Choosing the fabric for upholstered furniture is more than a visual decision; it sets the tone for comfort, resilience, and everyday practicality. Svetlana Kosareva, chief designer at Hoff, highlights her fall selection as a reminder that material decisions ripple through a room’s mood and function. Across Canadian and American homes, fabric matters far beyond color alone. The texture, weave, and finish influence how a sofa wears over time, how spills are managed, and how well it ages through busy family life and frequent visits.
The choice of fabric carries as much weight as the sofa’s shape and padding. A practical textile may be waterproof or water-repellent, a crucial feature for households with pets, children, or frequent gatherings. In North American living rooms, durability and wear resistance are the deciding factors that determine how a piece withstands spills, foot traffic, and the day-to-day rhythms of life. The right fabric keeps upholstery looking fresh longer, reducing the gap between a sofa’s initial allure and its long-term wear, a point Kosareva emphasizes when selecting textiles for frequent use.
Minimalism continues to shape many interiors, but it has learned warmth. Designers are layering ideas, not piling objects, by selecting fabrics with unusual texture and tactile depth. A sofa becomes a focal point that invites people to reach out, feel the weave, and notice how light plays across the surface. The effect translates across styles—from sunlit urban apartments to comfortable traditional parlors—giving rooms personality while preserving a clean, uncluttered silhouette. Kosareva observes this shift as a practical way to balance simplicity with sensory richness in everyday living.
This season leans toward matte velvet upholstery in earthy, suede-inspired tones. A sofa dressed in this finish can brighten a room or anchor a pared-down interior with quiet authority. The suede-like look harmonizes with wood, glass, and metal, helping pieces transition gracefully between styles—from classic frameworks to modern lofts to bohemian schemes. Kosareva emphasizes the fabric’s soft hand and muted sheen, which serve as a flexible base for a wide range of color stories found in homes across the United States and Canada.
Kosareva also points out practical benefits of matte velvet for busy households. The fabric resists visible wear, remains comfortable to touch, and cleans more easily than many textures. This combination supports sofas that keep their shape and elegance through daily life, children’s adventures, and pet routines, while still inviting long conversations and casual weekends. In her view, the practical durability is a cornerstone of long-lasting upholstery that feels inviting rather than rigid.
Compared with real suede, a short-pile matte velvet offers a balanced mix of durability and ease. The compact pile reduces snagging and pilling, and the fabric is frequently designed to be hypoallergenic and safe for family use, a feature highly valued in Canadian and American homes. This makes it a versatile option for rooms that see a lot of activity, from entertaining to everyday lounging, without sacrificing comfort.
Another trend Kosareva highlights is boucle upholstery, a textured fabric known for its sturdy character. Boucle creates a naturally irregular surface that adds tactile energy to spaces while resisting wear. Its neutral tones and subtle variation make it easy to mix with wood, metal, or stone finishes, supporting room compositions that endure. Boucle quietly anchors a look, allowing bolder accents elsewhere without sacrificing coherence, a trait appreciated in both contemporary and traditional interiors.
This textile brings a grounded natural character to the whole space, echoing forest textures. Earthy tones and moss-like grain contribute to a calm, peaceful living room, reminiscent of the outdoors. The lack of strict repeating patterns reduces visual clutter, while the fabric remains waterproof and easy to clean, helping the sofa hold its original appearance through many seasons. Kosareva notes that the natural character of these fabrics makes them approachable for families seeking warmth without sacrificing practicality.
Lambskin faux fur is forecast to feature prominently this season, delivering a soft tactile surface with a luxurious feel that remains practical for everyday use. The material adds warmth and texture to interiors and performs well in climates from prairie winters to coastal rooms, where people value easy care and durable performance. The combination of comfort and resilience makes it a compelling choice for living spaces that welcome both relaxation and conversation, season after season.
Design details such as braids with small knots resembling astrakhan lend vintage nuance to modern spaces. The fabric demonstrates strength, wear resistance, and a solid ability to hold its shape, reducing deformation under heavy daily use and making it a reliable choice for sofas that see frequent lounging. This supporting texture brings depth and character without overpowering other elements in the room, a balance many interiors aim to achieve.
Earlier fashion commentary linked velvet-inspired prints with home textiles, guiding designers toward patterns that pair elegantly with matte velvet and boucle. The result is a cohesive look that travels through rooms and seasons, informing upholstery choices for homes across Canada and the United States. Kosareva believes this evolving relationship between textiles and patterns helps create spaces that feel connected, timeless, and ready for everyday life across North America.