Which Sofa Materials Should You Choose?

When buying furniture, it is important that you choose the materials appropriately.  The material will be your gauge for its strength as well as the duration of the furniture.

However, you also must include other factors when choosing the sofa material such as presence of children and pets, the users and their built, the cleaning time and the frequency of use.

The different sofa materials

Natural materials.  Falling under this category is cotton.   They used to rip off easily but modern technology has made them more durable.   

Manmade materials.  These are stronger than natural fibers.  They do not easily get dirty and are stain resistant.   Included in this category are the nylon blends, polyester blends and rayon.  Nylon defies dust and smears.  Polyester is easier to clean but the most cost-efficient is rayon.  Rayon does not easily fade even exposed under direct sunlight, is soft and does not easily deteriorate.

Microfiber materials.  These materials are recommended with children and pets around.  They defy blemishes and dirt; hence, it suits a busy household.  They are also durable.  If you have a member of your family with allergy, choose microfiber sofas. 

Leather materials.  These are the best choices as they are hard-wearing and sure to last for a long time.  Maintenance is easy.  Full leather grain is expensive but other grains are cheaper.

Silky materials that are closely weaved are a perfect choice for a busy living room.  Choose the more closely weaved, as they are stronger.  

Do not choose materials that feature raised upholstered patterns, as they tear off quickly.   

Prices of furniture may differ with the materials used.  Nevertheless, always consider the durability over the price.  Saving a few dollars may only mean spending more in the end.  Remember, buying furniture must not be taken for granted.  Quality and durability are the most important elements that you need to look into first before the price.

Plants for your Living Room

Furniture is not the only thing that can make a living room look lively. Having plants in this room can do the same and help improve your health and well-being. Apart from that, fans, air-conditioning and even purifiers can sometimes get the moisture out of the living room. The arid and dry air lingers in the room and may cause your skin to itch and get dry, too.



If you want to have plants in the living room, then you will be glad to know that there are plants that are great for indoors and not to mention easy to care for.



For natural sources of fresh oxygen at home, have Boston Ferns to have the right amount of moisture in the living room as well as to keep you cool. The blade-like leaves of this plant sway gently with every breeze. Its apple green color is especially pleasing to the eyes to help relieve eyestrain. It needs sunlight but make sure you do not expose it directly under the sun and water it enough to keep the soil moist. Water it just enough to keep the soil moist.



The Peace Lily is a combination of white-colored flowers and dark green leaves. Its white blooms eliminate up to 60% of the germs in the air. This plant helps extinguish harmful chemicals in the air that can be very helpful especially for people who are allergic to pollens and various irritants carried by the air. Give it the right amount of natural light and water the soil when dry. Spray it every now and then to keep the leaves moist and alive. This will encourage the flowers to grow more beautifully.



The Spider Plant is one of the most impressive when it comes to eliminating toxins and allergens in the air. Its record says that it can get rid of 90% of the irritants present in the air in a span of 48 hours. This plant extinguishes such toxins like carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, and germs. It looks like the Boston Fern with its healthy, blade-like, green leaves except that the Spider Plant is also available in other colors. This is perfect for you if you do not have much time watering plants. Water it every 14 days and get it expose to indirect sunlight.



Hang the English Ivy in a pot as it is like an orchid that needs a fence for support. For those with allergic rhinitis and asthma, this plant will be your best friend extinguishing up to 60% of the allergens and irritants in the air in only 6 hours. Give it sufficient sunlight and keep its soil moist for it to live well.



NASA accredits the Heart Leaf Philodendron as an effective solution to combat the presence of formaldehyde in the air. With leaves shaped like a heart, it is also known as the Sweetheart Plant. The Heart Leaf Philodendron can stand any kind of lighting and keeping the soil moist is the key to make it grow beautifully. Do not water it too much though as the plant may die.



The Mother-in-Law's Tongue or Snake Plant is for those who are not good in taking care of plants. You can leave it as is for days and yet it remains alive and growing. Like all the aforementioned plants, it gives you a cleaner air for breathing. It also has strong sword-like leaves that need a regular watering each week and is fine with any amount of sunlight.



You have many choices when it comes to the plants that you can place inside the home. Pick one that will look good in the living room and serve your needs. It is still best to have a touch of nature and freshness inside the home. A good choice of living room furniture and blending it with other fixtures, the wall color and adding plants will definitely make staying in this room a pleasant experience.

The Right Fabric for Your Living Room Sofa

Living room sofas are made from two major kinds of fabrics. The knowledge and understanding of the distinctions between these fabrics will help you decide which is more suitable in your home.

Natural materials used for living room sofa are cotton, linen, rayon, wool and silk. These materials are so comfortable because of the additional and adequate padding although maintaining them takes a bit extra time. Changes in temperature can mess them up so take care not to expose them too much under the sun. They gather mold on damp weathers, too.

Synthetic materials used for living room sofa are nylon, polyester and olefin. They are durable and defy stains but are not comfy. The olefin and nylon materials, though, are prone to sun damage so it is advised to glaze your windows. Pilling can occur if weighty people sit on them.

Since both have their own downsides, manufacturers have elected to mix the good characteristics of these two materials that gave birth to microfibers. Microfibers are a mixture of cotton and wool or polyesters and acrylics. Being soft and cheap, microfibers became popular apart from it does not pill quickly.



Another material used for living room sofa are velvet, chenille and boucle classified as pile fabrics. These materials can conceal dirt and withstand wear and tear. The mixture of twill and denim is recommended for daily use and is more convenient while noticeable marks can be seen from cotton velvet as well as it depreciates easily.

The best thing to do if you are on the verge of looking for the right material for your furniture sofa is to consider these other factors:

1. Durability especially from external elements
2. The manner it was woven such as cotton, denim with 20% polyester or ultra suede
3. Test the thread count by taking an ample amount of swatches at the edges and tap it hard. It is excellent if it lengthens.
4. Check on the cost of the furniture. Make a survey through catalogs, magazine and the internet.



Request for some swatches to bring home so you can see which is suitable. Always remember that living room sofas need to be resilient and durable.