Best Futon Covers

Buying Guide

Caroline Patterson Interior Design Expert

Caroline is a young, New York-based interior designer and home decor writer, obsessed with textiles and designer furniture. Backed with rigorous training from a prestigious design school, as well as a profound understanding of material quality and fabric care, she offers spot-on advice on how to furnish your place with reliable, functional, and aesthetically pleasing pieces.

Futon covers are useful for keeping futons clean and as good as new. They provide a fun way to decorate your futon and interior since they come in all kinds of colors, patterns, and styles. Futon covers also come in a wide variety of fabrics. With all the options available, choosing one can seem like a challenging task.

Whether you're looking for a futon cover to keep your futon intact or looking to update a room's decor with new colors, various covers could suit your style. In this guide, you'll find tips and ideas that could help you pick out the best futon cover based on your needs.

What are the important factors to consider when purchasing futon covers?

Certain factors could facilitate your decision-making. These factors will determine what kind of futon cover you need.

Consider your reasons for purchasing a futon cover. Most people buy futon covers to either change an old futon's appearance or to protect it from damage such as dirt and stains. Each purpose calls for different features, such as fabric, and functionalities.
Another detail to consider is the type of environment you live in and if you plan on having your futon outside. If you live in a moist environment, you'll need specific fabrics such as acrylic outdoor covers instead of cotton fabrics.
Households with children and pets may need additional features such as a cover that is water and stain resistant and machine washable. In that case, microfiber is the best option.
If the futon cover comes with a zipper, make sure that it's strong enough, such as a metal one, so that it won't easily break.

Which fabric is best for a futon cover?

Here are the most common futon cover fabrics:

Materials like denim, suede, vinyl, and corduroy are long-lasting and sturdy. These are good choices for families with children and pets.
If you're looking to redecorate a room, satin-finish cotton covers are perfect for adding elegance to an interior.
Suede futon covers provide comfort because of their softness and are easy to wash in the washing machine. They have zippers and are easy to install.
Microfiber futon covers provide a soft feel like suede fabrics and are easy to clean. They're also durable.
Cotton twill fabric is a heavier fabric and is suitable for areas of higher traffic. If you know that your futon will be used a lot, choose sturdy covers made from heavy cotton. However, cotton fabrics wrinkle easily.
Knit fabrics are flexible, can stretch and expand, and are more comfortable than other fabrics. However, their stretchiness makes them less durable and not suitable for heavy-duty use.
Woven futon covers are known for their softness, comfort, and durability. They also hide stains easily.

If you want a tighter look, a thin stretchy polyester or polyester blend futon cover is a good option. They are less baggy than other fabrics and complement the futon's size well. Polyester provides a lot of options when it comes to styles and textures, such as velvet, corduroy, and microsuede covers.
Waterproof fabrics, such as acrylic-coated polyester, and organic cotton covers are comfortable and can keep your futon in good condition for years. They're the best option if you want to stay free of harmful chemicals from synthetic fibers.
If you want to dress up your futon or want a sophisticated look, pick faux leather covers. They come in colors such as brown, black, and amber.
Fabrics that include piping add to the look of the futon and have a decorative style.

How do you select a futon cover's color and pattern?

The futon cover's appearance plays an important role in terms of a room's overall aesthetic. Choosing the wrong color can greatly affect the look and feel of your space.

A modern futon cover with geometric shapes will not look good on a traditional style futon.

Color coordinate if you don't know which color to choose:
➔ If you want futon covers with patterns, make sure that one of the colors already exists in the room. For instance, a futon cover with a grey pattern would look great with grey curtains.
➔ You can also create a color scheme of two to three dominant colors in the room. A cover with black and white patterns complements a room with a black carpet and white desk.
➔ Too many patterns and contradictory colors will create an unappealing and cluttered look.

Cool colors such as green and blue are favorable for rooms that are open to natural sunlight. These colors smoothly blend into a room.
Pick a warm color such as orange if the room receives little natural light. Warm colors bring more attention to a piece of furniture and make it stand out.
Dark colors like maroon create a cozy effect and make a room seem smaller.
Choose futon covers in light colors if you want a room to look larger and more spacious.

How to measure your futon for a cover?

You'll need to measure your futon to ensure that you're picking the right cover size.

Measure the length, depth, and width of the futon.
Twin-size futons are generally 39 x 75 inches. Full-size: 54 x 75 inches, queen-size: 60 x 80 inches, and king-size: 76 x 80 inches.
The futon should be measured from the ground to the top's edge.
When purchasing a futon, you will usually see a measurement called loft. The loft is the futon's depth + an added inch on both sides so that the cover can stretch. Take your futon's depth, add two inches, and pick the loft according to your calculations. If your futon has a depth of three inches, add two inches to get a total loft of five inches.
The futon will fit if it falls within an inch or two of the cover's size.