It's also a lot cheaper to do it without buttons and a bench seat. And I found the fabric for 2.99 a yard at this fabric close out place. I'm just having a hard time picturing it.

Frankly I am too, unless you really want the couch to look dated. Having a couch upholstered often costs as much as buying a new one, with old, and you'll still have old, worn-down cushions that have seen a lot of years.

Do those colors go with what you already have?

Personally, I am not a button fan, but I have had long hair most of my life and avoid things that will rip it out (buttons). I think a bench seat would be nice

The cushions are being replaced. In fact I've already replaced the foam once and my dogs chewed it! My very close friend owns an upholstery business so I get a great family and friends discount. I'm not worried about it being dated as most of my house looks dated to mid century on purpose. :)

I am not a fan of bench seats on a long couch as I feel that bench "rolls." The stripes look fun but I probably would not use it because to my eye, if the stripes do not line up perfectly, it would drive me bonkers. I think it could look fabulous in a solid color, like the blue in the stripes to bring out the tones of the wood.

Yes the colors of the striped fabric go well. This is our small knotty pine den which is right off the living room. This is the living room.

Have you shown the fabric to the upholstery people? I would want their input too. It does look like it would work with your style

The buttons make the couch, it won't look nearly as good without them. Those details matter. Also, a bench cushion looks cheap (but isnt it you have to replace it because something happens to one section of it.)

Bench cushions are more practical than separate ones, IMO. I think the fabric you've chosen will give a lot of interest to the sofa and more than make up for the loss of tufting on the seat cushions. if you want to maintain the tufting there's no reason to use a striped fabric as the impact of the pattern will be lost if the stripes are no longer straight and are interrupted by buttons.

I'd go with a bench cushion but keep the tufts in the back. And since the striping on that fabric is horizontal, I think you can tuft it without any problems.

I agree with Tib. You need the buttons at the very least on the back as shown above.

My first thought of your fabric was meh. But, when you showed your space, I like it! You have great style and I think you know what you are doing.

So, try the bench seat, and see about tufts at least for the back.

I have to really disagree with Veda Beeps, re: bench cushions looking cheap. I feel completely the opposite. I think three (or more) cushions cheapen a sofa's look who bench cushions give them a more sophisticated look (and more comfort!). Sofas traditionally all had bench cushions, in elegant homes. I only go with bench cushions (my sofa, btw, had the bench cushion with the tufted back only and I love it).

My upholsterer thinks the stripes should be vertical but I was thinking horizontal too. What say ye?

I think vertical. Running them horizontal would emphasize the length of the sofa. It would also make your upholsterer's job more difficult, because I think it would be harder to keep the striped parallel to the line of the sofa over the greater distance. Plus, if the sofa is out of square at all, maintaining the stripes parallel might be impossible.

The upholsterer knows best. What about the tufting?

Almost all the pics I found had them vertical.

Are you planning to incorporate the bench cushion into the sofa or keep it separate? One thing that's nice about separate cushions is that they can be rotated. Regarding the stripes, it will depend on if the stripes are "railroaded" or not. Here's an explanation:

http://www.onlinefabricstore.net/blog/what-is-railroaded-fabric/

Vertical but back would have to align with seat..unlike orange example above. Of course this would depend if railroad or not.

Good questions - The bench seat will not be a separate cushion. I am not sure about railroading. We are going to buy the fabric tomorrow morning and I'll let you know!

I'm strongly leaning towards horizontal stripes. I like the way it works with the wood at the bottom. Also the knotty pine paneling runs vertically and I think I wouldn't like all those lines going the same direction.

I like horizontal stripes, and Oly's examples look very nice. We've done stripes both ways for chairs, but I cannot remember putting striped fabric on sofas.

I haven't read all of the posts but I have found with patterns like stripes and plaids, wear tends to make the lines wonky, and I've had this experience with expensive furniture. Your striped fabric is cool. But when you pay so much for the labor, why skimp on the fabric? (Unless you have to for budget reasons.) I would recommend a basic color fabric that would wear well and save that fabric for throw pillows. There is a solid fabric in a very subtle (practically indistinguishable) herringbone pattern with 50,000 double rubs and Crypton treatment called "Jumper" that is available in 140 colors. Even Calico Corners carries it in basic neutrals. Check it out, you will probably find each of the colors in your striped fabric in Jumper. I agree to leave the tufts on the back. But whatever you decide, I'm sure it will be fabulous, you have a gorgeous home!

I wanted to add that if you reupholster in a neutral fabric or a color that allows you some flexibility in the future, you will have more options in the long run. But you've got a great MCM vibe going in your house and the striped fabric suits it to a 'T.'

Love your style. I would say vertical as well with the stripes.

A practical question re bench vs. cushion seats.

I have cushions and routinely rotate/flip to balance the wear, since I always sit at one end of my couch. With a bench seat, isn't the butt-print and slight giving of the upholstery fabric going to be more obvious over time?

Good luck! We need to re-do our vintage sofa so I am listening in. Probably not until school lets out in May will I have the time to deal with it.

If you're in the Boston area, I can refer you to the absolute BEST upholsterer. A real pro, gives you a discount if you pay cash, and he gets the job done incredibly fast and does a full and professional job. He got my chair done in three days. I could not believe it. And he went above and beyond what I had even asked of him, polishing the wood parts,, restarting the seat, etc.

He is beyond awesome.

Bought the fabric yesterday and it is not railroaded. Going with the horizontal stripes. The fabric was 8.99/yd vs the 2.99 I thought it was but still a great deal for nice heavy upholstery fabric. I'll post pics when it's done!

louislinus, I think that, because the stripes have varying, including very wide, depths to them, it will work well horizontally.

So my upholsterer friend went with me to buy the fabric and she bought some too to redo these MCM chairs she's had. i love it! The fabric looks way better than I even expected. So psyched for my couch! How much would you pay form these chairs?

Hey, those chairs look great! Your sofa should be fab...and hide just about any spill, one of the advantages over solid fabric.

My couch is done. I love it. She's making me some bolster pillows for the ends. Thanks for all your advice!

Tibbrix I'm going to show you the kitchen you designed soon too. You are so stinking helpful.

I designed a kitchen?? Lol. I'm drawing a blank. Can' wait to see it, at any rate!

Also want to bump this thread so others can see the sofa. I think it's just fantastic. Really fun.

Well you helped me pick the cabinet colors. Or should I say obsess about them. And here's a funny - The bottom cabs were originally going to be this bluish green - SW Restful. I bought the very expensive cabinet paint already in this color. But then it was decided that the Restful was too dark and too green and I should find something more Aqua. I agreed and decided I'd just cut my losses with that $70 gallon of unused paint. Bought more samples and with your help decided on SW Hazel. Bought another $70 gallon of paint in Hazel. Prepped the kitchen and started painting. Got all the lowers done (not the doors but the boxes). Walked by the collection od paint cans in the corner of the kitchen and did a double take when I saw the gallon of Hazel that had not been opened. AFTER ALL THAT I PAINTED IT RESTFUL BY MISTAKE!

Ugh. Total bummer. And now you can't even sell the gallon of the Restful.

I don't recall discussing Hazel. I think you might be giving me credit that belongs to someone else!

Bump

I ended up using the Restful and love it. Now I have a gallon of Hazel with no use.

Glad you love the restful! Can you try to sell the Hazel on CL?

Your sofa looks fabulous! I can't wait until we get our vintage sofa re-done. Our wood trim is on the arms.

Nice!!! Enjoy.