When you are busy painting, taking classes, visiting galleries, selling your art, or finding inspiration, the last thing you want to think about is your living room furniture. You need your home furnishings to be comfortable, minimal, and functional.
Even though you might not give a lot of thought to your living room furnishings, you should still make sure that you get the right furniture for your needs. Artists like you have specific needs that are often left unconsidered when looking at something as simple as a living room furniture set.
Here are some of the things that you should look for when you buy living room furniture for your new loft or studio.
Best upholstery for repelling spills and stains
Some upholstery is more spill-resistant or stain-resistant than others. It is becoming much more common for the upholstery to stand up against stains as a matter of pride for the brand. Especially if your living room is also your art studio, you want upholstery that you can just pop off and toss in the wash. Higher-quality living room sets are made with such fabrics.
If you need to work with a lower budget, consider vinyl or faux leather furniture. It’s easy to wipe off and doesn’t stain easily. Just keep in mind that if you accidentally cut it, you’ll have to patch it. Most artists don’t care, but you should be aware that those patches are inevitable and take away from the aesthetic of the furniture.
When you really have your heart set on a particular set of living room furniture, you always have the option of getting the upholstery scotch guarded. Although it will not guarantee that you won’t have stains, it will make it less likely as long as you act swiftly.
Other durable and easy to clean furniture
The less clutter you have, the easier it is to keep your studio “clean.” It’s the surface that counts, right? If you really want to have an easy clean-up before the company arrives, keep your furniture to a minimum. Choose furniture pieces like coffee tables and accent tables that will require little to no maintenance beyond a bit of soap and water.
Another way to look at this is that each splotch, mark, cut, or stain is evidence of the creative process, and there is nothing wrong with leaving it as such. If you believe that is the best way to approach your studio design, start out by choosing items that will look better instead of worse with the abuse. The shabby chic style is perfect for this purpose.
Accessories
If you really don’t want to worry about protecting your furniture, the best option is to get plastic covers and mats. A hard plastic shock mat will both protect your carpet and area rugs while also making it more comfortable to stand at the easel.
You can also get plastic furniture covers that you can use to protect the furniture while still making it accessible for use. If your budget doesn’t allow you these luxuries, take a look at some cheap but high thread count flat sheets that you can drape over anything you don’t want splattered during the height of creation.
