Designing for Durability

If there are any plastic slipcover fans out there, I have to tell you that I am not your designer. I believe that our houses are to be lived in. And, because I am the mother of 4 children, and have 3 dogs currently living in my house, I strongly believe in durability.

Often people will tell me that they plan to live with crappy college furniture until the kids are big enough so that they do not trash the furniture. That is a very sad approach. In my opinion you can have both beauty and durability. Not that damage might not occur, I have a bulldog who has chewed skirts off chairs, and baseboards off walls. (bitter spray is my friend) But I am a strong believer that when you buy quality, you can expect your furnishings to last a long time.


the guilty party-he chews everything






When selecting upholstered furniture for durability you have to consider both the inside and the outside. The frame should be kiln-dried hardwood, glued and screwed or doweled. Eight way hand tied coil springs have been a sign of quality for many years. In my own house, that is what I look for. The frame should not rock or squeak when you move it, or when a child sits on the arm of the chair.

This fabric is rated at 102,000 cycles. That is extremely durable.














The fabric selection is very important for the durability of the furniture. There is an abrasion test done to fabrics, and in my own house I would not use anything less that 30,000 double rubs, or cycles, for furniture that will take abuse. (by abuse I mean kids and dogs coming in contact with it) A stain and soil repellent finish is also helpful. Look for a dense weave, and one that does not have "floats" in the fabric that can pull. Darker colors, and patterns often help hide dirt. A word of warning, faux suede fabrics, also known as microfibers, are durable, and they usually clean easily, however, they are magnets for pet hair. Fabrics can be treated to add stain resistance, and they can also be backed to increase durability. Ask your designer about these options if you find the perfect fabric that is not durable enough.

Leather is durable. It will stretch and sag somewhat over time, and there are likely to be imperfections in the hide that may show up as light scratches. There are levels of quality in leathers, as you can imagine. It is easy to clean, and some of the distressed leathers are very soft and will hide sins easily. One of my clients used buffalo skin for some bar stools, and she asked for the most beat up skin they had available.

Today, many people are using outdoor fabrics for indoor upholstery. These acrylic fabrics resist fading and are made to be very durable and stainproof. I am using one of those fabrics for a client in her family room in front of windows. The color and pattern options of those fabrics are amazing. You would never know they are made to be outdoor fabrics. You can even get an outdoor velvet.

The point of this blog entry is that quality furniture can last with kids and dogs if you buy wisely. Here's some of my thoughts, share yours.
-MaryBeth