November 2021 - Comfort Works Blog & Sofa Resources

What is bycast leather and why is it perfect for sofas?

Posted on November 30, 2021April 28, 2025 by Comfort Works team

A leather sofa is a leather sofa – right?

Not quite. There’s a huge variation in the different grades and prices of leather available these days. From top grain aniline leather to vegan faux leather, there’s a leather upholstery option for every budget and lifestyle now. Today, we’ll be taking a deep dive into one option for this timeless sofa material: bycast leather.

Combining the best of natural and faux leather, bycast leather is an affordable, attractive leather option for sofas. Below, we’ll be looking at everything you need to know about this particular material.

What exactly is bycast leather?

You see, full leather can be split into multiple skins. Top grain leather is made up of the outermost layer of the hide, making it strong and durable. When the top grain is removed, the rest of the skin becomes a byproduct – but a sturdy, useful byproduct. These thinner skins are merged with a polyethylene coating to create bycast leather.

Bycast leather was originally conceptualised for the fashion industry, and later furniture designers realised it would work well for furniture as well. Today, it’s used to make leather sofa covers, leather slipcovers, and sofa upholstery. You might also know it as laminated leather.

Pro tip: A good way to tell authentic and bycast leather apart is by carefully appraising the grain. Real leather doesn’t have a uniform grain, while bycast one has a perfect grain.

Benefits of bycast leather

It’s cost-effective

If a genuine leather sofa is out of your price range, then you should certainly consider a bycast leather sofa. A bycast leather sofa combines the attractive look of real leather with the easy maintenance of faux leather – for a great price. Because bycast leather is made from a leather byproduct, it is significantly cheaper than full grain or top grain leather. And when you need to cover a whole sofa, that’s a significant saving.

It has a great, glossy finish

Leather sofas tend to develop a natural patina that is underscored by a matte look. That’s not the case with bycast alternatives. Since it was curated for the apparel industry, it has a glossier look. So, if you’re in for a streamlined and polished leather couch, then this is the perfect upholstery material for you.

It’s hard-wearing

Compared to bonded and PU leather, bycast can last for a relatively long time. Though it doesn’t have an indefinite shelf life of 40-60 years like authentic leather, it can hold its own for years if you take the proper measures to maintain it.

How to clean a leather bycast sofa?

Here’s everything you need to know about maintaining this type of leather:

What not to do: For starters, never clean bycast leather furniture with oil or wax. These products will react negatively with the top polyurethane layer and cause your sofa to become sticky. You should also avoid sitting on it if you’re sweaty, as it can cause the surface to crack.
Don’t skimp on the protector: The first thing to do when you buy a bycast leather sofa or slipcover is to apply a protector on it. It’s an easily available product that you can buy online from anywhere.
A weekly wipe down: In order to maintain your bycast leather’s sheen, you should wipe it down with a soft microfibre cloth every week. This way, there won’t be any accumulation of dust or grime.
Bycast cleaners: Bycast cleaners are specially designed to care for this type of leather. They can be used to clean oils, which can cause cracks in the top polyurethane layer if not cleaned off immediately.

(Pro tip: You can also maintain this type of faux leather couch with the help of a moist cloth. However, you should follow up with a dry cloth to avoid cracking. )

So why is bycast leather so great for sofas?

A bycast leather sofa is the next best thing in quality aside from top-grain authentic leather. It comes at a cheap price, holds together better than bonded leather, and is certainly one of the best alternatives if you don’t want to bust your bank account. Moreover, it’s highly versatile – from faux leather sofas to charismatic armchairs and even tufted ottomans, it can make any furniture piece look unique and gorgeous.

Plus: You can actually get all the benefits of a bycast leather sofa without having to go out and buy a whole new sofa. Our Comfort Works custom-made sofa slipcovers can transform any sofa into a leather sofa – perfect fit, guaranteed.

Zunaira Ghazal is an architect by profession and a writer at heart. She loves sharing her hands-on experience and knowledge with everyone through well-written blogs.

How to create a contemporary brown home interior

Posted on November 22, 2021April 29, 2025 by Comfort Works team

It was the colour of the seventies and nineties in both fashion and interior design. Today, brown is the go-to neutral if you’re looking to create a comfortable living space that invites you to slow down, relax and unwind. A timeless classic, brown represents nature – with varying shades including chocolate, tortilla, cognac, saddle, and mocha.

