Suede Couches

Finding a cheap couch is often a goal of home owners, apartment renters and young adults just starting out on their own. Unfortunately, with the maze of furniture stores, outlets and manufacturers both online and in town, it can be difficult to choose a cheap couch that is serviceable and does not look like it was dragged out of the alley dumpster.

Where to Buy Cheap Couches

Online is a good place to start when looking for cheap couches, there are often online coupons for physical stores and online ads for second-hand furniture. Listings, such as Craigslist, can be a usable resource when looking for any kind of used furniture. It is important to go and physically examine the couch in the ad for serious fabric tears and overall condition prior to agreeing on a price. Additionally, estate sales often provide an excellent opportunity to purchase a higher end sofa without the higher end price.

Second-hand or thrift stores are also a place to price furniture. People donate home goods to thrift stores and the store generally puts the items on sale for much less than they can be found new. Even suede couches can be found, with a little time and effort on the part of the shopper. Any opportunity to purchase a used fabric couch at a screaming sale price should not be overlooked. Simple decorating choices, such as slipcovers, can make a pink or blue sofa match a more neutral décor. Slipcovers, which are also available in fabrics that make any sofa look new, can be purchased for a few dollars at a home goods store.

Suede couches are a bit harder to locate for a cheap price; however, cheap couches, even in suede, can be found online at any auction or sale site. A cheap sofa does not have to look cheap and even a couch that was purchased for less than a hundred dollars can be made over to look like a million bucks. Going with a cheap couch also provides the option for saving up money for a later purchase of a higher end furniture arrangement.

Sofa beds are an interesting piece of furniture that can often satisfy two needs at the same time. While providing comfortable couch seating in a living or spare room of a home, they conceal a fold out metal frame and mattress underneath the cushions that can provide instant sleeping accommodations for guests. The mattresses on what are commonly called a pull out couch, or sleeper sofa, are generally thin and only marginally comfortable. Many purchasers of sofa beds modify the comfort level by replacing the traditional thin mattress with a thicker futon mattress.

Though a pull out couch is traditionally thought of as only available in a three cushion couch, a sofa bed can range from a cot or twin sized sleeper to a large queen sleeper. If a sofa bed mattress is aged, it can be replaced with modern materials such as memory foam, urethane foam, natural latex, coil and air over coil. The most popular replacement mattress for a sleeper sofa is currently the memory foam mattress which is a vast improvement over traditional down or foam mattresses.

The advantage to purchasing a sofa bed for the home is the convenience of having a comfortable place to sit, along with a reasonably comfortable place for guests to sleep if there is no spare bedroom available. One of the major disadvantages to a pull out couch is the weight. With the extra frame that sits inside the body of the sofa, along with the mechanisms for it to fold away and unfold, can add up to an extra 100 pounds to the piece.

A good quality sofa, with a pull out bed, can be purchased for a reasonable price at most home stores, along with any online store that carries standard sofas. Just as with any other sofa, including straight and sectional sofas, sleeper sofas can be purchased in most any type of material. Some of the most comfortable sleepers are available in faux suede, or real suede, for a few hundred dollars. Generally, the price range of sleeper sofas run between $200 dollars and several hundred dollars. Pricing depends on the size of the sofa itself, the type of material used for upholstery and the material the sleeper mattress is made from.

Sectional couches are a type of sofa that comes as a complete set to include the large three cushion section that is usually found in a traditional straight sofa, the two cushion section that is usually found in a separate loveseat and an ottoman for a footstool. Some sectional couches come in smaller versions that resemble a loveseat and recliner put together, while others can be up to 200 feet long on the longest side.

Use of Sectionals in Design

Sectionals are a good design choice if the person decorating the room is looking to utilize a lot of seating in a small space. They are also fashionable for higher end homes in the living or family room. Sectionals allow a number of people to sit together, without overcrowding each other. This can allow for more intimate family gatherings that include games and conversation, without everyone sitting on separate furniture pieces across the room from each other.

Sectionals come in an endless variety of colors, textures and fabrics to enhance the design of any room. Suede sectional couches are a good option for those looking for a higher end look, without the high price of leather. Price ranges for sectionals vary from store to store, and even from region to region, with pricing between a meager $350.00 to thousands of dollars for a high grade large leather sectional. Composition of pieces will also affect price, depending on whether there is a pull out sleeper or recliner built into the sectional. Accent pieces can also affect the final price, coordinating throw pillows and multiple ottomans can be added to change the available seating arrangement for the sectional.

