Reupholstery is a significant furniture project that can cost weeks or even months to complete. However, the results can be well worth it for a family heirloom or a piece of furniture that you use all the time but is looking a little shabby. In addition, you can save a lot of money by choosing your fabric carefully and allowing an upholsterer to do the rest.

Before you start the reupholstery process, take a good look at your furniture and determine whether it needs a makeover. If you’re deciding between a new fabric and reupholstering, it might be worthwhile to live with the furniture for a few days. This will give you an idea of how much you love it and help you decide if a change would be better.

The fabric is a big part of what makes your furniture look its best. Changing the color or going from a solid to a pattern can transform a furniture piece and give it a fresh, modern look. Many upholsterers also add other details, such as contrasting color welting (also known as cord or piping) to define lines. This is especially nice on sculptural pieces.

You can also update your furniture by adding or removing the skirt. This is particularly helpful for pieces that have lost their shape over the years and may be too squat or short. Adding a skirt will help the piece sit higher and can provide a more graceful look. Skirts are a great place to experiment with other details, such as channeling or tufting.

If your furniture is made from a solid wood or has good “bones” (as the pros call it), it will likely hold up better over the long haul than a piece with plywood construction. It’s also easier to repair problems in solid-wood furniture than it is in particle board or veneer pieces.

A good upholsterer will be able to tell you how much it’s going to cost to reupholster your furniture and how quickly they can get the job done. They will also be able to show you some different fabric samples so that you can find the right one for your piece.

It’s possible to reupholster your own furniture, but it’s usually best to leave this task to the professionals. You’ll want to make sure that the upholstery company you choose has experience with your type of furniture and understands how to work with the underlying structure.

While the experts on HGTV make reupholstery seem easy, it’s a serious undertaking and requires a lot of skill and patience to achieve a quality result. Unless you’re a professional upholsterer, it’s probably a good idea to save this project for the heirloom pieces and other furniture that has sentimental value. If you’re not willing to put in the time and effort, then buying a new piece of furniture might be a more worthwhile investment. If you’re up for the challenge, read our tips for a successful reupholstery and start shopping for a new fabric.