Below, we explore ways in which you can use this weighty and robust colour to create a contemporary, relaxing home interior.

Finding the right shade of brown

The colour brown isn’t known to steal the spotlight – often overlooked and considered lacklustre. But is this warm-toned hue blah and boring? Definitely not! On the contrary, it is just as versatile as grey and white and creates a sense of calm and cosiness. Brown comes in many different tones and shades, offering the variety you need for friendly warmth and immense depth.

This elegant colour evokes charm, confidence and a non-flashy vibe that can work well in a lot of rooms, especially in living rooms where it makes sense to anchor the space with neutral and wooden furnishings.

The addition of a brown couch can make your living room feel more intimate and inviting. Choosing the right shade of brown to incorporate into your interior space depends largely on how you want the room to feel – and trust us when we say the right shade of brown can boost a room’s style factor!

Decorating with different shades of brown

Brown sofas are a practical living room staple and act as the perfect canvas to build your colour scheme, using soft furnishings like cushions, rugs and curtains. Brown can feel rustic and earthy without sacrificing modern elegance.

Dark brown

Whether you desire an uber-contemporary aesthetic or a classical vibe, a dark brown sofa infuses elegance into a room. It is cosy, luscious, and meshes well with most colour palettes and design styles.

Light brown

Often thought of as the ideal neutral for rooms without an abundance of natural light, light brown feels calming and peaceful. When working with lighter tones, incorporate a mix of textures and patterns to keep your living room visually interesting instead of bland and flat.

Reddish-brown

*Comfort Works fabric options in the red-brown spectrum*

Hues like auburn, mahogany, copper and chestnut are some of the most sought-after shades of brown with a red undertone. Depending on how much boldness you aim to evoke, you can team a reddish-brown sofa with hints of sophisticated green to infuse a nature-inspired vibe in your home.

Greyish-brown

Greyish-brown lends an air of sophistication. Taupe is a hue that falls right in between the properties of dark brown and grey. A greyish brown leather sofa makes for the perfect subtle accent for traditional, contemporary, modern, and vintage-inspired living rooms. It can create a warmer atmosphere teamed with hints of red, or a cooler ambience with accents of green, making it incredibly versatile and timelessly popular.

Finding the right brown fabric and texture

There are certain fabrics that have a timeless quality for brown sofas. Putting durability, comfort, and style first means you won’t have to shell out extra for maintenance or upkeep. A quality brown leather sofa that ages well and cleans easily is an obvious example, but other fabrics also offer an understated visual elegance. Linen and brushed cotton have a laidback, casual quality, with their natural fibres and softer look. For a more luxurious finish, velvet adds sumptuous opulence and makes the space feel less trend-driven.

Regardless of where your design sensibilities lie, a brown living room is a comforting backdrop that works with almost any hue you want to play against it. As a statement piece, a neutral sofa should be given a warm welcome with a complementary colour scheme. When paired with the right soft furnishings, a brown couch can easily become a striking focal point of your living room.

Transform your space with sofa slipcovers

If you’re looking for a quick transformation but don’t want to spend so much on reupholstering an old couch that isn’t working for you anymore, slipcovers are the easiest way to completely give your living room an instant refresh.

Earth tone palettes are always a safe bet when working with brown sofas, and can elicit feelings of refined elegance or impart a sense of natural simplicity. A natural-coloured area rug and wooden floor are the ideal base for Vegan Leather in Saddle, and the additional of natural indoor greenery provides amazing contrast. Keep the walls crisp white to create a harmonious backdrop that prevents your overall scheme from becoming too muddy.

When working with similar shades of brown, incorporate different textures for added depth and dimension. A cognac leather sofa couples up brilliantly with reddish-greyish-browns such as champagne, burgundy and claret. The subtle, rustic nature of a cognac brown leather sectional can be accentuated with tan, rouge, raw umber, and royal purple. For a bold, lively contrast, pair with deep indigo and dark greens possessing a trace of blue.

There is an incredible focus surrounding copper fixtures and accents right now; and when teamed with neutral seating, say Textured Weave in Walnut, Acorn or Espresso, both the dark brown tone and the metallic sheen work together in harmony. A cool grey backdrop rather than the traditional and obvious cream is sure to keep things fresh and modern.

