Well the choice of fabrics would really depend on many factors starting form what kind of furniture and colors you have in your living room. The upholstery has to complement the existing look of the room. Secondly how often do you plan to change your fabrics? If you are looking for long lasting upholstery the choice of material should be very carefully done. However if you keep changing it then you can play with attractive colors and designs without considering their life span.

The upholstery should be appropriate to your lifestyle. People who entertain guests often can select durable and sophisticated fabrics and if you have kids it should be detachable and washable. If you like variety and a changed look every now and then you can select trendy, fashionable and colorful material depending on the seasons, moods and functionalities.

The upholstery should be fade resistant especially if the room gets a lot of sunlight and mildew resistant if you have a humid climate. There are fabrics like micro-fiber which are lint free and do not attract dust. Avoid having fabrics with lots of texture like silk if you have small children or pets at home. Other than that colors and prints should be as per the rest of the décor.