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Selecting the best fabric for your sofa is a defining decision, one that brings together the practical rhythms of your lifestyle with the visual story you want to tell.
With over 200 fabrics and leathers in the King Living Collection, the possibilities are both inspiring and, admittedly, a little overwhelming. This guide is designed to simplify your search.
Together, we'll explore how your lifestyle shapes your material choice as well as the pros and cons of each option, helping you choose your finish with confidence.
King Living Head of Textile Design Sebastian Nash with fabrics from the Luxury Weaves Collection.
Your lifestyle comes first
You've found the perfect sofa. Now comes the fabric. With endless textures, tones, and finishes to choose from, where do you begin? That's where Sebastian Nash, Head of Textile Design at King Living, comes in.
"Before you fall in love with a swatch, the key to choosing the right sofa material is understanding what matters most in your living space," says Sebastian.
"Whether that's pets at home, the design aesthetic you're building, or how much maintenance you're willing to commit to, knowing your priorities makes the decision much clearer."
To simplify your search, begin with the checklist below. Use it at home or in your nearest showroom to identify what matters most.
What to consider before choosing a fabric
1. Children and everyday living
All of our made to order sofas feature removable covers, so look for easy-clean finishes, stain-resistant fibres, and machine-washable options where possible.
2. Pets
Consider snagging, hair visibility, and scratch marks. A tighter weave tends to be more forgiving.
3. Light exposure
Note whether your sofa will sit in direct sun or shade, and prioritise colour fastness and fade resistance for brighter rooms.
4. Look and feel
What style are you drawn to? Refined and smooth finishes, textured and tactile weaves, matte and grounded tones, or softly luminous surfaces.
5. Room type
Is this for a formal living room, family area, or a multi-use open plan space? Balance the needs of function and aesthetic based on how the room is lived in.
6. Scale of the room
Lighter tones can visually open a space, while deeper shades anchor larger layouts.
7. Existing colours and finishes
Let any timber, stone and metal in your home, as well as the tones in your rugs and accent chairs, guide your colour choice for a cohesive look.
Tip: Take fabric samples into your living space and view them in morning and evening light. This one step prevents most colour regrets.
8. Maintenance
Be honest about cleaning frequency and whether you want more low-maintenance care.
The Jasper Sofa in Whiteley Silkstone styled with the Panama Cushions in Charleston Natural and Lexington Warm Sable.
The best materials for your sofa
1. Cotton
- Best for: Families, everyday living, those seeking softness, warmth and a hypoallergenic material.
- What to consider: Absorbent nature means spills require prompt care, and can wrinkle with regular use.
"Cotton is a breathable fabric offering everyday comfort in relaxed living spaces," says Sebastian. "I'd recommend it for family households and those seeking a natural aesthetic."
Explore cotton blend fabrics: Whiteley, Amalfi and Scottsdale fabrics
2. Linen
- Best for: Relaxed, organic homes and those wanting a natural fibre and aesthetic.
- What to consider: Tendency to crease and requires care in direct sunlight to preserve the tone.
"Linen offers organic texture and a lived-in look, sophisticated in a casual way. It's perfect for relaxed or coastal spaces."
Explore linen blend fabrics: Hamilton, Ashton, and Burlington fabrics
3. Wool
- Best for: Family or larger households with high-use living spaces seeking temperature regulation, durability, and a naturally renewable, sustainable material.
- What to consider: Can pill over time, pet hair can tangle in the surface, and is best cleaned professionally if required, as it can shrink when machine-washed.
“Resilient and sophisticated, wool delivers durability, warmth and style. Biodegradable with a full natural life cycle, it is one of the most reused and recyclable fibres in the world.”
Explore wool blend fabrics: Macarthur and Lexington fabrics
4. Velvet
- Best for: Formal spaces, those who entertain often, design-forward interiors seeking a luxurious finish.
- What to consider: Can attract dust and show pressure marks where most used. When choosing a shade in a showroom or online, note that the colour of velvet can shift in tone depending on the light and viewing angle.
"Performance velvets offer a perfect balance, delivering durability with a tactile surface and a luminous depth of colour. That luminosity is part of what makes velvet so distinctive, as the way the pile catches light creates a subtle shift in tone throughout the day."
Explore velvet blend fabrics: Preston Velvet or Macarthur, a wool velvet crafted with a 100% Australian wool pile
5. Chenille
- Best for: Everyday living, households seeking comfort and relaxed lounging.
- What to consider: Can snag from sharp objects and flatten over time with frequent use in high-traffic living spaces. The pile naturally catches light at varying angles, so colour can read differently depending on the conditions of a room. For this reason, it is best to view in person before committing to a shade.
"Chenille is a woven fabric made from chenille yarn, a specialty yarn constructed by trapping short pile fibres between two twisted core yarns,” Sebastian shares.
“This creates a distinctive fuzzy, caterpillar-like structure with a rich, velvety texture that feels soft to the touch, making it one of the most plush and cosy options for everyday living."
Explore chenille blend fabrics: Long Beach, Richmond, Everleigh and Club fabrics
6. Bouclé
- Best for: Creating a stylish statement, design-led interiors, low-traffic spaces.
- What to consider: The looped weaves can pill and flatten over time, which can make this fabric less ideal for high-traffic households with children or pets.
“Bouclé is one of the most loved fabrics in contemporary design,” says Sebastian. “Its distinctive texture works beautifully across modern to classic interiors.”
Explore bouclé fabrics: Leura, Lennox, Lexington and Brunswick, or Zenith bouclé for indoor and outdoor spaces
7. Leather
- Best for: Households with children or pets, high-traffic living, easy maintenance.
