3 Thoughts About the Comfort Factor and Home Decorating

Over 30 Years of Contemporary Comfort: the Togo line by Michel Ducaroy for Ligne Roset

Irwin Weiner ASID - Today's interior design client requires a beautifully decorated space, but at the heart of the beauty, there must be comfort. I wanted to share three thoughts about the "comfort factor."

• Internet shopping for home goods is everywhere, but what's missing is the client being able to see how upholstered goods "sit." Are the cushions too firm, too soft, or poorly constructed? How does the piece sit for a tall person or a very short person? How is the sofa or chair pitched for back support and ease of getting in and out? How can you tell any of these important utility factors when you're only looking at Web photos?
   
• My clients like to shop with me for casegoods at auctions, antique stores, and online sites. The comfort factor is negligible there. But we go into showrooms to test drive soft goods. We sit in each chair, lean back in each sofa, lay back in recliners, and check out headrests. And we sometimes change the cushion firmness by customizing it to what the clients want - and sometimes with couples, one prefers firm and the other soft, so they get their own custom cushions in a sofa or their own comfy chair.
   
• Part of the comfort factor is not having to worry about how active families can destroy fine furnishings! Choosing durable, washable, and resilient fabrics are important for families with young children (frequent clean-ups required), pets (hair shedding all over), and lots of entertaining (spilled food and drinks need fast-and-easy removal). Besides durable fabrics, also look for additional stainguard protection options. And if fabrics are exposed to bright indoor sunlight, look for fade-resistant materials and/or window coverings that will help keep fabrics looking vibrant for a long time (cutting out harsh sunlight is also good for your wall art, too).