At some point in your life you probably have acquired a piece or two of furniture from your parents. A piece that was well used, familiar, and probably a little shabby looking (and not in a “shabby chic” sort of way).  However, chances are the furniture was not the right color or look for your décor.  As long as the furniture is comfortable and fits well into your space, there is no reason not to update it to fit your design style.  Enter slipcovers.

Louisa had acquired two pieces from her parents, a solid, tight-back dark rose-colored loveseat full of worn spots, snagged and fraying fabric, but oh so comfortable.  She also had acquired a Lazyboy swivel rocker that was in great condition except for the fact that it was blue and looked a little dated. 

Secretly it’s everyone’s dream to have a space of their own to retreat to. Whether you call it a man-cave or she-shed., it’s a brilliant concept.  Louisa has a loft in her apartment that she was converting to her she-shed.  She was envisioning a clean crisp look and modern sophistication with a little frill and fun.

Since her floor plan was a two-story loft style, it was important she chose a fabric that would blend well with the rest of the apartments modern clean lines.  It also needed to be heavy enough to cover the darker textured loveseat fabric.  She decided on a 12 oz. white preshrunk 100% cotton bull denim. 

The loveseat would be pretty straightforward taking into consideration the big rolled tight back and scrolled arms.   Before, the loveseat seemed heavy, big and oversized.  After, with the custom-fitted slipcover, it looks light, fresh and not so overwhelming.

The swivel rocker had an attached pillow back that needed to be addressed.  I decided to create a underslip to redesign the lines of the chair that would be easier to create a slipcover but still keep the look of a pillow back.  It worked well and will stay in place when you sit and rock on the chair.

  Louisa had two requests for the rocker, a box pleated skirt and button back.  I nailed the current skirt onto the bottom on the chair so it would not interfere with the new flirty skirt that gave the rocker a bit of a flare. Large white buttons for the back closure of the chair is not only functional but gave it the rocker  an interesting focal point so when she swivels around, the chair will look great from any direction.

White or off white is a popular and smart option for slipcovers.  It is basically a blank canvas that you can update with throws and pillows with the change in color trends, seasons or your mood.  If choosing white makes you nervous, think of it like your favorite pair of white jeans. Care of the slipcover is pretty much the same.  If you follow the washing instructions and treat stains or spills accordingly you will have white slipcovers for years to come that will only soften with each washing but gain character…just like your favorite pair of white jeans…even after Labor Day.   

Labor Day is around the corner, but it is not too early to think about the holidays (some store’s already have Halloween and some Christmas decor out)!   If you are looking to update an old piece and want to have it ready for the holidays, now is the time to start the process to allow plenty of time to find the right fabric and work out the design details.  I am currently taking orders for October.