The most luxurious homes always have beautiful, well-maintained furniture—you won’t see a scuff, stain, or tear anywhere. However, you might witness pilling on fabric pieces, no matter how well you care for them.

What is fabric pilling, and why does it happen? Getting this annoying occurrence under control will help you extend the life of your upholstered furniture. Discover the answers to your questions so your furniture always looks brand new.

What Is Pilling?

Pilling is a term that describes bunched-up fibers on fabric items. It often happens on sweaters, rugs, and pieces of furniture that have a lot of traffic. You’ll likely find pilling on your couches and chairs if you don’t take protective measures.

Pilling doesn’t discriminate by price or fabric quality. However, upholstery with tighter weaves may be less likely to experience this issue. Whenever you see tiny balls of fiber littering your favorite living room set, you’ll need to take a few steps:

1. Find out why it’s happening.
2. Remove the tangled fibers.
3. Prevent future damage.

Why Pilling Happens

You can thank friction for the balls of fuzz decorating your favorite couch. Loose fibers tangle together as people use your furniture. The more your pants or skin rub on a fabric surface, the more pilling you’re likely to see.

Pilling occurs on both natural and synthetic fabrics. Materials like silk and velvet are less likely to pill because of their tight knits and smooth surfaces. Choosing furniture featuring these elegant materials is your best chance at eliminating those ugly clumps of fiber.

How To Prevent Fabric Pilling

Sometimes, a piece of furniture simply calls to you, regardless of the primary material. If your dream chair comes in a fabric that’s likely to pill, don’t worry! You can reduce furniture pilling with some preventative techniques.

First, invest in a de-pilling tool to remove any stubborn spots. Think of a de-piller like a tiny couch comb; running it over your surfaces will smooth any tangled bits. You could also use slipcovers and throw blankets to create a barrier when you know your seating will get a lot of use.

Now that you know what fabric pilling is and why it happens, you can prevent it in your own home. With a little bit of maintenance, your precious furniture will look better, last longer, and leave a lingering impression on guests.

The post What Is Fabric Pilling and Why Does It Happen? appeared first on Luxury Home Digest.

There comes a time when you try on a suit, and it doesn’t feel like it used to. Perhaps you grew a few inches taller, or you grew a few inches on the waistline. Alternately, maybe you lost weight, and your old suit is falling off your shoulders. In any case, you’re left wondering what to do. Your first instinct may be to throw it away and buy a new one, but a good suit is an investment. Therefore, rather than make any drastic decisions, read this guide on what to do if you own a suit that no longer fits.

Alter It

The first thing you should consider before getting rid of your old suit is altering it. Suit alterations are common, so don’t feel you need to dispose of an expensive suit. Whether it’s too loose or too tight, suit alterations can fix the issue. A tailor can reweave the suit’s material to repair minor fabric damage. They can also taper the waist and shoulders to ensure the suit fits your body.

Donate It

If tailoring is not a feasible option, you can donate your old suit. There are many considerations with donating an old suit. Mainly, make sure it’s still in wearable condition. If there are obvious stains or irreparable tears, donating is not the best option. Still, if you’ve outgrown your suit or want something more modern, donating it is an altruistic option. You can also gift the suit as a hand-me-down to a friend or relative. It may fit them better.

Buy a New One

Lastly, when debating what to do if you own a suit that no longer fits, it doesn’t hurt to purchase a new one. Preferably, you should always opt for a tailor-made suit. As previously mentioned, tailors are a great way to customize off-the-rack suits to your exact measurements. This will ensure you get a suit that looks good and fits your body. If this isn’t an option, you can try your luck at off-the-rack options. Don’t be afraid to spend some time looking for suit jackets, shirts, and pants that fit your personal style. The most important thing is to find something that fits comfortably and is not too tight or too baggy. Suits are meant to look good, and you should feel comfortable and confident in whichever one you choose.

The post What To Do if You Own a Suit That No Longer Fits appeared first on Luxury Home Digest.

Fast Company recently reported on a stiletto designed by someone who put comfort first. It seems Christopher Dixon, an aspiring designer, was hired by Serena Williams to design a clothing line. He asked about the comfort stilettos in Serena’s closet, and she responded as most women would and complained about discomfort but loving the look.

Dixon set about designing a stiletto that would be as comfortable as a sneaker and created the stunning and lovely Christopher Coy Collection.

The high platform, as others have discovered, helps level out the foot. Dixon also decided to add desired stability and did so by creating a stiletto with two heels. At first, the two-heeled shoe looks odd or like something a rock star would flash on the red carpet. But after the initial shock, these are really attractive shoes.

But the inside of these stilettos in the Christopher Coy Collection are like none we have seen or experienced. There are the cushy aspects and memory foam we love in our athletic shoes. And calfskin leather linings.

Be still my heart!

Sixty lucky women tested the shoes and all said these were the most comfortable high heels in their closets. Inside each pair of stilettos is also a microchip that also connects to one’s smart phone and explains the shoe’s individual design and where the elements came from in Italy. It also helps identify the shoes as being genuine Christopher Coy creations–and not a knock-off.

Prices for Dixon’s lovely Christopher Coy heels start at $425 and currently top out at around $1100.

My personal favorite Dixon design? The Alcia! But there are a couple of others that have caught my eye as well! 

by Roberta Murphy

The post Luxury of a Comfy Stiletto appeared first on Luxury Home Digest.