It’s been a pretty frigid winter, but did you know that upholstered furniture can actually help keep your home warmer? The foam or polyurethane filling used in many upholstered pieces of furniture actually creates pockets of air that retains the regulated temperature from inside your home and subtly contributes to keeping you warmer during the cold months, and cooler during the warm months. The insulating capabilities of your furniture might be surprising, and it doesn’t just happen with upholstered furniture. Read on to find out more about how your furniture keeps your home warm.
1. Temperature Regulation
As mentioned above, upholstered furniture is stuffed with filling that often has the ability to create temperature-regulating air pockets. This means that no matter the temperature around it, your couch will remain comfortable without getting too hot from the summer sun streaming in or too cold from the winter chill.
Furniture made from soft wood, like pine, also has insulating abilities, as it is better able to absorb temperatures than dense hardwood furniture like that made of maple or oak.
2. Furniture Color
The color of your upholstered furniture also has an effect on whether it keeps you warm or cool. Dark colors retain heat while light colors reflect it. That means that your light-colored furniture will do a better job at keeping you cool during the warm weather, and your dark-colored furniture will keep you nice and warm when it’s cold out. If you live somewhere with four seasons, slipcovers can be a great way to change up the colors of your furniture to suit the temperature outside.
3. Furniture Radiates Heat
An empty room will usually feel colder than one filled with furniture. This is because furniture, in addition to absorbing heat, radiates the heat back into the room. So it’s not only comfortable to sit on your couch or your dining room chairs–these furniture pieces are also sending heat back into the airspace of your room. That means that furniture like a chest of drawers or a table (that you will obviously not be sitting on) will also help your space feel warmer.
Furniture Safety
Though you may like the idea of your furniture absorbing heat and keeping it within your home, you also want to make sure your furniture does not get too close to vents or radiators. This is for two reasons. Firstly, you still need good air-flow coming from your radiators and vents so that the warm air can properly circulate the room. Secondly, it can actually be a fire hazard if upholstered furniture is too close to a radiator. The best placement is at least one foot away.
At Howard’s Upholstery, we can reupholster, refinish, and even create custom furniture that works best for your space. If your room feels too empty or you want a furniture change, our experts can help. The right furniture placed in the right spots within your home will help your space look beautiful as well as feel comfortable–no matter the weather!
Written by hrosenthal-admin
