Room Concepts

If you’re not ready to part with your old couch yet or your couch just doesn’t fit your style anymore, you may be wondering how to make an old couch look new again. There are many ways you can give your old sofa a makeover. So let’s jump right in. 

4 Ways to Make an Old Couch Look New Again

1. A Thorough Cleaning

While spot cleaning is necessary to keep up the cleanliness of your couch, we don’t often give our couch a deep cleaning. Sometimes we don’t think about deep cleaning our couches, we don’t know how to deep clean our coaches, or we just don’t have the time to do it, but a thorough cleaning is an easy way to make an old couch look new.

An important step when deep cleaning your sofa is removing stains. A common at-home mixture used to remove stains is water and baking soda, but different types of materials require different cleaning solutions and techniques. Learn how to remove stains from different types of materials in our How to Clean Sofa Stains at Home Guide. 

2. Fill it With Poly-Fil

If your couch cushions have seen better days, you may think your couch is a lost cause. Many people update their sofa cushions with Poly-Fil (also known as wadding), which is made up of a blend of polyester fibers.

Poly-Fil is available at most craft stores and is a durable and inexpensive way to bring life back to your old couch. If you’re interested in more ways to fluff up your couch, you’re in luck. We will talk about this topic more later in this blog.

3. Replace Sofa Legs

Do the legs on your sofa look like they’ve seen better days? Replacing the legs on your sofa is an easy way to make your sofa look new again, as well as an easy way to update the look of your sofa. Replacement legs are available in different styles and sizes, so finding sofa legs that fit the look of your couch is easy.

4. Add Tufting or Nailhead Trim

Adding tufting or nailhead trim to your sofa is a creative way to give your old sofa a makeover. Not only can it help with sagging fabric, but it gives your couch a tailored look. Adding these touches to your sofa can give your sofa a classic vibe or as if you replaced it with a custom sofa. 

Other Old Sofa Renovation Ideas

Looking for more old sofa renovation ideas? For an easy old sofa makeover, try adding a slipcover to your sofa. Look for slipcovers that are made for the brand and style of couch you own. If you can’t find an exact fit, there are ways to use less tailored slipcovers or you can make your own. 

If the slipcover you have is less tailored, you can give your slipcover a more fitted look by tucking the extra fabric between the couch cushions or holding it in place with slipcover tuck grips. If you want to DIY it, look for a slipcover template online or ideas on how people use drop cloths, curtains, and more as a slipcover.

If you’re looking for a more permanent way to make an old couch look new again, give painting a try. Yes, we said paint! There are paints made for leather and other sofa fabrics, but make sure to check the reviews as some paints cover the original fabric better than others. While painting your furniture might not be the easiest way to touch up your sofa, it can give your old sofa a total makeover.

How Do You Fluff Up an Old Couch?

Maybe your couch isn’t that old, but could still stand to be fluffed up a bit. There are many ways to fluff up an old couch (and other living room furniture filled with stuffing or foam). Are you able to remove your couch cushions? If so, you can remove them, unzip the cushion, and replace the foam with a new piece of foam cut to size and wrapped in batting. 

If you want to fluff up your couch without replacing the foam, you can add extra stuffing (the Poly-Fil we mentioned earlier) to your cushions. The process is pretty similar to replacing foam if your cushions aren’t attached. If they are attached, look for a hidden zipper. If you have one, unzip the cushions and wrap the foam with stuffing. The more Poly-Fil you add, the sturdier your cushion will be.

If you can’t or don’t want to replace foam or stuffing, we still have a way for you to fluff your couch. Start by removing the cushions you can and unzipping them. Then give them a few sturdy pats to plump them up again. Once zipped back up, flip your cushions and place them back on your couch in a different spot. This is especially important if you sit on one cushion more than the others. 

If you’re not able to remove your cushions, just pat them to plump them up again while they’re attached. This may take a bit longer than if the cushions were removed, but you can still fluff up your old couch without having to remove the cushions.

Is It Worth It to Reupholster a Couch?

A popular way to make an old couch look new again is to reupholster the couch. Before deciding if it’s worth it to reupholster a couch, thoroughly clean the upholstery. Use a steam-based machine and cleaning products or hire a professional cleaner if you’re unsure of what products or techniques to use.

If your sofa has been thoroughly cleaned and it’s still looking a bit drab, it may be time to consider reupholstering it. We recommend reupholstering your couch if it’s still structurally sound or if it’s sentimental. Why? Because upholstery fabric is expensive and it takes time and patience to reupholster a couch on your own. If you hire a professional, your costs increase for their time and labor. 

How Many Years Should a High Quality Sofa Last? 

A high-quality sofa can last 8 to 10 years with proper care, but signs of wear and tear can appear before it’s time to invest in a new sofa. What are some of the signs that your couch may need replaced sooner rather than later? One sign is hearing creaking, squeaking, or popping noises whenever someone sits down. These noises are warning signs there is structural damage.

Another sign it’s time to replace your sofa? No matter what you do, you can’t get life’s odors out of it. This sign is most noticeable right after cleaning your home. If everything smells fresh except your living room, it might be your sofa. 

If you haven’t been able to make your old couch look new again, or it’s just time to kick your sofa to the curb, review our ultimate sofa buying guide before shopping. It covers types of sofas, what you need to consider before buying a sofa, how much you can expect to spend, and more.

Room Concepts provides high quality, customizable sectionals and sofas to fit your space, with many configurable options and customized designs to meet your needs. Our Furniture Design experts are happy to help you create the perfect piece to add value and comfort to your home. Get in touch with our team today or stop into one of our Pittsburgh area showrooms in Whitehall or Wexford, PA to explore your couch options.