Durable leather is a beautiful choice for family rooms.

Some natural fiber fabrics are also durable enough for furniture that will receive heavy use.  Leather is a great pick for beautiful family room furniture.  It is soft, pliable, and lends an air of casual sophistication or country charm to your room depending on the style of the pieces it is used on.  Cozy leather is warm in the colder months, yet comfortably cool in the warmer months.

Although more expensive than some upholstery fabric choices, leather will pay for itself in the long run, because it is very durable when properly cared for.  Since leather can become dry and crack with excessive heat, keep leather furniture at a distance from fireplaces and heaters.  Dust leather furniture regularly with a dry cloth and treat it with a quality leather conditioner, made for furniture, every six months or so.

Wool blend upholstery fabrics are another durable choice; they resist pilling and wrinkling.  However, if you or your family members are allergic to wool clothing, wool upholstery is not the best choice.  Environmentally-friendly hemp also used in upholstery fabrics; it is generally blended with polyester and cotton. Heavier weight hemp blend fabrics are suitable for family room use, while lighter hemp blends can look great in formal settings.

Cotton canvas and duck upholstery fabrics are also durable for use in family rooms. Many of these fabrics are available with stain protection. Denim upholstery fabric is another great choice for casual furniture.  Other varieties of cotton upholstery fabrics are not as durable and are unsuitable for heavy use.