Slipcoverin' it all up!!

Thank goodness for slip covers!! They have been a "blessing in disguise" for me in my home. It is not in my budget to purchase new sofas as often as I would like, so I have taken advantage of the slipcovering craze! The first sofa I ever purchased was back in 1992 and was in true "country" style-a blue gingham sofa bed that was neither comfortable nor very adaptable to different colour schemes. We kept that sofa for 9 years...long past its time as the springs were gone from the boys jumping on it. The next sofa was a compromise...I wanted a pale yellow waffle weave sofa I saw in one of the local furniture stores. It was, however, out of my budget so I settled for a yellow, plain sofa from the Sears catalogue that was on sale for $600. It was well made and close enough to the look I was going for and in fact is still serving us well in my present home, but is SLIPCOVERED. After too may moves to count, it had seen better days, but was still in great shape (i.e. no sagging, busted springs, etc.). I met a wonderful seamstress lastr Spring and she did the most incredible job making me the slip cover I had always wanted but just could not find in stores. I have wasted too many dollars on those department store slipcovers that look atrocious after sitting on them for 5 min. They are impractical and make more work than they are worth. The whole point of a good slipcover is to hide the ugly, not create more of it!

The slipcover my friend made is perfect to me. I wanted it to fit like a glove and be easily removable with no slack, and it is! I selected an affordable linen-look fabric in a pale taupe and had her sew piping using a light teal colored satin. The contrast between the two textures works great together and she sewed the seat cushions separately so that I can just remove and wash those as needed. I am thrilled with the results and figure I have bought myself several more years with this sofa. In fact, even though I plan to buy the sofa of my dreams in a few years time, I think I will have another slipcover made so that I can change the look and extend its wear longer as well.

Next up on the slipcover scene is a new cover for a rocking arm chair that I have had since 1994. Underneath its 6-yr old slipcover lies the ugliest chair you have ever seen. I bought it in a Home Hardware in Baddeck, N.S. (so you can just imagine how pretty it is) in the middle of a heat wave. I had just given birth to my first child and had no comfortable chair to nurse him in. Off to the store I went and when I sat in that chair, it was mine! I went on to nurse two more babies in it and I have my cup of tea in it every night. It is the rare person who ever gets to sit in it when I'm around. My kids and husband all know that it is "Mum's chair" and relinquish it to me without prompting. A good chair like that is hard to find! To get rid of it because it is ugly is like "throwing the baby out with the bath water." That is why slipcovers are a totally worthy piece of the decorating puzzle. Find a fabric you love, a great seamstress, and you can be a true "recycler" Make sure your slipcover is easily removed, of a durable fabric and pretty! Rescue (and revive) that favorite chair or sofa. After all, beauty is on the outside and the inside.

**the top left photo is my sofa before slipcovering; top right: with new slipcover; and bottom right is my dream sofa from Restoration Hardware.