Out of all your memories you have about your home, I would put money on most of them being while sitting on your sofa or chair. Just think about all those memories you’ve shared with that special someone, what has always been there? Yes, your Sofa!

Now the question is, has your sofa fared the test of time as well as you? Most sofa’s that have shared many fond memories will have seen better days, it’s springs are no longer springy, the fabric is looking worn and cushions that couldn’t cushion a feather.

So, maybe you need to ask yourself, is it time to move on?

Most people in this situation do not know they have other options than just throwing the old one away and buying a new sofa. There are many hassles to buying a new sofa, which you may not have thought of. Firstly, what to do with your old sofa? You can either send it to landfill (think of the environmental issues) or organise some sort of reclamation firm to come and pick it up, usually for a fee. Then there’s the hassle & cost of buying a new sofa that was of similar quality.

Sure you can go and buy a new sofa for under £250 or even a complete suite for under £500 but what sort of craftsmanship and materials do you think go into the production of this type of furniture? Once you start taking out production costs, marketing costs, VAT & delivery that £250 sofa is probably being manufactured for under £50. Now for only £199 you can get your already loved and quality sofa re-covered either in loose covers or by spending a little extra re-upholstered.

Loose Covers still have a pre-conceived bad reputation because in times gone by they all used to be made from a stretchy horrible material and were ill-fitting. This is no longer the case, there are now many different types of high quality fabrics that are bespoke and made to measure to fit any style of furniture.

It’s not just fabric sofas that can be saved from the scrap heap, old Leather furniture can now be revitalised using specially made non slip chenille loose covers to give a full or part leather part fabric high street fashion look.

Why not take a look at the new fabrics and designs you could give to your loved sofa that’s in need of a little TLC.

Take a look at our latest fabrics…

If things are starting to look worn and weary, the cushions are saggy and the fabric is wearing a bit thin… You are faced with a choice.

Throw it away and buy new?

• 50,000 items of lounge furniture a year goes into landfill. This is like burying 23 London buses.
• When you buy new furniture, your money goes towards a massive amount of raw materials from across the globe including tropical hardwoods, production energy and transport costs.
• The good news is…
  They don’t make it like they used to. Chances are the suite you’ve already got is better made than a new one. Low prices of new lounge suites means, well as the saying goes, You get what you pay for.
• So if you decided to reupholster or cover the furniture you already have in a fabulous new fabric you can get the latest look in your lounge, save money, cause less impact on the environment and still have your favourite comfortable place to relax, switch off and enjoy yourself.

Recover:

• If the sofa is looking tired, and it’s time for an update, then loose covers are the least expensive option. Probably about a quarter of the cost of a new suite.
• From an environmental point of view, loose covers are also a great choice as you are effectively recycling your sofa or suite.
• Washability is also a big plus point. Being able to remove wash and refit loose covers is perfect for any household where stains pose a threat.
• Massive choice of fabrics. You can probably choose from hundreds of options.

Reupholster:

• Price wise a reupholstered suite will be around half the cost of buying new but this is a more expensive choice than loose covers.
• Another good choice for the environment - you are keeping your furniture out of landfill.
• Comfort and sentimental attachment are not affected. You are making the furniture you already have quite literally look like new.
• Fit and attention to details are better than for covers.
• Again a vast choice of fabric.
• Finally reupholstery is a traditional craft. By choosing this option you are helping to support traditional British workmanship by genuine local craftsmen and women.
• Usually come with replacement seat cushions.
• Service is a big plus as with this type of craftsman product the service is typically excellent.

This simple montage of four photos shows the start to finish process on the reupholstery of a classic Queen Anne style chair.  Probably fifty years old, this kind of chair always has a superb frame construction.

The wings are of beech construction with hand made joints! They don’t make ‘em like that any more.

With quality new fillings, tightened springs and a fabulous new cover, the end result is a joy. A priceless family heirloom.

Show wood as seen here on the arms and scroll area is one of the real advantages of reupholstery. Choosing loose covers means a revamp and a new look but show wood is covered up. It is after all a loose cover.

With reupholstery however it’s a different story. The pictures below show how this sofa was quite literally taken to pieces and rebuilt by the Plumbs reupholstery team.

An added complexity was that each side of the sofa has an independent recliner action. A very complex job but also a very satisfying outcome.

I recently found this great story about a very worth while charitable organisation being commended for their efforts, not only to help people in need but to help protect the environment by recycling furniture.

“The Furniture Recycling Project” in Gloucester won the “Reuse Project of the Year” award by the Furniture Re-use Network (http://www.frn.org.uk/), particularly impressing the judging panel with it’s work during and after the 2007 floods that blighted many parts of the South West. The project was able to supply more than 5,000 households with essential second-hand furniture.

The award is intended to highlight how furniture projects continually support their local communities through improving the places where people live. This is about highlighting complimentary goals of providing a furniture reuse service for the unemployed people who also gain from volunteering and training at projects.

Richard Featherstone, who founded the Furniture Recycling Network (FRN) 18 years ago and initiated the awards, said: “These awards are to celebrate reuse tackling poverty and unemployment while preventing good furniture going to landfill. There is a link between social benefits and waste management which have not yet been fully explored but I predict this will be visible on the Government’s agenda before very long.”

