Kitchens by Riland

      An armchair is a piece of furniture, which supports the entire back & the arms. They are used to seat a single person at a time. Armchairs are generally comfortable chairs with wide armrests & cushioned seats. The primary concern of armchairs is to give a pleasant feel. The cushions are normally filled with different fillings namely, foam & feather. The foam filling is comfortable as long as it is not too firm. The feather filling is also widely used as it gives good support & does not require constant alterations.

      It is very important to select the right size of armchairs for the living room. A wide range of upholstered armchairs is available in the market. For rooms of larger size, king - sized armchairs look vulnerable. For rooms of smaller size, tub – shaped armchairs are most suitable. But choosing extremely large armchairs for a smaller space is not recommended as it would dominate the room.

      The upholstery should be specific to the requirements of the room, including the wall colour, floorings, curtains, etc. Similarly, the placement of the armchair in a room is very important. If an armchair is misplaced, it can spoil the entire outlook of the room. The armchair’s upholstery design should complement the other furniture in the room, if not, it may look awkward. 

      Synthetic, leather & cotton are the most widely used upholstery fabric for armchairs. To be more specific, there are two types of fibers used namely: natural fibers (wool, cotton, silk, linen, hemp, ramie & jute) & man-made/manufactured fibers (acetate, acrylic, Lastex, nylon, polyester, rayon & spandex.)  Some people mistake the types of weaves for the types of fabrics.

      So how do we know which fabric is best suited for the armchair in terms of feel, durability, colour, comfort & style?

      Style – the fabric pattern should complement the furniture piece. For instance, traditional furniture looks best with a traditional patterned fabric.

      Colour – choosing the colour of the fabric is priority as sometimes the wrong colour selection may lead to higher maintenance. For instance, if the household has children, it is best to go for a colour where dirt is not easily visible.

      Durability – armchairs subject to heavy usage need to be covered with tough, durable & tightly woven fabrics.

      Comfort – choosing fabrics of comfort is pivotal as certain fabrics may cause irritation & may radiate heat during summer.

      Hence, the above mentioned attributes play a significant role in the selection of upholstery for armchairs.