Plush velvet has a short, dense pile with a sheen and brushes clean. Teddy bouclé is looped, matte and warm, but its loops can snag on pet claws. With pets, velvet is usually safer.

An upholstered bed is worth it if you want a padded headboard to sit against and a frame with no hard edges. The trade-off is care: fabric needs vacuuming and spot cleaning.