Question

Mention any two factors affecting the selection of fabrics for home furnishing.

What are the factors to be kept in mind while choosing upholstery furniture?

Answer 1

1. Style: First, the fabric should be in accordance with the style and characteristic of the furnishing. A traditional set of furniture will usually look best with a more traditional fabric style. Second, the scale of the pattern should be appropriate to the room size. As a rule, large repeating patterns look better in larger rooms.
2. Colour: The fabric colour sets the right 'mood' for the room. Fabrics of certain colours may not be the best choice for ensuring durability and stain resistance. If one has toddlers and young children at home, they are probably better off choosing a colour that would not show dirt easily.
3. Durability: Pieces of furniture that are likely to be subjected to heavy wear and tear from daily use need to be covered in tough, durable, and tightly woven fabrics. Fabrics that have their pattern ‘woven in’ will last longer than printed fabrics. E.g, carpets are subjected to a lot of wear and tear. So a strong fabric which offers good abrasion resistance has to be chosen.
4. Thread Count: Thread count refers to the number of threads per square inch of fabric. The higher the thread count, the more tightly woven a fabric is, the better it will wear.
5. Fade Resistant: If the furniture is likely to be exposed to constant direct sunlight, then to reduce the chances of fading, one has to ensure that the fabrics chosen are sunlight resistant.