FABRIC
Textiles, a term used in the furniture industry, encompass both fabrics and leathers and the choice of textiles can account for up to 70% of furniture price. Tightly woven fabrics and blends tend to wear longer than light or loose-weave natural fibers. Choosing the fabric for your new sofa.

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GETTING TO KNOW LEATHER
Leather is the ordinary designation of tanned hides and skins.

How is leather made?
Leather is a natural animal product. There are four processes to turn raw hides into finished leather ready for upholstery.
1) Splitting: sorting and grading
2) Tanning: preserves, softens and prepares for the dye
3) Coloring: dying the hide with either aniline, semi aniline or pigment dyes
4) Finishing: prevents cracking and peeling.

What is the difference between top grain and split grain?
At the tannery, a leather hide is split into 2 layers – top grain and the lower grain or “split.” Top grain leather is the uppermost layer and the highest quality part of the hide. The lower, bottom grain is the flesh piece and may be split one or more times. This hide can be sanded down (corrected) and embossed with a consistent graining pattern to be used on the outside back and sides of sofa for a slight cost savings. A split leather is still 100% leather, and has all the same finishing treatments as the top grain portion.

Leather types used for furniture applications: Pure aniline leather is top grain leather that is colored only with dye and not with any surface coating of polymer and pigment. A light non-pigment surface coating may be applied to enhance its appearance and offer slight protection against spillages and soiling. A degree of natural marks and shade variation should be expected. It is less stain resistant, but leaves the hide softer, more pliable and warmer to the touch.

Semi-aniline leather is pure aniline leather that has a small amount of pigment or clear finished thus allowing the natural characteristics of the hide to show through while offering some of the benefits of color consistency and increased durability.

Pigmented leather is the most durable and is used in the majority of furniture upholstery. It is any top grain leather to which a clear topcoat and pigments have been applied. The pigments are what usually give the shiny even top color to the leather. Without pigment there will not be color consistency. The leather may or may not be aniline dyed. Pigmented leathers are easier to maintain and have maximum resistance to wear, soiling, and fading from light.

Full grain leather – no correction is made to the grain before applying the surface coating.

Corrected/embossed grain leather – Small natural markings and scars are sanded from the hide and then it is pigment coated for color consistency. Then a clear protective top-coat is applied to prevent fading and stains. Using rollers a consistent graining pattern is "pressed" into the leather. It can be as subtle as a small natural looking graining pattern, or as different as a crocodile pattern.
A decorative grain pattern is then embossed into the surface

Antique grain (two-tone or rub-off) is leather to which a special surface has been applied to mimic the unique ‘worn’ appearance of the more traditional leathers. This is achieved by the application of a contrasting topcoat, which is applied unevenly, or partially rubbed off, to reveal a paler color beneath. There will be natural marks and some shade variation and this type of leather will age more over time.

Pull-up Leather, also known as waxy or oily pull-up, has a natural worn look, which will lighten in color when stretched. Pull-up leather will age and appear more ‘lived in’ with use. This leather may have some natural marks and shade variation.

Nubuck is top grain leather that has been aniline dyed for color and then polished to create a soft velvety finish. No pigment is applied so color variations will be evident from hide to hide and dye lot to dye lot. This product can be easily soiled and is prone to fading when in direct sunlight.

Bicast leather (also known as bycast leather or PU leather) is the bottom split of the leather with a polyurethane coating bonded to it. Some manufacturers use the bicast treatment to process their leather, which provides a smooth, shiny finish as well as protection to the leather.

Click here for more detailed information about leather.

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DESIGN STANDARDS
Standard furniture heights and dimensions:

What seat height is right for you?
28-30” table height = Dining Chair (18-19”)
35-37” table height = Counter Stools (24-26”)
41-43” table height = Bar Stools (29-31”)
44-47” table height = Extra Tall Stools (33-35”)
35-47” table height = Adjustable Stools

Click here to find more standard dimensions.

Stairs

• Spindles/banisters – no more than 4” apart
• most comfortable height for risers (vertical part of stair) is 6-3/4”
• staircases should be at least 36” wide
• landings need to be at least as deep as the stairs are wide

Kitchen

• work triangle – the distance between sink, stove and fridge should have a perimeter of 26 feet or less to be efficient.
• Another informative read.
• Counter height 36”
• Bar height 42”
• Counter depth 24”
• Height between counter and upper cabinets 17” (to accommodate small appliances)
• Depth of upper cabinets 12” to 14”
• Minimum space needed between counters in work area 4’; in secondary work area 3-1/2”
• Height of desk surface 30”

Tile

• the smaller and more intricate the tile, the busier the look
• if using different tiles remember that their thicknesses may also differ
• mosaics are great in small spaces
• you can use floor tiles on the wall but it is not advisable to use wall tiles on the floor since they’re often not as strong
• choose tiles with a  shiny finish for backsplashes that require a lot of wiping

Learn more about types of tile

Paint
Scenarios

• complementary – colors that are located opposite on the color wheel
• monochromatic – combine light and dark tones of one color from the color wheel
• contrasting – for a dramatic effect, choose two primary colors and paint them with black or white
• adjacent – choose colors located next to each other on the color wheel to create a fresh and cohesive look without being too dramatic

Learn more about paint sheens.

Mirrors

• easily used to create the illusion of more space, to bounce light around a room and to create movement by reflecting
• a 5mm thick mirror is strong enough to hang up on the wall but not so heavy it needs special support

Area Rugs

• rugs add comfort and visual interest to space and help to unify its furnishings
• proportion rug size to room size
• leave an equal amount of floor space bare all around it
• place the front of all furniture fits on the rug to unify the seating arrangement, it’s not essential for the back legs to sit on the carpet
• there shouldn’t be more than two feet of empty rug beyond the furniture

A dining room within a larger room:

• rug should extend beyond the edges of the table by 18 to 24” on each side. Ideally the chairs should sit on the rug even when pulled away from the table.

Bedroom

• choose a rug that leaves approximately two feet of bare floor at the edges, or use smaller rugs, one on each side of the bed and perhaps a third at the end of the bed

Wall Art

Don’t:

• feel pressured to fill all wall space
• hang pictures too high
• hang pictures at different heights in a room

Do:

• ground your art by hanging it above a sofa chair or table
• consider proportion
• Centre pieces 6 to 8” over as sofa or chair and 8 to 10” above a table OR use this rule of thumb: the centre of each picture should be about 60” from the floor.
• If hanging a grouping, work outward from the central picture, keep one edge of each piece aligned with the edge of at least one other piece and space them 3 to 4” apart.

Window Coverings
Learn about your options.

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COLOR
The color wheel shows the relationship of colors.  There are three primary colors (red, blue, yellow), three secondary colors that are the result of mixing primary colors (purple, orange, green) and the tertiary colors, which are a primary color mixed with a secondary color such as, red-orange, yellow-green and blue-violet. When the colors are mixed with pure colors, white or black, numerous different tints and shades are created.

Learn the basics about color, how it affects our mood, and how to choose your scheme.