Historically, cushions and upholstery were extremely limited and basic. You had a few varieties of cloth or leather that were suitable as fabrics. The fillers for upholstery and cushions were usually recycled natural materials. If you took apart and antique couch, you would probably find that it was made of a heavy canvas filled with cotton, newspapers, straw, or shredded rags. Science has taken us in a whole new direction with fabrics and cushion foam. With new options, creativity can flourish. Some of those creative ideas are:
- Futons
- Oversized couches and chairs
- Day beds
- Hideaway beds
Multiple Densities of Foam
In the past, couches and sofas were furnished to have an extremely soft or extremely hard cushion. This means that it was either solid as a rock or so squishy that it gave you back problems. Somewhere along the line, springs were added to try and accommodate this issue. However, it took several years to get the combination right. Today, when you buy a piece of upholstered furniture, you will typically find a combination of cushions and springs. If you need to replace the cushions you will have over 10 densities of foam to choose from. This ensures that you get the level of softness or firmness that you prefer.
Outdoor Upholstery
Never before in history has the idea of outdoor upholstery been a good one. Because they were made of natural fibers, upholstery and other furniture did not stand a chance in the outside a limits. Fabrics would dry rot and mildew. The interior cushions would quickly fill with moisture and mold. Even with some covering from a porch or gazebo, to outdoor upholstery was out of the question. However, with the advancement of antimicrobial foams and fabrics, the outdoors is quickly transforming with furniture previously only used in the house. This gives freedom to homeowners that enjoy lounging in the outdoors as well as entertaining.
Cushions for health reasons
When cushion technology combined with medical science, the results were fascinating and applauded by almost every one. This technology found itself in neck rests for frequent airplane travelers. It also transformed the area of orthopedic cushions. In the past, certain places like hospitals were completely stripped of comfortable furniture because of the allergens cushions carried. Because of the hypoallergenic qualities of anti microbial cushions, they are now found in a variety of settings and used in totally different ways than in the past.
