Upholstery is an investment, and thinking about how you live can help you narrow down the choices and ensure that what you choose meets your needs for years to come. So what are some of the questions to ask yourself when selecting a fabric?

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• How frequently will the piece be used? Durability is a key factor in choosing the right fabric. High traffic items like the family sofa or dinning chairs will need tougher fabric than a lightly used statement chair, or headboard.  Think about who will use the piece, and how often?  

• Children, pets, or a partner prone to spills?  Fabrics with stain resistance, in darker colours, or with a small pattern can help to disguise marks, and keep things looking fresh.

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• What does the room need? After the practicalities, it's time to think about  how you want the piece to look and feel.  What's in the room already?  Lot's of solids and neutrals? Maybe a bold accent colour, or statement pattern?  Is it an anchor piece like a sofa? Perhaps a plain that will age well on which you can build interest with throws and cushions.  Mixing textures like velvet, linen, and leather is a great way to add interest while tying together an existing colour palette or creating a contrasting scheme.  

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• How will the fabric work with the size, shape and age of the chair? Before you fall in love with a fabric, think about how it will be upholstered on to your item. Is your piece big enough to make the most of the pattern? Are there features such as buttoning where details may be lost? Geometrics and stripes may not work as well on a piece with lot's of curves or ornate shapes. Does the fabric suit the age of the piece? Florals on mid century chair would be an unusual choice, but a contemporary fabric on traditional chair can really modernise a piece. 

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