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.

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.

Reupholstering vs Replacing

I get asked quite a lot "is it better to re-upholster or replace?"

First of all, if you haven't read this article about imported furniture, then I urge you to do so!

But apart from that issue, what is the best course of action?

It depends! Don't you love that kind of answer? Well it truly does depend on the item(s). Do you have theatre seating that's a safety hazard? Or do you have worn and torn vinyl booths in your restaurant? If it were me, I would probably want to replace the theatre seats (mind you, we might be able to fix them), but when it comes to the vinyl, reupholster it! 

So when would I Replace an Item?

Look at the piece or the pieces and see if it is structurally sound? Is the frame wobbly when you grab the back, do the legs look like they are about to fall off? When you sit down are you practically touching the floor? If the piece is structurally unsound, it's probably better cost effective option to replace. 

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.

What First Impression Are You Giving?

Just imagine you are driving down the road and you see a banged up car in front of you. It has dings and scratches, the back has seen better days and you'd be lucky to even open the door. Now, you see the signage on the car: "Bob's Panelbeating." What thoughts go through your head?

Do you think: 'Wow, they are professionals, look at the fine workmanship on that car!' Or do you think more along the lines of: "If they can't take care of their own vehicles, why on earth should I take my car there?"

I'm sure some would think that it's a 'demonstration model' and it's either designed to get attention or for the panelbeaters to practice on. (Either way, 'Bob' needs to make it clear what he's trying to achieve.)