. 

How to choose patterned fabric for your upholstery.

When you are getting a piece of furniture custom made or reupholstered the fabric will determine the look and feel of the piece. Do you want the finished product to look crisp with clean lines, or something more cosy and inviting?

The fabric you choose will determine what the end result will be.

Once you have decided on what feel you are going for with your furniture, then you can think about plain or patterned fabric.

Patterns are fun and inviting, but you do have to know what you are doing with the fabric. This is where your upholsterer will be able to guide you. This is what upholsterers do everyday, so they can help you decide what fabric will create the look you are going for.

If you have decided on a patterned fabric (lets not even talk about colors, that is a whole separate post!), then you need to consider a few more points:

How much fabric do I need?

When you are looking at reupholstering a piece of furniture, how much fabric it will take?

Well if you are using a professional upholster, they will take care of that for you. They will be able to recommend the right fabric for the piece and how much fabric is required. The upholsterer will also provide you with options for what fabric to use. Remember, not all fabric is created equal. If you purchase the fabric yourself, you need to be aware that there maybe flaws in the fabric you choose. This is especially true if you purchase the fabric at a discounted rate. You may not notice it when you unroll the bolt of fabric about 1/2 a metre or so,So go for gold and unroll  4 or 5 metres and lay it out and inspect it.  You may find that there a pulls, stains, holes even. If that is the case, you need to decide if it's worth the lower price, or how you can work around it. If your upholstered piece is going to be your  pride and joy then you do need to to inspect your fabric, and discard anything that is not perfect.

Outdoor Upholstery Fabric.

What is so special about outdoor upholstery fabric?

A lot actually. It is designed to withstand the elements while looking great and giving you some  additional visual interest to your outdoor setting.

Outdoor upholstery fabric manufacturers know that the fabric will be baked in the sun and pummelled with the rain and wind and still has to look good. It's not meant to be indestructible by any means, but it is designed to withstand this treatment for a good long time.

How to Clean Velour Fabric Furniture

Velour fabric is a popular choice for furniture, it looks good and feels great but also needs to be looked after properly.

I thought it was wise to tell you how to keep it clean, because there are a few tricks you may not know. Follow these cleaning tips and your velour will stay in great condition.

How much is it going to cost?

The number one question I get asked is "how much will it cost?" My answer is usually some variation on: "Well that depends!"

Something that may seem straight forward such as repairing a tear in banquet seating, may turn into a much bigger job if the fabric/vinyl or leather is in a state where repair is not advisable (i.e. will create more issues in the long run). Admittedly this doesn't happen often, but until we know more about the item it's hard to know.

So when you call to ask for a 'general idea' on how much things will cost, we can only give you a rough guide. It is not until we are physically looking at the items(s) that we will be able to give you an estimate.

You can go to our website where you will find a place to input measurements and if possible attach a photo of what it is you would like worked on, this helps immensely in giving you a better ballpark figure.  

Cost is determined by:

• Fabric choice and quantity
• Labour  - is it a full re upholstery of a piece or a small repair
• Supplies - foam, thread etc

We will charge whatever amount it takes to do the job right! The last thing either of us want, is for the job to be repeated. We won't overcharge you, we charge a fair price for a fantastic job! 

If you feel the estimated price is too high we may have to ask you "What part of the job would you like us to leave out?" Then we can come to some arrangement where we might be able to lower the quality foam or fabric to adjust the price. Or we might be able find some other option that might work. 

We don't cut corners, because your upholstery has to withstand the rigours of your business. Rest assured, the price we charge is fair and not inflated. Call us on 0800 698 746 and we can discuss further. 

Do you have other questions you would like to ask? Leave a comment and I will be happy to answer them.

Fabric and the Environment

Environmental issues are very real, and everything we do has some kind of impact on the environment, so where does upholstery fit in? 

There are many parts of an upholstery project which can have an environmental impact, from foam, glue, webbing, wood and fabric. 

WoJo fabric in 'action'

Lets talk about fabric.

We are lucky in New Zealand, we have fantastic options such as The Formary. They are known for their using industrial waste and turning it into some other usable product. In one case they've created a fabric called WoJo which is a textile created from Starbucks coffee sacks mixed with New Zealand wool. The end result is a unique fabric that is easy on the environment and fantastic to use. UFO were lucky enough to be involved in using this product for the first time in New Zealand.

Choosing the Right Fabric

There are many factors that you need to think about before deciding on the right fabric for your business. First of all we need to determine what business you are in. Are you in a Law office, a high traffic fast food franchise, or a 5-star restaurant? Once we know that then we can get to the next steps.

Durability

• This may be the key factor in selecting fabrics for a business. If you run a restaurant, then you need fabrics that withstand a good amount of abuse. In an office environment you also need durability, but you will have more choices, because the traffic won't be as high. 
• You want to minimise the number of rips and tears that the seating will endure, this is can be a common occurrence in restaurants. This is the key to minimising ongoing maintenance costs.

Looking After Your Upholstery

You spent good money fitting out your business with fantastic looking upholstery, but how do you look after it and make sure that it stays looking as crisp and clean as the day it was 'upholstered'?

First of all you need to look at the furniture, is it leather or vinyl banquet seating, fabric upholstered chairs, or the couches in the lunch room?  Each of them need to be treated differently. 

The following tips can be passed onto your cleaners, posted in your lunchroom or sent out to individual branch managers or franchise owners.

Here are a few things to keep in mind.