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Design 101
A Guide To Tufted Furniture
August 31, 2024
Tufting is a timeless look that continues to pop up in every room of the house. These delightful dimples create dimension and definition. The technique can be applied heavily throughout or used sparingly to punctuate upholstered furnishing for a range of looks, from traditional to stunningly modern.
Choosing the right tufted furniture will elevate any space. This guide covers popular types of tufting, the best tufted materials, and strategies for incorporating tufted pieces into your designs.
What Is Tufting?
Tufting involves applying anchoring stitches or buttons to keep cushioning and upholstery fitted snugly in place and secured to the piece's frame. The final appearance has an appealing look that showcases the plushness of the padding and fabric.
Tufted furniture has a long history that stretches back to the Victorian era. Furniture manufacturers use tufting on all kinds of upholstered pieces, including benches, chairs, headboards, ottomans, and sofas.
Tufted furniture offers many benefits, including:
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Added texture
Engage your visual and tactile senses with tufted furniture. These pieces add more depth and variety to your design.
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Greater versatility
You can easily adapt tufted pieces for any design style, from contemporary to rustic. That way, you won't have to invest in new furniture whenever you refresh your space.
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Increased comfort
Tufting keeps upholstery plush and soft for many years so it stays comfortable longer than other furniture.
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More inviting atmosphere
The adorable dimples on tufted upholstery are a warm and welcoming counterpoint to modern furniture's smooth surfaces and sleek lines.
Types of Tufting
Diamond tufting
As the name implies, diamond tufting has staggered dimples that create a diamond-shaped pattern on the piece. It is the most popular and traditional type of tufted furniture. This tufting pattern can be executed with or without buttons. The diamond shape can be accentuated with pleated folds or seamed panels.
This furniture has extra padding in every diamond-shaped tuft, so it's more comfortable and durable than other styles. The diamonds also stand out more than classic button tufting, creating a striking appearance.
Biscuit tufting
Biscuit tufting uses a square pattern, resulting in a more linear and often modern look. Like diamond tufting, this look can be achieved with or without buttons and utilizing pleats or seamed panels.
The geometric shapes created by biscuit tufting allow your furniture to blend seamlessly into contemporary designs.
Channel tufting and horizontal channel tufting
Channel tufting uses rows of long stitched lines or seams rather than dimples. The term channel tufting usually implies that the stitched channels are vertical. The directionality is typically indicated if the piece's channels are horizontal.
Channel-tufted furniture has a sleeker and more contemporary appearance than more traditional styles. It fits many design styles, including art deco, industrial, and eclectic.
Tufting Finishes
Furniture manufacturers use many approaches to create tufted upholstery. These are the two finishing techniques to consider.
Button tufting
Button tufting involves sewing buttons or knots into upholstery to create evenly spaced dimples. Manufacturers can use several methods to attach the buttons.
Hand-folded buttons tufting is a technique where professional upholsterer manually folds and sews the fabric around the buttons to create beautiful, handcrafted pieces. Pulled-in buttons tufting is an affordable technique that involves sewing the buttons into the fabric and pulling them tight to create deep dimples.
Blind tufting
Blind tufting has no buttons. This style is most often achieved with stitched seam panels, providing a strong place for the binding thread or twine to be attached.
This type of tufted furniture offers a more minimal look that is popular with contemporary and modern pieces. Blind tufting can also be a better choice for families who expect more rambunctious use of the furniture.
What Materials Look Best Tufted?
Manufacturers can tuft a wide variety of upholstered furniture, but these materials tend to work best:
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Cotton
This tufted furniture is easy to clean and maintain.
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Leather
A leather accent chair or sofa tufted with buttons or channels looks traditional and stately.
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Suede
Add more texture to your room by pairing velvety suede with deep tufting.
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Velvet
Tufting makes this luxurious fabric look even more elegant and refined.
Fitting Tufted Pieces Into Your Interior Design
There are many ways to incorporate tufted furniture into your home, including:
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Add storage space with a tufted chest or ottoman.
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Center a tufted sofa or sectional in your living room for a dramatic statement.
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Choose a tufted office chair for professional yet cozy seating.
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Mix and match tufted dining chairs with a wooden table for visual variety.
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Tuck a tufted armchair into a corner to create a comfortable reading nook.
Choose one or two tufted pieces per room to avoid overwhelming the space with too much texture.
Refine your space with tufted furniture
Tufted furniture has remained popular for hundreds of years, and for good reason. These pieces add drama and refinement to any space. They're also comfortable and last many years with proper maintenance, making them a smart investment. If you're ready to embrace tufted furniture, get started by exploring sofas and sectionals.
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