*This IKEA Kivik got a brand new look with our Everyday Linen in Hazel. Image credit: Comfort Works*

Linen is a tough textile with a luxe feel, which makes it a desirable sofa material choice. A grey and brown living room can look subdued yet trendy and contemporary. Everyday Linen in Hazel can be visually cooled by bringing in a grey area rug and grey accent chairs. You can keep your space fresh and up-to-trend by introducing funky throw cushions in muted tones for a natural, effortless vibe.

100% cotton sofa covers can be luxuriously smooth and lend so much charm to the scheme of things. Brushed Cotton in Sand, which falls in between brown and grey, can transform your living space when coupled with pale grey walls, soft furnishings in bold pops of colour, antique decorative pieces, and flooring from rustic wood shades.

Take your living room to the next level with custom-made slipcovers in your choice of colour and fabric. Our sofa covers are handmade to fit your sofa – perfect fit, guaranteed. Undecided? Take our samples for a spin and see how you like them!

We make custom slipcovers and loose covers for any sofa model

Posted on November 21, 2021April 29, 2025 by Henry

“How come you guys don’t do custom slipcovers for other brands as well? Aren’t they all slipcover-able?”

As a matter of fact, we actually DO make custom slipcovers for non-IKEA brands. All of the biggest sofa brands in fact.

Though we’re primarily known for being the specialists on custom IKEA slipcovers, we’ve been gradually expanding into other furniture brands such as Crate and Barrel covers, West Elm sofa covers, Restoration Hardware couch covers, Rowe slipcovers, Muji slipcovers, Pottery Barn slipcovers and the list goes on.

With just a couple of measurements and only a few pictures of the sofa sent to us through our online page, we were able to produce these highly customized slipcovers for our customers.

Find your fabric.

This is a custom slipcover we made with one of our best-selling fabrics, Liege Biscuit. Though our Leige linen fabric has been discontinued, we have replaced it with our improved and longer-lasting fabric (the 100% Pure Linen).

This customer wasn’t in the market to get an entirely new sofa, because there was nothing actually wrong with her current one.

We wanted to help them achieve the precise look they wanted for their living room — so we sent them some fabric samples, got the measurements, and three weeks later, 2 sets of beautiful linen sofa covers appeared at their doorstep.

“A miracle has happened in our living room, guys. A beautiful, wonderful, life-changing miracle in the form of custom linen slipcovers on our sofas!” – Liz @Lovegrowswild

Budget-friendly.

This sofa in Herringbone Cement (Grey) was another custom sofa cover that we were happy to make for a customer who was looking for some budget-friendly ways to give her sofa a new look.

“I was NERVOUS about simply sending some measurements and getting back a slipcover that actually fit my couch. To say I was pleased with the end result would be the understatement of the year. The true test: my husband LOVES them”. — Jenn @Myfabulesslife

One of the reasons why you don’t see many companies offering custom sofa slipcovers is because the wedge arms like the ones on the sofa above are actually quite hard to measure for.

Take the Darby collection by Rowe for example. Although its cushions and overall body appear to be rectangular and quite straightforward with its 90-degree angles, the wedge arms alone are what actually makes making a slipcover for this sofa just that much more challenging.

Stitching together a slipcover that will curve along the wedge sofa arms requires a very particular way of measuring the sofa, which is why we walk our customers through the measurement process with our superb customer service team.

Some custom sofa magic.

Custom Pottery Barn Basic Sofa Slipcovers - love seat and 3 seater with Contrast Cordings and Box Pleats — Custom Pottery Barn Basic Loveseat and 3 seater with Contrast Cording and Corner Pleats

“Can you do the same magic on these sofas?” — asked one of our customers. They owned a loveseat (two-seater), and a couch (three-seater) from Pottery Barn, and was trying to find someone to sew a new slipcover for their sofa.

The customer also requested some custom piping/ cording in a latte color after learning that we also offer different customization options for the seams and skirt styles.

We exchanged a few more details about the sofas, received the measurements, and went to work.

Similar to sofas with wedge arms, one of the most challenging things to pull off when it comes to making sofa slipcovers is making sure that all the curved arms fit perfectly.

