Upholstery is one of the most important furniture features in your home. It is the key decision when thinking about adding a chair, a sofa or maybe a sectional where we want to relax.
Sometimes you just want to sit back as you enjoy your family or friends, or maybe you want to relax and watch a movie, or maybe you want to take a nap. No matter the use, you want comfortable seating.
I work with many clients who invested in expensive upholstery years ago. They hate the idea to throw out their perfectly good sofa only to replace it with another expensive sofa and they are well aware that you get what you pay for. If they purchase a less expensive sofa, they know it will need to be replaced sooner than the last one they had.
Sometimes my clients ask me to give them options. They can replace their sofa with a high end replacement, replace it with a foreign made “cheap” sofa or they can recover the sofa they have.
Let’s consider the options.
If they replace their sofa with a high end product, they will have many options to choose from. The cost could be anywhere from $2,500 to $8,000. It all depends on the type of springs and webbing underneath the cushions.
The total cost also depends on the type of wood used for the frame. Cushion inserts also come into play and there is a basic fill, usually a firm foam, sometimes wrapped in a layer of polyester fill.
Aging persons tend to like this more rigid and firm seat. It is easier for them to sit and to get back on their feet. Another cushion option is a foam core wrapped in a more lush polyester fill. Then there is a foam core wrapped in feather down.
Selecting the perfect fabric also offers many options if you are purchasing a higher end product. Performance fabrics have come a long way and you can find a luxurious and beautiful fabric that will also be easy to maintain. These higher end sofas are custom made and really fun to build if it fits into your budget.
There are many styles to choose from including arm styles, skirt or no skirt, leg style and color as well as several seat cushions versus a single, bench seat option.
If they replace their sofa with an inexpensive replacement they will find they are more limited in their options, as it will not be a custom made product. The cost runs between around $1,500 to $4,000 and these sofas usually come as they are shown. No options where arm style, cushion sizes or inserts , or where fabric choices are concerned.
For a secondary space, these types of sofas usually work really well. But if you are choosy about your sofa, you will be disappointed in the long run.
Recovering a sofa seems to be what most people think is the best option, especially if they have a sofa that was a name brand and expensive when they first purchased it.
Let me help you break down the cost of this. Generally you will need around 18 yards of fabric, and, depending on your budget, there are many options.
The sky is the limit!
There are many great performance fabrics that cost around $40 a yard. Doing the math, that is around $800 and includes shipping for the fabric.
An upholsterer will charge around $1,000 to pick up your sofa, recover it, and return it with the new fabric. Therefore, you are looking at around $1,800 as a starting point to recover your sofa. However, more expensive fabrics, such as a popular cut velvet can cost around $80 a yard.
You can also add or delete a skirt depending on your desired style. If your cushions need some added filling, this could cost a little more. If you have nail head that needs to be removed or added, the labor cost will be more. Also keep in mind that sometimes you can just recover the frame of the sofa or the cushions. You just need to find a coordinating fabric that works with the fabric you will keep.
I sometimes remind clients that if they are replacing something that maybe they should do something different than what they had before so that their new piece really feels new.
It could be a change from a sofa to a sectional or at least a sofa with an attached chaise. Or maybe instead of a sectional, then a change to sofa and a loveseat.
And we all know I love to add swivel chairs when possible!
