To chuck or to cherish?

Press release from AKA PR

As the new mood for upcycling gathers momentum, here at Plumbs, we hold the key to giving shabby sofas and tatty chairs a new lease of life.

We offer a choice of more than 800 different fabrics for those looking to revitalise or restore tired but trusty furniture.

But how to tell if your furniture is best cherished or chucked? Our MD, Sarah Page offers her best advice: “Quite simply, if you’ve invested in quality furniture that is really comfortable and fits the style and size of your home, it would be a great shame to throw it out.

What many people don’t realise is that when upholstered furniture starts to look worn out or simply unfashionable, it doesn’t always mean having to rush out and buy something new.

An increasing number of people – for either environmental or economic reasons – are choosing to restore and revamp their existing furniture. Recovering or reupholstering it in a great new fabric will have it looking as good as new and means families who really love the shape of their sofas and chairs – or have something which fits their room perfectly – can keep what they have but enjoy the ‘wow’ factor of something new all over again.”

To decide which ‘renewal’ option is the best for you, Sarah has some simple advice:

“Much of the decision will be down to personal choice but it is worth bearing certain points in mind."

Before & After (Mull, Sky)

“If your sofa or chairs or both are still in good condition structurally, but the fabric is looking tired or outdated, then it is well worth recovering them. Whether you want a contemporary fitted cover look or a more tailored finish is likely to depend on either your personal preference or the style of the furniture. Some furniture designs lend themselves to the more relaxed finish of our designer range (fitted) covers while others look better in our traditional tailored (bespoke) covers.

The cost completely depends on the size and design of furniture and the choice of fabric – and we do offer a range of made-to-measure fitted covers with more ‘give’ which can often be a great value option.

Where the wear and tear of a sofa or chair has more to do with structural changes – perhaps broken springs or depleted stuffing in the cushions – then, provided the basic frame is still strong and sound, reupholstery may be the way forward. This will completely restore old and sagging sofas and chairs and set them up for many more years to come.”

So whether its fitted or tailored covers or a full restoration reupholstery job, a basically sturdy sofa or chair can quickly be transformed – and for less than the cost of good quality replacements.

Think your furniture might be ready for a transformation? Browse our fabrics for some inspiration or book an in-home visit from a Plumbs consultant.