The Roll-back arms of that particular sofa closely resemble the arms from the Bloomsbury collection by Crate and Barrel, and the Grand Scale collection by Restoration Hardware.

Different sofa brands have different sized-curves.

The particular curvature and circumference of the rolled-arms require precise measurements in order to make a slipcover that fits nicely for these kinds of sofas.

Age is just a number.

One of our customers over in Adelaide has been using the same leather sofa in their house for more than 15 years.

The sofa would have already been in the dumpster if they didn’t stumble upon one of our slipcovers that was featured on IKEAFans.

They gave us a call, and 3 weeks later, their new slipcover showed up.

We didn’t just stop at sofas.

For this request, we made 2 different kinds of custom slipcovers. One for their sofa, and the other for their dining chairs.

Once again, we went through the usual process of exchanging a couple of emails, pictures, and measurements. 3 weeks later, they now have a beautiful custom made sofa cover with matching dining chair slipcovers to match.

Making a custom slipcover for both the sofa and the dining chairs in the same fabric and style really helped create a consistent overall look between the living room and dining area.

Not an IKEA sofa? Don’t be shy.

Though we started off as IKEA slipcover specialists, our years on the job have made us so much more than just that.

We didn’t just stop at IKEA slipcovers, we didn’t want to restrict our slipcovers to solely IKEA brands alone — which is why we slowly expanded out into other sofa brands.

Now, we’re pleased to say that we offer the opportunity for sofa owners from pretty much any major sofa brand to protect, or find a new life and look for their sofas.

We looked at the other sofa brands out there and realized that not many of them were offering helpful, and more importantly, cheap solutions for people with damaged or dirtied sofas that didn’t involve reupholstery.

A nice West Elm sofa like the Monroe or the Drake can set you back about $1,000 – $1,500 or so, and finding someone to reupholster it if it’s damaged could cost almost just as much.

We believe that investments like your sofa should have convenient and affordable solutions to keep it looking clean and fresh for as long as it possibly can, which is precisely how this company started in the first place.

Price of Our Custom Slipcovers.

Sizes	Max Width	Starting Prices in USD

Footstool	up to 100 cm / 39″	$179.00
Dining chair	up to 100 cm / 39″	$79.00
Armchair	up to 160 cm / 63″	$329.00
2 Seater	up to 215 cm / 85″	$449.00
3 Seater	up to 260 cm / 102″	$549.00
4 Seater	up to 295 cm / 116″	$627.00

If we haven’t already got a ready to go template for your current sofa, the steps to getting yourself a handcrafted cover starts with you sending us a photo and a rough overall width. This is to see if we can make covers for you, and provide a quote.

The numerous sofa brands we can create slipcovers for have distinctly different styles of sofas, which is why we always have to make sure that we can actually produce a slipcover that fits your sofa.

Shipping worldwide is generally free, but is incurred for certain countries along with import duties so do contact us just to be sure :)

Custom Slipcovers definitely aren’t the easiest things to sew especially when communications are done electronically, which is why we’re so fussy with what we can or cannot do, but our promise regardless is that we will always do our best to deliver quality and satisfaction at the end of the day ;)

Getting Custom Slipcovers Made.

Although we are able to produce custom slipcovers for most sofa brands and models, some sofa designs are simply more challenging to complete than others.

These are a few other places to check out for a similar solution but with their very own unique take on doing it.

Slipcovershop.com
Calicocorners.com
Needleandshears.com

And if you happen to live in Salt Lake City, UT, there’s a very skillful lady by the name of “Shelley” who specializes in slipcovers for couches and throw pillows – check out her blog here.

Are you curious to find out if your sofa is slip-coverable? Then you should check out our post and infographic that will help you find out whether or not we can make a custom slipcover for your specific sofa.

If your sofa does turn out to be slipcover-able, and you’re interested in getting a custom slipcover made for your sofa — get started simply by clicking the button below!

Also, If you just so happen to own a sofa that we haven’t yet made a template for, then you’re in luck! We’re currently offering our custom made-to-measure sofa cover service at an introductory flat rate for sofas that we are looking to acquire the dimensions of!

