{"id":919,"date":"2020-08-18T18:51:01","date_gmt":"2020-08-18T18:51:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.theinside.com\/blog\/?p=919"},"modified":"2021-12-20T22:37:20","modified_gmt":"2021-12-20T22:37:20","slug":"what-is-upholstered-furniture","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.theinside.com\/blog\/what-is-upholstered-furniture\/","title":{"rendered":"What is Upholstered Furniture?"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s more likely than not that you\u2019ve sat on \u2013 if not owned \u2013 quite a bit of upholstered furniture<\/a>. It\u2019s cushioned, soft and versatile, not to mention found in just about any living space, from the bed to the dining chairs<\/a> to the sofa. But if you\u2019re like us, you may be curious to learn a little bit more about what\u2019s beneath the surface, and why upholstery is so popular.<\/p>\n

In this post, we\u2019ll outline the basics of what constitutes upholstered furniture, walk through a quick bit of design history, highlight a few benefits, and guide in you choosing an upholstery fabric to best fit your lifestyle. Here we go!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Shop the look: Slipper Chairs in Tusk Doro<\/a> | Photo credit: @alireevedesign<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Upholstered Furniture: The Basics<\/strong><\/h2>\n

First things first: what falls into the category of \u201cupholstery\u201d? In its most basic form, upholstery refers to the materials, including the padding, webbing, coil springs, polyurethane foam and fabric that make up the soft coverings of furniture.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Cross-section of an upholstered chair <\/em>| Photo Credit: Benjamin D. Esham \/ Wikimedia Commons<\/em><\/p>\n

These soft coverings often provide cushioning for sitting (in the case of seat cushions on a chair or sofa) for added comfort, saving us from having to stretch out and rest on an exposed wood couch at the end of a long day.<\/p>\n

Upholstery: A Quick History<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\u200bThe word \u201cupholstery\u201d dates all the way back to the Middle Ages, and is derived from the Middle English word \u201cupholder,\u201d which referred to a tradesman or artisan who held up their goods. At the very outset, upholsterers would affix animal skins to a wooden framework using nails. That practice eventually evolved to include padding, loose cushions and pillows that were stuffed with materials like animal hair (typically horsehair).<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Armchair, designed in 1869 |<\/em>\u00a0Photo credit: George J. Hunzinger – Brooklyn Museum<\/em><\/p>\n

While upholsters in the medieval times focused on mattresses and wall hangings, the 17th<\/sup> century introduced beds \u2013 and eventually sofas and chairs<\/a> \u2013 that were draped in ornate fabrics such as velvet and silk. The 18th<\/sup> century saw the introduction of springs into the upholstery, making an upholstered piece more cushioned and resilient. In the 19th<\/sup> century, the Industrial Revolution sparked the development of machine-woven fabrics, chemical dyes and printed cotton. But despite all this innovation, the 20th<\/sup> century is really when modern upholstery techniques cropped up, with the development of synthetic fibers, dirt and liquid retardants, plywood, and more.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Upholstered Furniture: The Benefits<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Upholstered furniture has steadily grown in popularity over the past several centuries for a number of reasons.<\/p>\n

For one, softness. <\/strong>Upholstery adds a lovely visual softness to any room. Whether it\u2019s your bed or your sofa, the cushioned fabric gives off a warm and cozy vibe, practically begging you to snuggle in.<\/p>\n

The comfort factor is major. <\/strong>It almost goes without saying that an upholstered sofa or chair is likely preferable to a wooden sofa, particularly if you plan to spend any more than 5 minutes on it. But many people have a bigger question around wood vs. upholstered beds. See our full guide on that here<\/a>. In summary, if you\u2019re big on watching TV, reading, or sitting up and chatting in bed before you go to sleep or when you first wake up, the upholstered headboard is a must, providing that extra cushion so you don\u2019t need to create a makeshift headboard out of your extra pillows.<\/p>\n

Upholstery is unmatched in versatility. <\/strong>This benefit is our personal favorite \u2013 upholstered furniture is incredibly, and easily, customizable on multiple different dimensions: shape, color and fabric.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Shop the look: Cocktail Ottoman in Banana Palm<\/a> | Photo credit: @eiffeltyler<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n