- What to consider: Corrected grain leather can feel cool in winter and warm in summer, while semi-aniline leather maintains a more consistent feel year-round. Prone to cracking without proper maintenance.
“Leather is timeless and enduring. As well as its durability, it has a sophisticated appeal and develops a beautiful patina over time,” Sebastian shares.
“It's also hypoallergenic and cleans easily with a dry cloth or leather cleaner. Avoid chemical cleaners, as these can damage the surface of the leather.”
Explore leathers: Origin, Prestige, TrueTouch and Roma leathers
8. Polyester
- Best for: Active households, high-traffic homes, budget-conscious buyers, families with children.
- What to consider: Less breathable than natural fibres, and can retain warmth.
“Polyester is engineered for performance. It resists stains and maintains its appearance through the demands of daily family living.”
Explore polyester blend fabrics: Byron, Tempest, Quinn, Luxe and Milton fabrics
The Aura Island in Leura Rose. The 1977 Sofa in Leura S Pinot Noir.
Fabrics designed for easy care
In a busy home or one with pets, care and maintenance often become the priority when choosing your sofa fabric.
Every made to order sofa from King Living is designed with removable covers, keeping ongoing care simple and considered. When it’s time to refresh, covers can be removed for professional cleaning or replacement.
“If you share your sofa with children or pets, a machine washable fabric is one of the simplest ways to keep it looking refined,” Sebastian shares.
More than 30 fabrics in the King Living collection are machine washable at home:
Indoor fabrics:
Richmond, Leura and Leura S, Club, Quinn, Preston Velvet, Whiteley, Nolan, Manhattan, Sorrento, Byron, Eden Check, Everleigh, Baxter, Hoxton, King Cord, Long Beach, Olley, Luxe, Quilty, Seidler, Ashton, Balmain, Milton, Brighton, Tempest, Lennox, Yowie, Oceania, Bronte.
Outdoor Fabrics:
All our outdoor fabrics are machine washable including Shoal Bay, Pearl Beach, Element, Freshwater.
“For pet owners in particular, the 1977 Sofa is worth considering as the machine washable covers are easily removable and replacement covers can be ordered directly from our website,” Sebastian advises.
The Zaza Sofa in Preston Velvet Platypus styled with the Bongo Ottoman in Amalfi Natural.
Find the best finish for your style
Beyond care and maintenance, choosing the right material is about creating the aesthetic you want to live with. Use this quick guide to match fabrics and leathers to your interior style:
- If your style is elegant and refined, and you’re seeking a soft, light-catching surface, consider Richmond chenille, luxurious Preston Velvet, or the irresistibly soft Everleigh, crafted from 100% recycled polyester. Perfect for contemporary or maximalist interiors.
- If you’re seeking sculptural texture with a design-led feel, consider Leura bouclé, the richly tactile Lennox, or the quilted Tempest. Ideal for mid-century modern, contemporary or Japandi spaces.
- For a natural look using breathable materials, consider a cotton blend like Whiteley, a woven multi-tonal Scottsdale, or Long Beach chenille. Beautiful in Scandinavian-inspired, coastal or organic modern interiors.
- If your aesthetic is sleek and timeless, consider leathers that work in formal and casual living spaces, like Origin, Prestige or Roma. A classic choice for minimalist, mid-century modern or contemporary homes.
- If you want a contemporary but durable finish for your outdoor sofa, consider weather-resistant fabrics like Zenith bouclé, Malibu, or the linen-look Shoal Bay. Perfect for coastal or modern outdoor living.
“You’ll naturally be drawn to certain colours too, so always order swatches with a few favourite shades in mind,” Sebastian adds.
“Then, visit your nearest showroom. Our consultants can walk you through the fabrics and help you choose what will suit your lifestyle, aesthetic, and budget.”
The 1977 Outdoor Sofa in high performance fabric Zenith, styled in Dark Olive.
Your fabric questions, answered
1. What is the best sofa fabric for a busy family home?
The best sofa fabrics for a busy family home are machine washable options such as Richmond, Leura or Whiteley. They offer durability and easy care, with a variety of colour options to suit high-traffic zones and the style of your home.
The 1977 Sofa is one of the best options for a busy family home as the machine washable covers are easily removable and replacement covers can be ordered directly from the King Living website. Exclusive machine washable fabric options include: Leura S, Tempest, Fortitude, Yowie and Soho.
2. Do King Living sofa fabrics come at different price points?
Yes. King Living fabrics and leathers are offered across a tiered fabric coding system, with different materials grouped into categories across a range of price points to suit any budget.
Pricing varies depending on factors such as fibre composition, weave structure, texture, durability and finish.
Design consultants in your nearest showroom can guide you through the available options and help you choose the right fabric or leather for your lifestyle, design preferences and budget.
3. How often should I clean my sofa fabric?
Lightly vacuum weekly if needed, treat spills quickly, and plan a deeper clean seasonally or by a professional cleaner if required.
Read our fabric care guide to learn how to keep your furniture looking beautiful year-round, and shop our fabric cleaning kit.
4. Is leather a good option with kids and pets?
Leathers like Origin and Prestige are strong low-maintenance options as they wipe clean easily with a leather cleaner. Leather is resilient when it comes to spills, but it is best to act quickly as it can stain and mark over time.
If you’re deciding between fabric or leather, discover which sofa material is best for you. Read our leather furniture care article for more advice.
5. How do I reduce the risk of outdoor fabric fading?
Choose UV stable, outdoor solution dyed fabrics like Malibu or Shoalwater, designed for high-performance weather-resistance.
Shade solutions, cushion rotation, and regular cleaning all help maintain the textile. Read our article on outdoor furniture care for more.
