Keeping Covered - Upholstery Guidelines
by Marla J. Ottenstein

   During the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, “stuffing,” as upholstery was once called, was essential to the royal family’s comfort. As one of the oldest charters in the City of London’s Guilds and Liveries Companies, upholstery originated from the tent-making trade as far back as A.D. 1465. The title “journeyman upholsterer” was an enviable recognition and although technological advancements abound, upholsterers continue to be esteemed craftsmen.
   Upholstered furniture sets the tone for a room. No matter what the design style, traditional, contemporary or somewhere in between, there are two fundamental elements: the assembly, which is comprised of the frame, spring construction, deck, seat and back cushions, and the upholstery fabric. The most important thing is to remember that comfort is paramount. No matter how beautifully upholstered the piece, if it’s not comfortable, it won’t be used.
   According to Michael Scott, senior design director for Romanza Interior Design of Naples, “When considering upholstered furniture, it is crucial that the base construction be rock-solid. It’s preferable to have a kiln-dried hardwood frame that is glued and double-doweled with a corner block, versus having the pieces simply glued and screwed together. Look for solid, one-piece construction where the leg is part of the actual frame and not separately attached. And finally, look for ‘8-way hand-tied’ spring construction below the deck where steel rings are individually tied together and then tied to the frame, providing optimum strength. Although most upholstered furniture has at least one of these components, the perfect piece of furniture would have them all.”
   The internal “spring construction” is the assembly below the deck and within the frame that predicates the level of comfort and the amount of weight the frame can hold. Because different furniture profiles demand different construction and support, various systems can be employed. The three most accepted systems are: the 8-way hand-tied system, drop-in coils, or webbing.
   Although the most expensive, 8-way hand-tied is considered to be the best for durability and support, but there are other options. An equally durable but a more affordable alternative is the “drop-in coil” system. This is a pre-constructed piece that drops into each section of seating within the frame and is then tied to the frame itself.The size of the unit depends upon the design of the furniture, as well as the size of the seating area. Both of these spring-construction systems are wrapped with foam and other materials and then covered in muslin.
   Spring construction depends upon the design element of the furniture, as well as individual preference. Where the design lends itself to different engineering treatments, such as a sleek, low-profile contemporary piece, there may be no room for the 8-way or drop-in coil systems, thus necessitating the crisscrossing of resilient, synthetic strips of webbing, which are strapped around the frame. This is an extremely strong system frequently used by European manufacturers.
   There are several options for the actual seat cushioning, but the majority of upholstered furniture applies one of three methods, depending upon the silhouette of the piece, as well as the comfort and durability specifications of the client.The most sophisticated and comfortable, but also requiring the most maintenance is the 100 percent down cushion, where a combination of duck feathers and goose down is blown into baffle-channel bags providing maximum comfort.
   Next comes the comfortable and easy to maintain spring down cushion where the individual coils are wrapped inside “socks” of foam. Enveloping the coils is a closely channeled bag filled with blown goose down. Sometimes, spring down cushions will have a combination of down and other fibers in the channel bag.
   The most popular, durable and best valued cushion is the high-density foam and Dacron cushion where the coils are filled and wrapped with high-density foam, and then the entire system is wrapped on all sides and top and bottom with a layer of poly-Dacron to create the crowning that gives the cushion its shape and appeal. Depending upon the different densities of foam, the look and feel will differ.
   Known for their sleek silhouettes and designs, several European manufacturers are now introducing “memory-foam” upholstered furniture. The foam, similar to the “Temperpedic” mattress technology, is more responsive to a broader range of body weights and temperatures resulting in a gradual shift in the cushion firmness levels.The cushions retain their smooth appearance and luxurious feel longer.
   Detachable, “loose back” and “semi-attached” back cushions utilize similar filling methods as seat cushioning but without the springs. Tight-back cushions use eithert he “Marshall unit,” which is made up of tiny pre-fabricated coils that are tied together and covered in foam, or the “Z-system,” which utilizes a sinuous wire or webbing system that is covered in varying layers of padding to achieve a certain look.
   The specific tailoring of the furniture creates the final look. These details include: arm construction and style, skirting, stitching, such as “baseball” or “topstitch,” pleats, tucks, gussets, tufting, shirred boxing, boxed or knife edged cushions, trims and cording, self-welt cording or contrast welting, single or double piping and nail heads in different metals, to name a few.
   Ultimately, the capacity in which the furniture will be used determines the fabric grade, color and texture. Manufacturers put their fabrics through durability tests to ensure sturdiness, but the rule of thumb is: The tighter the weave, the more durable the fabric. It’s a good idea to look for fabrics that are synthetic blends because synthetics offer higher tear strength and durability and are easier to clean.
   Heavier, high-performance fabrics such as boucle, chenille, corduroy, duck, denim, velvet, and tight woven blends like tweed are good choices for a family room. Micro-fiber nouveau suede is another alternative. Leather, cool and comfortable in the summer and warm in the cooler months, is one of the most durable, versatile and universal materials for any room, and it’s easy to maintain. Delicate woven silks and silk-blends are usually reserved for formal living rooms where the furniture doesn’t get as much use.
   “Upholstery makes a significant visual impression,” says Angie Thomas, design consultant with Arthur Rutenberg Homes in Bonita Springs. “Once you have the basic construction, it’s the details that count. It’s important that the cushions fit snugly in place and that the deck does not show. Make sure that all the stitches are even and consistent, and if the piece has nail heads, make sure they are evenly placed.”
   “The nap, as in velvet and corduroy, has to go in the same direction, and most important, if using a pattern or design, no matter how large the image, make sure that the design is unbroken and that it’s lined-up side to sidea nd back to front. Large motifs should be centered on the back and front and be appropriately aligned. The skirting and welting should also line-up,” says Thomas. “It’s the attention to detail that differentiates a great piece of upholstered furniture from all the rest.”
   The exact patterns, prints and textures of the upholstery material will depend upon the look and style of the furniture and the design theme of the room. But, according to Scott,“ Home fashion follows clothing trends; large, brightly colored flowers, are an important part of the current design trends. Expect to see a lot of brightly colored, fanciful prints used in upholstery this year.