Choosing a Seating Fabric:

What You Need to Know to Make the Choice That’s Right for You
 

Decisions. Decisions.

When it’s time to start designing your home theater, media room, or living area, selecting a material that will work in your room and within your lifestyle can be overwhelming, especially when given more choices. This short guide will help you understand the choices available in order to make better decisions and keep you happy with your FORTRESS seating for years to come.
 

A Word About AV Quality

When it comes to selecting seating for a dedicated theater, many installers will tell you that the color you select can have a small bearing on the image onscreen. Bright white seating, for example, may reflect light onto the screen and wash out the image, while a bright orange has the potential to tint the picture. Therefore, your electronic systems contractor may advise you to choose a neutral or darker color palate for your theater seating. 

The material you choose can also play a role there. Leather will be more reflective than velvet, which is why you see a lot of velvet seats in theaters. Likewise, a plush fabric like velvet will have less of an affect on the sound quality in your theater than leather. Of course, the balance of looks versus performance is one only you can decide, and generally, the effects of your seating arrangement on the AV quality are minimal. 
 

Make it Plush withVelvet!

Velvet is a very popular choice for theater seating. It’s luxurious, plush, absorbent, and is offered in many colors and solid patterns. Another huge plus is that it’s very durable. It is a fabric, however, and therefore may require stain treatment over time in high-use areas. We do offer stain-guarding and fire barriers for fabrics, should you want that extra layer of protection.
 

Make it Sleek with Leather

Leather’s big draw is that it is extremely durable, comes in a wide array of colors, can look very modern to very traditional, and is less susceptible to stains or dirt in comparison to fabric. Have a spill or smudge? Simply wipe it clean! Something to be aware of when specifying leather is that it is a natural material, and therefore can stretch over time. It is also a bit more expensive than fabric.
 

Find the Fabric of Your Dreams

FORTRESS offers a wide variety of standard materials, like Standard and PremiumLeather, Faux Suede, Faux Leather, Velvet, Mohair, and Chenille. But really, the sky’s the limit when you are designing your space, because FORTRESS is all about customization. We invite you to supply your own upholstery should you choose. We also work closely with material manufacturers, and are happy to help you source thatspecial fabric you’re looking for.

For help designing your home theater, media room, or living area seating, drop us a line. We are here to help you realize the space of your dreams!