Mom’s Waffle: Fabric for the Couch

This brown couch has been in my parent’s living room for as long as I can remember. And for as long as I can remember, my mother has been waffling about what color fabric to reupholster it in.  Rarely have I been home for a visit when there wasn’t a fabric swatch or two lying on the couch just waiting to be analyzed.  I’ve tried to help her decide, but it’s kind of a case of the blind leading the blind, or the waffler leading the waffler, so to speak.

I’ll let my mother explain her dilemma:

My grandmother’s couch was last upholstered about 1958. It has been much loved but really needs refreshing. It will sit next to a red velvet Victorian lady’s slipper chair and across from an easy chair upholstered in a gold weave, all on a multicolored kilim rug. I’m most attracted to the “earth” velvet but the color is fairly similar to what’s on it now. Should I go for something completely different or stick with what I know works with the room?

Here’s the color “Earth” fabric that is most similar to what is currently on the couch:

Trend

She’s also considering the darker “Molasses” color:

Trend

Mom is willing to consider something completely different, like this “Garden” color:

Trend

Or something in a dark tone, like “Steel”:

Trend

Or even darker, like “Graphite”:

Trend

So what do you think — should my mom choose a fabric similar to what is currently on the couch or go for something different?

What have you been waffling about lately? Click on the button below to get help.