Aesthetics and body comfort are the two basic criteria for selecting a sofa, love seat or chair. The covering fabric does play a star role in the aesthetics of upholstered furniture, but it’s the “undercover story” that makes the real difference when it comes to comfort.

It is the combination of these three, and the fabric cover, that makes furniture comfortable and durable.

Framed for comfort

The frame and supporting foundation are critical to comfort because they are underpinnings for the other components. Traditionally, the best frames are made of kiln-dried (cured) hardwood, which resists warping. A good frame is joined using dowels as well as corner blocks glued and screwed together.

The legs should be an integral part of the frame and centre legs should be used for additional support. You may also get quality frames made of steel, plastic, laminated boards or a combination of materials.

Spring support

Support can be provided by webbing, sling straps, slats or springs of various types. The design, size and amount of support or softness desired will determine which type the designer uses. There are two primary spring systems used in upholstered furniture — eight-way hand-tied and sinuous.

Eight-way hand-tied coil springing has been considered a mark of quality for decades. Here, each coil spring is placed in the seat by hand and a skilled craftsman ties the coil into place with twine and interlocks it with other coils using an intricate set of knots.

This system gives the upholstered furniture an even comfort level and has the advantage of never bottoming-out, no matter how big the person sitting on it.

Sinuous springs are two-dimensional S-shaped wires that are fastened to the top of the front rail and run from the front to the back of the furniture every few inches apart. The spring system offers a somewhat softer seat and can be used in upholstered furniture that sit lower to the ground as in many contemporary designs.

While less costly to produce, it is not necessarily the sign of an inferior product. In fact, it’s an example of how modern technology makes it possible to have good-looking, comfortable, serviceable upholstered furniture at eminently affordable prices.

Bottom to top

The way a frame is padded or cushioned will affect not only its comfort, but also its durability. Prior to applying the fabric, it is important that the frame be padded so that at no point will the fabric touch the wood of the upholstered furniture. This will prevent untimely fabric wear and also add a subtle softness to the upholstered furniture.

While the traditional cushioning material has been cotton, these days, polyester and polyurethane foam are much used. These man-made materials are durable, resilient, moth-proof and mildew- and fungus-resistant.

High-density polyurethane foam wrapped in Dacron is the most common (and least expensive) seat core in upholstered furniture. The density of foam and quantity of Dacron determine the softness of the seat. There are spring-down cushions, which consist of innerspring coils surrounded by foam, wrapped in Dacron and inserted into a muslin bag.

Foam can be used as a solid unit, wrapped with a softer polyester material or chopped and blown into new shapes for arms and backs that would otherwise be difficult to pad.

Cover story

There are many types of fibres used in the manufacturing of upholstered fabrics. Each has unique attributes that must be considered in making a selection. In addition to their look and feel, factors to consider are how well they can be cleaned, wearability and sensitivity to direct sunlight.

There are two types of fabrics — natural (cotton, linen, silk and wool) and synthetic (acetate, acrylic, nylon, rayon and polypropylene). Often fabrics are a blend of natural and synthetic fibres — combined to provide the best qualities of each, unmatched beauty and lasting durability.

More glamorous fabrics such as satin, damask and brocade are dramatic and exciting but should be reserved for seating where serviceability isn’t a primary concern.

Keep in mind that tightly-woven fabrics tend to wear the best. Durability is determined by the number of threads per square inch rather than the thickness of the yarn used. Generally, fabrics that have their pattern woven in will wear better than printed fabrics.

The ultimate test

Sit and tell if the sofa or chair you’re considering is the one for you. Be sure the height and angle of the back and depth are suited to your size. This is especially important when selecting a recliner or easy chair.

(The author is an interior design consultant, specialising in the design of corporate and residential interiors. As a senior faculty member at a Calcutta institute, she has delivered lectures, guided research and conducted projects in the field of ‘Housing & Interior Design’ for over two decades. She can be contacted at kusumsmail@yahoo.com )