My concern about polyester is the off-gassing, the new furniture smell, that essentially is the chemicals releasing from the material. I know that the actual heath effects of this is somewhat controversial and I'm not totally convinced myself but I'd prefer to find a fabric that has minimal off-gassing. Polyester is notorious for off-gassing. That's why I was hoping to find a fabric that would clean easily with children and pets but that would have some kind of "green" certification. That was how I discovered Sunbrella which is acrylic (so synthetic) and incredibly durable but does not impact indoor air quality like other materials. Does anyone know why Lee's Sunbrella options are so limited? The cotton is brown and beige so I think it will hide dirt. I can't do leather because my cat is not declawed. :)

detroit, thanks for the zara suggestion. i do like it a lot. i'll have to see if any fabric stores here have some samples of it. i found a few banquette pics on houzz that i liked. do you guys think any of these would look ok in my space? this one is sort of a navy blue? i like the pattern but maybe it is too dark, maybe too traditional for my space, which is sort of dark already... [Traditional Dining Room[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-dining-room-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_722~s_2107) by San Diego Interior Designers & Decorators Savvy Interiors this one is very neutral and bright and the style of the house is similar to mine. would that look ok or should i try to bring in more blue? [Mediterranean Dining Room[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/mediterranean-dining-room-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_722~s_2109) by Oakland General Contractors Mueller Nicholls Cabinets and Construction i also like this one which feels fresh, but maybe do blue accent pillows instead? [Contemporary Kitchen[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/contemporary-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2103) by Nashville Interior Designers & Decorators Casella Interiors This post was edited by michoumonster on Sun, Jan 19, 14 at 22:02

I don’t feel the concrete or brick are very important factors. More importantly, how do want the space to feel, so important to figure that out first as chairs will suit anything. Personally, I like a neutral solid and layering space with cushions and patterns, as it‘s timeless and versatile. Fabrics are endless and it’s such a personal decision - stripes, floral, geometric, etc. To complement brick, if that‘s your aim, any of the fabrics below would work and suggest going bold.

Not all Sunbrella fabric is easy to sew. I bought some awning fabric to make some pillows because that is the only way I could get the color I wanted, and it was like sewing cardboard. The turquoise fabric is soft and was easy to sew, but the orange is very stiff, and it was very difficult to install the zippers in that fabric. I did not wash it to soften it, and the pillows are still sufficiently comfortable for outdoors, but I would not use them indoors. I do use some of the turquoise pillows indoors, and I've also made a bunch more Sunbrella pillows for outdoors, but I made sure that I did not buy any more awning fabric. When you buy the fabric, the description will tell you what it is meant to be used for. I can buy Sunbrella fabric at my favorite fabric store in L.A. (F&S), but during the pandemic, only the upholstery section of that store was open. The store is on both sides of Pico Blvd, and the upholstery section is on the south side of the street. I normally shop on the other side of the street for fashion fabrics, when I want to buy linen for making clothes. I do like to feel the fabric before I buy it, but sometimes I have to order it. I've even been buying linen on line, as the fashion fabrics part of F&S is still temporarily closed.