Recovering sofa to make it more durable/dog friendly

10 years ago

I have a 2 year old Mitchell Gold sofa. I love the tailored modern style and it is very comfortable, however the nubby off white fabric has pilled in spots. The sofa is perpendicular to the wall and the exposed end has gotten very discolored and full of hair (difficult to remove from nubby fabric) from my large dogs. They are not allowed on the furniture, but this I can't prevent.

I'm considering various options to recover it. I prefer light colored fabrics and the dogs are mostly white so any thing dark really shows hair.

1) white duck slipcovers- washable/bleachable, but they are a pain to put back on

2) off white crypton- will it look to contact/commercial?

3) leather-I'm not sure about about a leather sofa. It would solve the hair problem. Do upholsterers charge significantly more to work with leather?

Any feed back would help. I am keeping the sofa, not just buying new.

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Comments (8)

Bev
10 years ago
last modified: 10 years ago
I'm not sure you want to use leather due to the dog's claws. If your dog gets up and down off the furniture, those claws can do some damage. Your best bet is something very durable like denim or duck cloth.
C F
10 years ago
I just had a sofa upholstered in white crypton and it looks amazing. Not commercial at all. It's in a formal living room where it's never going to be used though so I can't comment on its durability and stain resistance.

I have 2 big yellow labs, and as much as I hate leather sofas, my husband insisted and we have one. It has actually been ideal for the dog hair because the hair can't stick to it. Our dogs aren't allowed on furniture either, so we don't have any concerns about claws. I don't know anything about reupholstering with leather though.
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noladesign
Original Author
10 years ago
Thanks, I ordered samples of a white crypton and a duck. I know the duck is durable and can be washed but not getting dirty is the first place is really preferable. Putting on slipcovers is such a pain.

The dogs don't get on the sofa, so claws aren't a problem- but they shed and rub on the sofa when they walk by.

My husband really wants leather(of course!) but I'm not sure about reupholstering with it either.
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JudyG Designs
10 years ago
Ultra suede (with trademark), not micro suede and the new performance velvet..try Greenhouse fabrics. Perfect for pets, kids and husbands.
Geneviève
10 years ago
Get some slip covers to protect the sofa ,they are washable . For the hair removal use Duck Tape wrapped around your hand or something
Geneviève
10 years ago
Surprisingly Simple Ways To Pet-Proof Your Beloved Sofa

The Sofa CompanySeptember 11, 2015

If you’re one of the many folks who love your pet way too much to keep them off the sofa, then we have some valuable advice for you, on how to pet-proof your beloved sofa. If you’re looking into buying a pet-friendly sofa, it’s important to consider which sofa material would be most suitable. Leather and microfiber are the top two, since they are durable, easy to clean, and do not hold on to odours like other materials do. Also, using a throw, cover or blanket on your sofa will work wonders on keeping the hair/fur off the actual material. Finally, it might be worth investing in a sofa that is similar to the color of your pet.

#animalfriendly #pets #sofa #TheSofaCompany

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Comments (1)

ritting28

Washable slipcovers are good too.

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C F
10 years ago
I don't know about performance velvet, but I made the mistake of buying velvet throw pillows. I swear I may as well have bought adhesive pillows. The hair goes right to them and has to be cleaned off every time we have guests.
noladesign
Original Author
10 years ago
I agree about velvet- my dogs have short barbed hair that seems extra hard to remove. Also, I live in a tropical climate so velvet and ultra suede don't really fit. I prefer a more natural feel for my house- cottons, linens.

I know slipcovers are practical since then are washable, but they are also a pain to put back on if they are made to be very fitted, tailored and modern. I'm thinking of buying 5 or 6 extra yards of fabric to make a long strip that can hang over the sides so I can wash that often and the slipcover won't get quite as bad.