So, you want in on one of the hottest interior trends: velvet. Good choice! From clothing and curtains to benches and stools, this luxurious finish has made a big style impact in the world of interiors, and it’s easy to see why. Velvet creates such a cosy atmosphere when it comes to home furnishings and is synonymous with luxury. Once only a finish for the extremely wealthy, velvet is now far more accessible for everyone to have in their home.

 

Why Velvet Furniture?

A common misconception about velvet is that it’s a high-maintenance material. Well, let us bust that myth right now! When treated with the proper care and maintenance, you’ll find your velvet furniture is built to last. A synthetic velvet, such as ones made from a high-quality polyester, is also less susceptible to marking, fading or crushing. This makes it more durable and suited to daily use.

  

A key characteristic of velvet is the dense pile. We’ve all stroked a velvet surface and seen the contrast when the fibres are brushed in the opposite direction. For the neatest possible look, brush the pile in the same direction over the entire surface. You can do this by hand or with a specialist velvet upholstery brush.

Pros & Cons of Velvet Furniture

As with any material, there are pros and cons to having velvet upholstery in your home. The best way to decide if the material is right for you is to see if the benefits weight out the limitations of the material:

Pros:

• Velvet upholstery instantly gives any piece of furniture a luxe and inviting feel.
• The colours have far more depth than a plain material, due to the way velvet subtly picks up the light.
• There’s nothing quite like the soft to the touch quality of velvet upholstered furniture.
• A classic fabric that will stand the test of time and be loved for years, rather than being a design fad.

Cons:

• Velvet is more susceptible to attracting pet hair, something to consider if you have a lot of pets.
• The fibre can weaken if exposed to direct sunlight, so you’ll need to think about the placement of your velvet pieces.
• Velvet is more likely to attract bits and dust, so requires a more regular clean than leather or plastic to prevent the accumulation of dust particles or dirt.

How To Introduce Velvet into Your Home:

You may be a little hesitant to have velvet furniture in your home. Sure, it looks great in all those glossy magazines, but how will it look in a real living setting? Well, have no fear as we’re here to help. There’s a reason velvet is so popular and that’s partly down to how easy it is to style in a whole variety of interiors!

Start Small

If you’ve not had velvet in your interior scheme before, start small. It’s the same as when introducing a bold colour or contemporary finish into a neutral interior. Something like our Plaza stool is a great way to have a hint of velvet in your space without it becoming the main focal point or feature. If you love the look you can always introduce dining chairs, benches and more stools later. To get a feel for the fabric and coordinate colours, order swatches before you buy so you know you’re investing in the right piece.

Pair With Complementary Materials

To make your velvet furniture look right at home, you’ll need to think about what materials the fabric will be sitting alongside. Velvet instantly adds a softness to any space, so wooden and leather materials are a good way to create a contrasted yet cohesive look.

Velvet is an excellent material for contemporary designs. This is because its textural quality picks up the light creating interesting silhouettes. It looks especially good with curved designs as the sheen of the fabric will highlight the curves in the surface. The softness of the fabric also adds an inviting feel and approachability, perfect for creating a convivial dining area.

Two other great finishes to style alongside velvet are stainless steel and brushed brass. We’ve matched our blush and teal velvets with the brass base, and the grey and blue velvet with the stainless steel as the colours really offset one another.

Last but certainly not least, consider styling your velvet alongside gloss. A velvet bench or dining chair adds a wonderful softness around a high gloss table as the fabric is a smooth contrast to the reflective gloss top. The juxtaposition of a high gloss surface paired with the soft sheen of velvet will be going all kinds of beautiful things in your home.

 

Velvet Care & Maintenance:

Velvet upholstery is far easier to clean and maintain than you may think. Firstly, the 100% polyester short pile velvet we use for our range of furniture has been rub tested to 40,000 rubs, so you know it’s far from delicate. 

Like with most materials, it’s best to act as soon as a spill occurs. This is because it’s far easier to clean velvet before the mark sinks through to penetrate the base cloth. First, use an absorbent cloth or paper towel to soak up the spillage. Dab the surface rather than rubbing as this will better soak up the liquid.

To clean your velvet furniture, all you need to use is a soft cloth and some warm soapy water, wiping the fabric in a circular motion. Then, leave the material to air dry or use a hair dryer to speed up the process. You can also vacuum your velvet upholstery by using the handheld nozzle. This will better collect any dust or bits that have been caught up in the pile. Be sure to use the upholstery attachment on your vacuum as this will be much softer on your velvet and avoid any unwanted marks. 

To learn all about the best ways to clean your velvet furniture, watch our video...

If you feel your velvet has lost a bit of its sheen, have no fear. You can use a steamer to restore its signature shine by keeping the nozzle moving across the velvet at a moderate pace. Move in the direction of the nap for the best results. Once completely dry, brush the material in the direction of the nap using a soft-bristled hairbrush.

To keep the material looking its best, regularly brush your velvet furniture with a velvet brush or soft clothes brush, going in the direction of the nap. Try not to let anything hard sit or rest on the material for a long time. A heavy book, for example, can mark velvet if left in the same place for long enough.

Colourful Combinations

Velvet comes in a whole variety of colours, so we’ve done the edit to offer you a selection of the most designer looking shades. 

Light blue, grey and navy colourways are on the more neutral side of the colour wheel which makes them incredibly versatile and timeless. Both are easy to work with, meaning you can introduce colour to your space without it looking too overpowering. The subtle sheen that velvet offers also reveals high and lowlights to the colour, giving your velvet furniture even more depth.

Rich jewelled tones like teal are a great match with a velvet material as they just ooze elegance and luxury.  Styled alongside brass, this creates a such an opulent and plush appearance. 

Blush pink, on the other hand, is far softer so is ideal if you want to create a more subtle but equally as plush feel in your home.

 

So there you have it!

Have we inspired you to add a piece of velvet luxury to your home? Make sure you take a look at our velvet collection, which includes stylish benches, dining chairs and handy stools. For even more helpful tips, take a look at our Velvet and Brass styling blog post.

 Updated 17th April 2023