Plumbs firmly believe that furniture should never go to waste by being dumped in landfill, everyone has the option of either re-using their furniture by covering / reupholstering or by donating it to charity so that someone possibly less fortunate than yourself can feel the benefit of something that would otherwise go to landfill.

Every week there are around 100 reupholstery orders passing through our workrooms. Every one gets the same attention however some really do stand out as being interesting or unusual.

This is a great example. Double drop arm sofas like this really are worth preserving as the mechanisms and frames are very well built.

These pieces are particularly versatile as they create a fabulous day bed or even emergency sleepover for unexpected guests.

The pictures say it all. The original furniture has been stripped down right to the frame and all internal elements checked and replaced where necessary. The end result with the new fabric applied is just stunning. This could so easily have gone into landfill but now it’s good for another generation to enjoy.

Most people have fond childhood memories of a piece of furniture a relative once owned, just by seeing and feeling that furniture can bring back emotions. From your Great-Aunties artfully carved dining room chairs perhaps to your Grandmothers antique sofa, even the smell of a piece can evoke a memory.

When the unfortunate time comes you inherit that piece of furniture you are suddenly left with the feeling it will never fit in with the rest of your decor and in this sense inherited pieces of furniture can be a blessing or a burden. Before deciding what to do you first need to consider the following:

• Is it comfortable?
• Is it of good quality?
• Is there a place for it in your home?

If your answer is ‘no’ to these considerations then you shouldn’t burden yourself with sentimental value as you will get no real enjoyment from the piece, which is not what your relative intended. If it isn’t of good quality then it may not be a good idea spending money on something that could fall apart.

With a little bit of work however, most furniture can be revitalised with fresh fabrics and custom details to be more comfortable and fit in with your decor.

With exception, all good quality furniture is worth restoring, even if a sofa or chair is decades old. If it has a quality frame it is worth keeping. The quality of a sofa or chair is found within the carcass, this should be made of a hardwood such as Oak or Alder, have good lines and have been kiln dried so that the wood doesn’t warp or crack during changes of temperature and humidity. Most people won’t be able to know this just by looking at a sofa but there are many experts (Upholsterers) that can give you free advice such as Plumbs.

Re-upholstering can literally transform an old sofa to new, from the springs, filling and foam being replaced to the frame being reinforced if necessary. The shape of the furniture cannot be changed but the piece can be slightly re-styled or made more comfortable using certain techniques. Choosing the right fabric will really make difference to how the piece will look and fit in you home, fabric can deliver a more traditional or contemporary style. These custom details will make your furniture a one off.

You don’t necessarily need to go as far as reupholstery, Loose Covers can be equally as impressive at transforming your sofa. If the quality, comfort and style or your inherited furniture is pleasing enough then just by changing the fabric, colour and texture can give you the look you desire.

Dining chair covers can now update most sets to fit in with contemporary or traditional trends, not only can you just re-cover (or reupholster) the seat, loose covers can now fit completely over the chair with skirts that cover right to the floor.

So, if you inherit a piece of furniture remember there are many ways in which you can make it a unique heirloom to cherish for many years.

What else could it be? Yes, you guessed it, ‘the environment’.  It seems right now everything is looked at from an environmental impact perspective, so why is buying a new sofa any different?

50,000 items of lounge furniture a year goes into landfill. This is like burying 1000 London buses. When you buy new furniture, your money goes towards a massive amount of raw materials from across the globe including tropical hardwoods, production energy and transport costs.

So don’t just think by popping down to your nearest “Sofa Warehouse” the only carbon footprint you’ll be making is the emmisions from your car. There is massive amounts of energy used to mass produce this type of cheap furniture, not too mention all the noxtious materials found in some furniture that can take 100’s of years to breakdown.

The GOOD news is…

They don’t make it like they used to. Chances are the suite you’ve already got is better made than a new one. Low prices of new lounge suites means……well as the saying goes, You get what you pay for. So if you decided to reupholster or cover the furniture you already have in a fabulous new fabric you can get the latest look in your lounge, save money, cause less impact on the environment and still have your favourite comfortable place to relax, switch off and enjoy yourself.

It doesn’t get more extreme than this.  People are often extremely reluctant to part with their furniture, even when things look utterly desperate.

This sofa maybe pushing sentimental attachment to the limits but emotional ties with furniture can often lead to major upholstery repairs.

Last week I was talking about how reupholstery is good for furniture with show wood. Another interesting example appeared this week in the Plumbs re-upholstery workshops. This fascinating chair is one that stands out and really shows how show wood furniture can be transformed.

I haven’t seen a recliner before with this footstool arrangement. Very unusual!

The foot rest has the appearance of a drawer which then pulls out. The leather upholstery contrasts well with the newly reupholstered cushions for a really interesting finish.

The heavily carved wooden frame picture 13 contrasts well with the new fabric, a superb end result.

A lot of work and skill goes into this type of project but the end result is worthwhile. These pictures underline the fact that if a piece of furniture has a good frame, it’s worth keeping. It’s good for the environment and gives really satisying end results. The people doing this work really are taking pride in their efforts.