One way to update your home is to change the look of your furniture, replacing worn or outdated fabrics and coordinating unmatched pieces for a cohesive look. This can involve adding slipcovers or reupholstering chairs and sofas.

Whenever I suggest recovering furniture to one of my customers, the first question is usually whether the piece is worth the effort. There are two parts to my answer, the emotional and the practical.

The emotion rationale

The emotion rationale comes from your personal attachment to the piece. Do you really love it? Is it an unusually shape? Does it have some meaning to you, having inherited it or received it as a gift? Whatever the reason, your attachment matters and you should consider recovering to extend the life of the piece so you can continue to enjoy it.

The practical rationale

The practical rationale is all about quality of the frame. Simply put, if it has a good frame then it`s worth recovering. Since you can`t usually see the frame with all the padding and fabric, I`ve got a few tips to help check the quality:

• Check the weight: a good quality frame will be made from solid hardwood and springs so it should have a substantial weight to it
• Check the structure: wiggle the arms and back to determine if it`s solid or loosely constructed
• Check the legs: flip the piece over so you can see if the legs are part of the frame, which is another sign of quality work

Once you`ve made the decision to recover your furniture, you can choose between slipcovers and reupholstery. Slipcovers are perfect for families and pet owners as they can easily be removed and cleaned. This is also a good option for furniture that has adequate padding and springs that are still in good condition.

Reupholstery is a great opportunity to build up cushioning or make any necessary repairs to your furniture. Springs, stuffing and fabric can be replaced and wood can be refinished. This is a good option for pieces with unusual shapes as the new fabric is tightly fitted to the frame.

Fabric selection

Selecting your fabric involves both your personality and the character of the furniture. You want to be comfortable with your colour, pattern and texture choice but you also want to make sure the fabric suits the piece. A big, bulky sofa wouldn’t suit a dainty print and a small antique can be overwhelmed by a large print.

There are also practical considerations of the type of use the furniture will receive in your home that will influence your fabric choice. Will the fabric be used on furniture that will experience high traffic and heavy use or will it be used infrequently? For light- to medium-use your options are wide open including cottons, cotton blends and even silk. But when more durability is required you should consider chenille, velvet and faux suede.

So update your home by recovering your favourite furniture pieces. You’ll extend their life, coordinate your furnishings and update your home all at the same time!