Just Sit On It!

Primary, of course, is basic construction. The part we actually feel when we sit is the padding and covering, and how well that is done is what does the trick.

Way back before our time, upholstery consisted mainly of textiles, rushes or leather stretched over frames. That was so uncomfortable they began adding loose cushions to cush your tush. Nowadays we make the frames, padding and covering comfortable by themselves and the added cushions are mainly for looks, plus a little extra comfort.

There are several paddings, stuffings and cushions in the upholstery market today that give comfort as well as beauty to furniture.

One type of comfortable seating would be padding made from thin layers of resilient materials covered with fabric and secured to a frame. Until recently, long, curled hair (usually horse hair) was the best and most costly padding, with kapok, moss and cotton used in the less expensive upholstery.

Since those ingredients cause allergies to many people, the great minds at the manufacturing plant discovered foam. Thick foam pads have taken the place of stuffing in many seating pieces. The pads are supported by plywood or webbing and have even become furniture by themselves. I'm sure you've seen one piece or several pieces of pads held together by buckles or straps, creating a chair, sofa or bed.

The old horse hair cushions made cleaning difficult. Today's cushions are often covered with zippered fabric that is removable for easy cleaning. In some cases the foam padding is encased in a plastic laminate that can be wiped clean with a damp sponge. I don't recommend the plastic-wrapped foam because it is not very comfortable to sit on and it makes a crinkling noise when you move around.

Here's what upholstery looks like from the inside to the outside:

• Frame: Should be a strong hardwood such as oak, maple, birch (any leaf-bearing tree), secured at the joints with metal or plastic.
• Webbing: Should be woven in a simple basket weave and tacked to the frame.
• Springs: The best is 8-way hand tied, just like the mattress on the bed. The next best thing is sinuous spring coil. The coil should be tied to the webbing and frame and spaced closely enough to prevent sagging.
• Burlap: This covers the spring to protect the padding.
• Muslin: Only found on better furniture. This material is used instead of burlap to cover the springs and protect the padding.
• Final fabric: This is the icing on the cake. The fabric should be of durable quality and aesthetically pleasing. It should be comfortable to the touch and have a degree of resilience.

The cushions and pillows come three ways: loose, semi-attached and attached.

They're all good. Down remains the most luxurious stuffing for the top cushion/pillows but are also the most expensive. Foam with a polyester wrap is the most popular type of cushion on the market today. Several manufacturers offer their cushions in degrees of firmness, as some people like to sink into a chair or sofa while others prefer a greater amount of firmness and support.

The bottom line is, sit in it. If it is comfortable, buy it.

(Rosemary Sadez Friedmann is a member of the American Society of Interior Designers and president of Rosemary Sadez Friedmann, Inc. in Naples, Fla.)