May 2026 - O.P. Jenkins Furniture & Design

Choosing upholstery fabric is one of the most important — and most overlooked — decisions you’ll make when buying furniture. The right fabric can mean the difference between a sofa that looks great for a decade and one that’s showing its age in two years. Here’s what to consider before you commit.

Start With Your Life
Before you look at a single swatch, think honestly about how the piece will be used. Kids, pets, and high-traffic rooms all demand more from a fabric than a guest bedroom chair does. Be realistic — build for the life you actually live, not the one where nobody eats on the couch.

The Main Fabric Types

Performance fabrics (Crypton, Sunbrella, and similar) are engineered to resist stains, moisture, and wear. They’re our most popular recommendation for families — durable, easy to clean, and available in beautiful options.
Polyester blends are soft, affordable, and hold up well in everyday use. A solid choice for moderate-traffic rooms.
Velvet is rich and beautiful but shows wear more easily. Performance velvet versions offer the same look with much better durability.
Linen has a relaxed, natural look but wrinkles and stains easily. Best for lower-traffic spaces without kids or pets.
Leather and faux leather wipe clean, don’t trap pet hair, and last for decades. Faux leather has improved dramatically and is a great option at a lower price point.

We’re Here to Help
You don’t have to figure this out on your own. Our team has helped customers through every scenario imaginable — and we’ll help you find a fabric that works for your home. Stop by our Knoxville or Nashville showroom and let’s find the right fit.

As the seasons change, so does the way we live in our homes. The long, relaxed days of summer call for breezy, casual spaces, while fall and winter invite warmth, layering, and a cozier kind of comfort. There’s no better time than right now — between seasons — to take a fresh look at your furniture and ask yourself whether your home is truly working for the life you’re living.

Shopping for furniture early in the season gives you one big advantage: selection. New arrivals hit our showroom floor before peak demand, which means you’ll have your pick of styles, fabrics, and finishes before the most popular pieces walk out the door. Waiting until you need something urgently often means settling for what’s left — and at OP Jenkins, we believe your home deserves better than a compromise.

Seasonal refreshes don’t have to mean a complete overhaul, either. Sometimes the biggest transformation comes from a single well-chosen piece — a new sectional that finally makes your living room feel finished, a pair of accent chairs that bring color and personality into a neutral space, or a dining table that can seat your family comfortably for the holidays ahead. Our design team is skilled at identifying exactly where a room needs attention and helping you find the piece that makes everything click.

It’s also worth thinking about quality when you shop seasonally. Furniture that’s built to last will carry you through many seasons to come, meaning you’re not replacing pieces every few years as trends shift. At OP Jenkins, we carry lines we genuinely believe in — furniture with the construction, materials, and craftsmanship that stand up to real life, whether that means kids, pets, dinner parties, or simply years of everyday use.

If you’ve been thinking about making a change, let this be your sign. Stop by our showroom, browse at your own pace, and let one of our team members walk you through what’s new. We’d love to help you create a home that feels every bit as good as it looks — no matter what season comes next.