How to make the best choice for window seat upholstery

Window seats are a creative way to add extra function and style to any room while also creating an inviting place to relax or read a book. Depending on your set up you can even use them as a guest bed when you have friends and family over for dinner parties or events.

When making the choice of what upholstery fabric will work best for your window seat, there are several things you need to keep in mind.

How to choose the right fabric for your window seat

Window seats transform a window into the focal point of the room and often becomes a natural place of relaxation for conversation. Window seats are usually covered with cushions that can be tailored to your taste, and there are many different styles and fabrics with different performance characteristics available for upholstering them.

When choosing a window seat upholstery fabric, you will need to choose a fabric that is comfortable and durable, but also stylish enough for your space. It all depends on your lifestyle.

Before making any decisions about what fabric should go in your space, think about how often you'll use it and how much wear-and-tear it will endure. If you're using this area as an extra seating option during parties or family gatherings (or even just when friends come over), then choose something durable enough to handle heavy use without showing signs of wear too quickly.

Keeping fabrics soft and inviting in high traffic spaces, and through multiple washings, is a challenge. We know this because this is exactly what we do.

On the other hand, if this area serves as more of a decorative element than anything else--say if it's located near an entryway--then feel free to focus more on comfort than durability when choosing fabrics!

1. Comfort: The first thing to consider when choosing a window seat upholstery fabric is how comfortable it will be. You want to be able to sit on your window seat easily without feeling like you're sitting on rocks! Keeping fabrics soft and inviting in high traffic spaces, and through multiple washings, is a challenge. We know this because this is exactly what we do.
2. Durability: Another important factor when choosing window seat upholstery is durability--you don't want something that will tear or wear down after just one season of use!
3. Colourfastness: If you like bright colours but are worried about them fading in sunlight or hot weather, then consider looking for colourfast performance fabrics only. UV rays can fade fabrics, so many of the treatments used on outdoor textiles are designed specifically to block or reflect them. The idea of colourfastness is broad once you look at it because colour can fade out of fabrics in so many ways if they haven’t been engineered properly! Our extensive colour fastness testing is an essential part of the production of all FibreGuard fabrics: the vibrant colours and colour durability are two of the key FibreGuard characteristics that our customers love most. Learn more.
4. Who will be using the window seat? If you have kids who love playing outside, fabrics that are easy to maintain (and to clean mud off) are more important to you.

Related read: The Definitive Guide to Choosing Outdoor Textiles

Different kinds of cushion styles for window seats

Your choice of cushion fabric will depend on what kind of look you want to achieve with your window seat. If you want a traditional interior style, consider choosing a neutral fabric like a linen-look or a fabric with a brushed cotton feel that can be paired with other matching pieces from the same collection. If you prefer something more edgy, opt for brightly coloured patterns, stripes, or even just deeply saturated block colours.

Whatever style of upholstery works best for your home--whether it's traditional or contemporary--there are plenty of options available when it comes time to choose.

There are many kinds of seat cushions for window seats. Some have a built-in pillow (also called a tight back cushion), while others are designed to fit over the top of existing cushions. There are also different styles of cushion covers that can be removed and washed.

Cushions with built-in pillows are generally used on window seats because they do not require any additional padding underneath them to make them more comfortable or supportive. They also come in many different colours and patterns so you can choose one that matches your decor perfectly!

Another popular option is a cushion cover that can be removed and washed when necessary. Most companies offer both square and rectangular sizes so you can find something that fits well inside your specific space without having any extra room around it which would otherwise look unattractive when viewed from outside.

Fitting a window seat

Window seats are often custom-made, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t DIY one if you know how to work with wood, metal or fiberglass. The main features of a window seat include aspects like:

1. A raised backrest that allows you to sit comfortably while looking out the window
2. An extra storage area underneath (if there is no cushion) where you can store blankets, books and magazines
3. A footrest at one end if you prefer to sit with your feet up while reading or watching TV

Looking for a full project walkthrough? Here are three excellent resources for the handy DIYers among us:

1. How to Build a Window Seat, The Spruce
2. Create a beautiful window seat with loads of extra storage – This Old House
3. How to Fit a Window Seat into Your Bedroom – Houzz

What are the benefits of performance fabrics for home interiors?

Performance fabrics are often used in window seats because they're designed to be durable enough for upholstery use without sacrificing comfort or style.

You can find performance fabrics at most major home furnishing retailers. Looking for FibreGuard? Get in touch!

Looking for even more benefits? Check out Performance fabrics: perfect for home interiors.

Here’s a taster:

Lower costs in the long-term: Performance fabrics can reduce energy consumption and maintenance costs, which will ultimately save you money. Plus, buying once and buying well means you’ll save money you’d have to spend if you bought a lower-quality product only to discard it a few months down the road.

Reduced environmental impact: The manufacturing process for performance fabrics generally uses less water than traditional textiles and less energy than traditional dyes. The result is fewer chemicals being released into our environment as well as lower carbon emissions during production.

Highly customisable: Performance fabrics come in an array of colours, patterns and textures that can be customised to suit your needs perfectly.

Choose performance upholstery fabric that fits your life

As we've shown you, there is a lot to think about when upholstering your window seat. While you can choose from a wide range of fabrics, styles, and colours, the most important thing is that you find something that matches your decor and lifestyle.

Our performance fabrics are designed to be "life-friendly" - they can handle anything life throws at them! FibreGuard’s upholstery fabrics are engineered from the inside out to perform, so no wonder they’re easy on the hands (and eyes). Explore all of our textiles academy articles!