Sectional sofas are a versatile design piece for any room, from studio apartment to luxury homes boasting thousands of square feet. Many furniture manufacturers, for an extra cost, are also willing to cover the couch in the fabric of the designer’s choice. Fabric choices should be discussed to allow for ambient temperature of the home and regional location. Fine grade leather would not be the optimum choice for a home with small pets or children, for instance. In this case suede sectional couches, faux suede or even traditional cloth would be a more realistic and lasting option.

One of the few disadvantages of sectional couches can be placement. A sectional sofa purchase should be planned out to accommodate the available space in the room and the intended location of the couch. While most people place the long side of the couch against a blank wall, it can also be placed out into the room to section off a sitting area from the rest of the room. With sectionals available in almost every shape, size, fabric choice and color, there should be one to fit almost any room of a home.

What Is Faux Suede

Faux suede is a fabric that very closely resembles genuine suede; however, instead of the hide of an animal, faux suede is a 100% polyester man-made fabric. Where real suede is delicate, not water-resistant and is difficult to clean, synthetic suede is much more durable and easy to care for. Genuine suede, especially when used to make suede couches, is very susceptible to dirt, stains and water damage. Imitation, or synthetic, suede feels very similar to genuine suede and is available for a fraction of the cost of genuine.

One other advantage to purchasing furniture upholstered in faux suede is the lack of any animal products in the fabric making process. Real suede is made from the underside of animal hides and requires, in the case of a large piece of furniture like a sofa, more than one hide to complete the upholstery process. Imitation, synthetic, suede is completely made of polyester and requires no use of any animal products in its manufacturing process.

What Is Microsuede

Microsuede fabric is a knit blend on minute fibers woven together tightly to create a product that is similar to genuine suede. Some of the fibers used in the weaving process can be smaller than a human hair and are combined very densely to create a significantly durable fabric for upholstery. In addition to durability, microsuede fabric is also wrinkle resistant, making it a good choice for bedding, furniture upholstery and curtains. One disadvantage to microsuede is it is generally not colorfast, with the dye tending to run or bleach when it comes in contact with liquids.

How To Clean Faux Suede

Although both microsuede and faux polyester suede are water resistant, rubbing water into the fabric can cause the dye to bleed or discolor. The question then becomes how to clean faux suede. Dabbing at a small spill will usually clean the area without damaging the fabric. Rubbing a spill in order to dry it can cause significant discoloration to the area. The best recommendation for cleaning the fabric is to use a product specifically designed for cleaning polyester, with other alternatives including rubbing alcohol or clear hard liquor like vodka.

It is important to clean only a small area of the fabric at a time, allowing sufficient time for the fabric to completely dry before continuing the process. As with any cleaning chemical, a small area should be tested for colorfastness prior to cleaning an area that is easily seen. One other item to note when cleaning microsuede, or synthetic suede, is the fabric can become stiff after the cleaning process is completed. This can be cured with a soft bristle fabric brush, or a cheap old toothbrush, with excellent results. With care and maintenance, household items upholstered in either microsuede or synthetic suede should last for many years.

Slipcovers are protective cloth covers that are made out of fabric and serve many purposes. One of the main reasons to purchase slipcovers for sofas is to maintain the original upholstery for longer. Slipcovers for couches are usually fitted by the length, height and width of the sofa and are easily installed and removed for cleaning, storage or changing.

In some cases, and much more often in recent years, slipcovers for sofas can be used to change the entire color scheme of a room without the exorbitant expense of reupholstering the furniture. In a matter of minutes, a colonial classic room can become an art deco masterpiece, just by changing the slipcovers on the furniture.

When some people think of slipcovers for couches, they recall the clear plastic zip on covers their grandma used to keep dust out of the upholstery. Today’s slipcovers are made of hundreds of different styles of cloth, with a rainbow of colors and accents intended to compliment any room design. Slipcovers can even be found in popular upholstery choices such as suede, brocade and damask.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Slipcovers

The advantages of slipcovers are endless; they save furniture from stains (especially sweat stains in the summertime), they can be purchased in any number of colors to match new or existing decor and they can easily be removed, machine washed and dried to keep them fresh.

The disadvantages of slipcovers for sofas are usually directly related to the cost of the slipcovers. The less expensive the cover, the more difficult it is to fit it to the exact size of the sofa. Slipcovers that can be purchased for a few dollars resemble inexpensive bed linens and must be tucked into the cushions whenever anyone stands up from the couch. Spending a few more dollars, in this case, can often make the difference between a stunning furniture ensemble and a secondhand grouping of poorly upholstered furniture.

There are several locations online which carry slipcovers, including popular sites like Overstock.com and Bed, Bath and Beyond. Prices for slipcovers generally range anywhere from $20 to upwards of $150, depending on the fabric and the fit of the slipcovers.