Ready to give your sofa a new lease on life? Give us a visit and discover the many fabrics and styles we use to protect and rejuvenate tired sofas around the globe:

GET STARTED

Why a green sofa is always a good idea

Posted on November 16, 2021April 29, 2025 by Comfort Works team

Green sofas are loved the world over for their style and versatility. They’re trendy, stylish, and always make a statement. With so many shades and tints, green can be charming, charismatic and playful at the same time.

If you need more reasons, then here’s a complete list of them along with how you can make green work for your own home and existing decor.

The colour psychology: How green makes you feel

According to colour psychology, green is often associated with nature, renewal, and growth. When included in an interior design scheme, it can evoke a sense of refreshment, security, and even peace. This is why green sofas have become such a beloved and widely appreciated trend. They help create a sense of tranquility within a space, while providing a nice focal point to anchor the entire room.

Green works perfectly with neutrals

If there’s one colour scheme that’s here to stay, it’s the neutrals. Comprised of various shades of brown, beige, taupe, greys, and even blacks, this popular palette provides the perfect backdrop for any and every kind of green sofa. The sheer elegance and sophistication of this colour scheme pairs really well with green velvet sofas. Couple that with tastefully chosen coffee tables, ottomans, and accessories, and you’ll be able to create a wonderful space of your own.

Green sofas make a statement

*An IKEA Karlstad sofa in Comfort Works Classic Velvet, Emerald*

Green lies on the most statement-worthy end of the colour spectrum. It’s a colour that demands to be noticed, so any sofa that’s upholstered in this hue, whether muted or bright, is bound to become the focal point of an interior design. Tory Burch’s green velvet sofa is definitely a sight to behold, and one of the best designer examples of how green can make uplift even the most traditional sofa designs.

They’re so fun to style

Green sofas come in a wide variety of different materials and fabrics. For a luxurious, high-end feel, there’s nothing better than a green velvet sofa. Velvet’s subtle sheen adds texture and life to a room – and is perfect for creating a cosy atmosphere in the colder months. For a fresh, more everyday look, you can’t go wrong with 100% cotton sofa covers. Cotton is perfect for living rooms that are used for relaxing, rather than hosting.

Plus, they’re so much fun to embellish! No matter what shade or fabric type you’re working with, you’ll always find something beautiful to add some contrast. Green velvet sofas look beautiful with solid colours and understated textures like boho-chic area rugs and rough sisal or jute cushions. For a more luxe look, you can pair them with plain suede or silk cushions in bright neutral hues. You can also complement your green sofa with sleek brass end tables or gilded floor lamps.

Other fabrics such as cotton, polyester, or nylon work best with patterned or textured accessories. You can opt for artistically patterned cushions, oriental rugs, and faux fur accessories.

Green sofas aren’t just for living rooms

One of the best things about green sofas is that their use isn’t simply limited to residential projects – they look just as great in commercial and corporate settings. Choose a comfortable but hard-wearing material for your sofa and you can even feature one in a retail outlet for customers to sit on. Moreover, there are very few thematic restrictions for the colour green. You can use it in contrast with most hues, be they rust, orange, purple, yellow, burgundy, or more.

Update your own sofa

*Any sofa can be a green velvet sofa. Image credit: Comfort Works*

Have an existing sofa that you want to give a lovely green makeover? Complete reupholstery can cost a pretty penny – which is where slipcovers come in. With slipcovers, you can instantly change up the look of your sofa without even leaving your home.

And what’s better than slipcovers? Comfort Works custom-made slipcovers, tailored to fit your sofa perfectly, in your choice of fabric. All without the expense and fuss of finding an upholsterer and conveying your sofa to them. Plus, did we mention that all our slipcovers are machine-washable?

For a luxurious (but surprisingly low maintenance!) look, Classic Velvet is our top pick. Its dense, low pile gives a subtle sheen, and comes in a jewel toned Emerald or a dark, understated Forest Green hue.

If you live with one or more furry friends, Claw-proof Velvet in Moss Green is the one for you. Its finely woven knit resists claws and scratches, with a soft, cosy finish that animals and humans love.

And if you know your sofa needs to withstand all manner of daily activity and usage, you won’t go wrong with Textured Weave in Basil. This commercial-grade fabric is smooth to the touch but highly durable and longlasting.

So now you know why green sofas are always a good idea! They’re stylish, statement-worthy, timeless – and super easy to achieve. Find your favourite green and transform your sofa now.