This is not really the style of sofa for box cushions with welt, but you could have the seat cushions done box style with no welt and the deck done with no welt. I would still probably define the arm with a welt unless you do a fully wrapped arm like on a Charles of London style sofa (which is a different arm)

Thanks, Palimpsest, that's exactly what I need to know. Do you think the current welting style is outdated looking, or should I just keep it as it was designed? I know the new cushions and fabric will make it look fresher and new, but is that enough? It was expensive originally and worth recovering based on what I see these days but it's still going to be $5k + or so and I don't want to make an expensive mistake.

I have a large sectional from Century furniture that we had made about 5 years ago. Our seat cushions are boxed with welting and our back cushions look more like yours, also with welt. It looks good and I think it would like good on your sofa too.

Most important is what you put inside the cushions. All my sofas and chairs have the mixed filling, foam wrapped in down. You get some softness, but the cushions bounce back to their original shape.

My couches all have wider arms so that I can lie down and dangle my legs over them or place a book or notebook there, or comfortably park a cat. Having hard, angular armrests on a couch is something I've never understood. Of course yours could be somewhat narrower and still be perfectly comfortable.

Thank you all. Pal that last pic is exactly how I'd like it to look if she can do it. I love the cushion and the size of the arm. The wood part of my arms might be too large to achieve that and I don't know if she can cut them smaller. But I'll show her that pic.

Chispa, it's great to know you have the boxed seat and softer backs. That's what I'd like. Mine doesn't have down; the original cushions are wrapped in some kind of fiberfill cloth stuff. I did tell her I want latex cushions because I don't like the off gassing of other foams. My grandson has many allergies so I don't want to take a chance with down - I was allergic to it as a child.

Ingrid, I don't ever lie on my sofa, but I have friends who come and sometimes do what we call "social sleeping" on it, while the rest of us chat. I love the look of more rigid arms but don't intend to try for that.

I could find another sectional exactly how I want, but not in my town and I've tired of shopping in the big city - the stores are too spread out and it just takes more time than I want to spend. Plus, this is perfectly good I don't need something new.

I have a sectional with the same type of back pillows and welting that yours currently has. My cushions are box cushions with edge welting; both look good together.

Thanks, lizzierobin. I showed Pal's pic above to the upholsterer. When I went to see her this morning, she had drawn - on a pic of my sectional - the welting for a soft box cushion and modified the arm to look like the right hand pic. It looked terrific, so I am really grateful for this feedback!

Just to give you an idea what it may look like...

Oh yeah, always a box welt over a hamburger welt. I had a chair reupholstered back in the early 90s in a Robert Allen velvet and they messed up and gave me hamburger welting and we couldn't find a matching dye lot. I've hated the way it looks for over twenty years now.

writersblock, I never exactly hated mine because it looked fine to me until it got old and tired looking these past couple of years. The foam has compacted and the fiberfill isn't fluffy anymore. But when I was looking at new sectionals, trying to decide whether to recover or just replace the thing, I noticed none had this kind of welting any more. I think I'm going to love the new look! lizzierobin, now I'm tempted to see about a skirt...I'm so tired of trying to lift this thing to retrieve toys that roll under it.

Yes, I'm sure you will. :)

Please post your sectional when it is done, I'd love to see it redone. :-)

I will. She can't get to it until July. eta - this is fabric I chose. It is a very subtle chevron that shows no stripes like a herringbone, just a nice texture. It's really soft to touch. I love that it's made in USA. Not exciting, but I've got lots of "exciting" things going on elsewhere in the area :-)

Greenhouse Fabrics: Bisque is a practical, durable fabric with neutral tones. Khaki and tan
are woven together in a small geometric chevron pattern. This smart
fabric is versatile enough for any home upholstery project you can dream
up. The revolutionary Crypton finish is woven into each strand of its
fiber, making it a breeze to clean. This performance material is
resistant to stains, causing spills to bead on its surface for fast
cleanup. A 45,000 double rub abrasion test ensures its durability.

Love the new fabric selection! After 21 years, of course - you’re using all new foam, polyfil and dacron batting I would assume. It will be like having a totally new piece of furniture. Please post pix when it’s done.

Yes, everything new and I'm having her use real latex foam - it should last forever with no off-gassing like the petroleum foam.