Keep your wooden furniture looking its best with simple care and maintenance that protects its natural beauty for years to come.
Velvet care guide
Beautifully soft, richly coloured and wonderfully tactile, velvet brings warmth and character to any interior. While its distinctive pile gives it a luxurious appearance, caring for velvet furniture is often simpler than you might think.
Our guide to choosing and caring for velvet
From choosing the right upholstery to keeping your velvet sofa looking its best, our velvet care guide covers everything you need to know about this much-loved fabric.
Velvet is recognised by its short, dense pile, which creates a soft texture and a distinctive depth of colour. Depending on the fibres used, velvet can have a matte, understated appearance or a more lustrous finish that catches the light.
Despite its reputation for being delicate, many modern upholstery velvets are designed to withstand everyday use. The key is choosing a fabric suited to your lifestyle and understanding how to care for its individual finish.
Which velvet should I choose for my sofa?
From natural cotton to durable synthetic fibres, different types of velvet offer their own distinctive qualities. Consider where your furniture will sit, how often it will be used and the level of maintenance you're comfortable with.
Cotton velvet
Best suited to: Natural softness and timeless appeal
Cotton velvet is loved for its beautifully soft texture, rich colouring and subtle lustre. Made from natural cotton fibres, its distinctive pile creates depth and character, making it a considered choice for sofas and armchairs.
Over time, cotton velvet can develop gentle variations in shading as the pile responds to everyday use. These changes are part of the fabric's natural character, giving upholstered furniture a more relaxed, lived-in appearance.
Wool velvet
Best suited to: Natural warmth and lasting comfort
Wool velvet combines a soft, dense pile with the natural resilience of wool. Its rich texture and understated appearance bring warmth and depth to upholstered furniture, making it particularly appealing for contemporary interiors.
Naturally resilient, wool fibres can help upholstery retain its appearance over time, while their tactile quality offers an inviting balance of comfort and durability.
Smart luxe velvet
Best suited to: Everyday comfort and durability
Our smart luxe velvet brings together the softness and depth of traditional velvet with the practical qualities of synthetic upholstery. Its beautifully tactile pile catches the light, creating subtle variations in colour and a rich, inviting finish.
Designed with everyday living in mind, smart luxe velvet offers excellent abrasion resistance, making it a considered choice for frequently used sofas and family living spaces.
Is velvet a good fabric for a sofa?
Velvet is a beautiful choice for sofa upholstery, combining inviting softness with rich colour and texture. Its distinctive pile catches the light, creating subtle variations in shade that bring depth and character to both contemporary and traditional interiors.
While velvet is often considered delicate, many modern upholstery velvets are designed for everyday living. The key is choosing a fabric that suits your lifestyle. Natural velvets offer a beautifully tactile finish, while synthetic alternatives can provide greater resistance to everyday wear.
Whether you're looking for a statement sofa or a comfortable family favourite, velvet offers a timeless combination of style and comfort.
For decorative accents
Cotton velvet is particularly appealing for decorative accessories such as cushions, where its softness and rich colour can introduce texture without overwhelming a room.
Its natural fibres create a beautifully tactile finish, making it an inviting choice for layering alongside linen, wool and other upholstery fabrics.
For occasional use
For furniture that sees lighter use, cotton velvet offers a balance of softness, colour and character. Its distinctive pile creates subtle variations in shading, bringing depth to upholstered armchairs and statement seating.
Over time, cotton velvet may develop a gentle patina as the pile responds to everyday use, adding to its individual character.
For family use
For busy living spaces, a durable synthetic velvet can be a practical choice. Polyester velvets are often designed to offer greater resistance to everyday wear while retaining the softness and depth of colour associated with velvet.
Our smart luxe velvet is a considered option for frequently used sofas, combining a beautifully tactile finish with the durability needed for everyday living.
How to remove stains from velvet
Accidents happen, but acting quickly can help minimise the impact of spills on velvet upholstery.
Gently blot any excess liquid with a clean, dry, absorbent cloth, taking care not to rub or spread the stain. Avoid soaking the fabric or applying household cleaning products without checking the manufacturer's recommendations.
For more stubborn stains, professional upholstery cleaning may be the safest option, particularly for natural velvets.
How to remove pressure marks from velvet
One of velvet's most distinctive qualities is its pile, which changes appearance depending on the direction of the fibres and how the light catches them.
With everyday use, areas of the pile may become compressed, creating lighter or darker patches known as pressure marks or pile shading. These are natural characteristics of velvet and don't necessarily indicate damage.
For suitable fabrics, gently brushing in the direction of the pile may help improve their appearance. Avoid excessive rubbing, heat or steam unless specifically recommended in the manufacturer's care instructions.
How to protect velvet from fading
Like many upholstery fabrics, velvet can gradually fade when exposed to prolonged direct sunlight.
Where possible, position velvet furniture away from strong sunlight or use curtains and blinds to help protect the upholstery.
Regularly rotating loose cushions, where the design allows, can also help encourage more even wear and maintain your sofa's appearance.
Bring Velvet Into Your Home
From beautifully upholstered sofas and armchairs to decorative cushions and throws, velvet brings warmth, texture and rich colour to every corner of the home.
Whether you're introducing a subtle accent or making a statement, explore our collection of velvet designs to find something that suits your style.
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