Upholstery buying guide

Buying a new sofa or armchair is a big decision and a significant investment, so it's important to get it right. Whether you're wondering about fabric or leather, or extra features such as recliners, this guide will help you find beatiful new upholstery you'll love.

Leather armchairs

Easy to care

Luxurious

Timeless style

Perfect as an accent chair, or to accompany a leather or fabric suite, the leather armchair is a timeless addition to your home. We have so many styles to choose from, from the modern leather swivel chair with footstool to the casual contemporary leather armchair with roomy seats and square arms. You can even treat yourself to a classic Chesterfield style armchair, perfect in a cosy corner by an open fire or wood burning stove.

Take a look at our leather section for help finding the leather that's right for you

Shop leather armchairs

Fabric armchairs

Comfortable

Choice of fabrics

Choice of colours

Fabric upholstered armchairs can be co-ordinated to fabric sofas, or mixed with leather suites. We have every style in every colour - from gorgeous patterned accent chairs in classic styles to ultra-modern fabric recliners and everything in between.

Our fabric upholstery comes in a wide choice of types of fabric as well. See our Fabric section for the low down on all the different fabrics on offer.

Shop fabric armchairs

Recliner armchairs

Relaxing

Power or manual

Some with USB ports

What could be better after a long day than sinking into a recliner armchair and well and truly putting your feet up? Our recliner armchairs come in many styles in both fabric and leather, but what they have in common is that they have an internal mechanism allowing you to adjust the back and lift the front so that can be slightly or fully reclined. Some also have manual or power headrests in addition to the manual or power recliners. Our power recliner chairs often include a useful USB port for charging phones, tables and other devices.

Shop recliner armchairs

Riser recliners

Aid mobility

Safety checked

Cleverly engineered

If standing up from a seated position is challenging for you or for somebody you live with, then a riser recliner armchair could be the answer. With one touch of a button, armchairs take you smoothly from fully reclined all the way to standing.

View all riser recliners

Swivel chairs

In leather or fabric

Modern style

Many with footstools

Do you love the contemporary style of a swivel armchair? Then we have plenty to turn your head. With round glossy metal bases, with sleekly designed wooden bases, in deeply cushioned leather or fabric, in the cuddle style or high backed - they're all different but what they all have in common is that they cocoon you in comfort. A great choice as an accent chair many of our swivel armchairs come with accompanying footstools.

View all swivel chairs

Cuddle chairs

Made for comfort

Room for two

Contemporary style

Do you love the contemporary style of a swivel armchair? Then we have plenty to turn your head. With round glossy metal bases, with sleekly designed wooden bases, in deeply cushioned leather or fabric, in the cuddle style or high backed - they're all different but what they all have in common is that they cocoon you in comfort. A great choice as an accent chair many of our swivel armchairs come with accompanying footstools.

View all cuddle chairs

Wing back chairs

Great accent chairs

Characterful

Classic or contemporary

The wing back chair was originaly designed to protect the sitter from chilly draughts. Nowadays, thankfully, we have central heating, but we still love the classic style of the wing back armchair. We have traditional wing back chairs but also cool conemporary updates on this timeless style. A great choice as a stylish accent chair - choose fabric or leather upholstery in a colour to suit your decor.

View all wing back chairs

Fabric footstools

Multi-functional

Use as extra seating

Hide the clutter

Our fabric footstools include everything from larger storage ottomans to small table-like stools and pouffes, and can be plain or highly decorative. A practical choice, they can double as impromptu extra seating or chaise ends.

A fabric footstool is a great opportunity to experiment with exciting colours and accent fabrics like luxurious velvets, textured weaves, prints and jacquards. If the footstool you are buying is not made specifically to complement your existing sofa, make sure you pick a coordinating fabric and measure carefully to ensure the footstool is the right height.

View all fabric footstools

Leather footstools

Multi-functional

Use as extra seating

Hide the clutter

If you're unsure about investing in a leather sofa, a leather footstool can be a great starting point. They can make a room feel truly luxurious as leather looks more beatiful as it ages.

Our leather footstools come in all shapes and sizes, from large contemporary leather footstools with storage that can serve as chaise ends to highly decorative, more traditional style footstools with legs and buttoned tops. Remember to make sure your footstool is not too high or too low for your sofa.

View all leather footstools

Storage footstools

Multi-functional

Use as extra seating

Hide the clutter

These are storage or ottoman footstools with storage inside, most often a hinged seat that lifts up to unveil a roomy space inside. But unlike a storage box, you can sit on these - and move them from room to room fairly easily. Ottomans work well in bedrooms too, where storage space can be hard to find.

View all storage footstools

Online upholstery care guide

We want to help you keep your sofa, armchair or footstool looking as good as new. Our comprehensive upholstery care guide provides plenty of information on how best to care for all of your upholstery.

View upholstery care guide >>

10 year guarantee

We don't just guarantee the best prices, we also guarantee the best quality. Every single item is build to last, so you can buy our furniture with complete confidence.

More about our free 10 year guarantee >>

Accidental damage protection

Accidents do happen, so we offer 10 year Guardsman Furniture Protection Plans to cover you against accidental damage to fabric and leather upholstered furniture.

More about our accidental damage cover >>