Whether it’s a new set of scatter cushions, a reupholstered ottoman or occasional chair, or a new rug, there are ways to refresh your home that will have big impact without breaking the bank.
Our first choice for winter is a splash of velvet.  Add velvet scatter cushions to your lounge, reupholster an old ottoman for an entirely new look, or recover dining room chairs for added glam.


We’re 100% convinced that no home is complete without a little animal print. And while we’re not advocates of the safari lodge look (unless it’s actually in a safari lodge), there is nothing more sophisticated that a touch of animal print in the right places.

We’ve put together a handy guide to help when it comes to upholstery. The below guide is meant to be a general guide. Try to choose a shape which is the closest match to your furniture, and add meters as needed. If you are taking on an upholstery project for the first time, we’d advise adding on about 10%.
 

 
Some tips:
-Not all furniture fits easily into a general category. Special furniture (ottomans, love seats) require different amounts of fabric than other similar sized furniture.
-Sofas with tall backs and ruffled skirts need an extra 2 to 3 meters of fabric. It is better to buy too much fabric than too little – you can always use the excess fabric to make extra sofa pillows.
-If you are upholstering using fabric with a pattern, you need more because of the repeat.
-Take your needs into account and consider fabric durability, especially if your furniture is in a high traffic zone. Lighter hues and lightly-woven fabrics are suitable for decorative purposes.
-Remember to check shrinkage. If the fabric shrinks – normally natural fibres do shrink – wash the fabric before cutting it. 
All images via. Velvet and animal print fabric from Tessa Sonik Fabrics.