Need a change but not sure you're ready for the commitment of upholstery? Or maybe you want the flexibility & option to change the look of your room.....Or perhaps your style is loose; comfort is the name of the game & traditional uhpholstery just feels too rigid, confined! Just as we love to slip into something cozy and comfy at the end of a long day.... slipping into a slipcover might just as well be the cozy your couch or chair needs!
We all know the wear-n-tear the furniture can take from our pampered pets and children-will-be-children bouncing, throwing, eating, sleeping, crying and .....well, we really don't need to continue. The point is: slipcovers can be taken off, washed and dried (although we do recommend professional dry-cleaning for most covers) - a great melt-down saver when that fruit-punch or red-wine spill happens.
And lets just talk about fit. How's that waistband feeling? Don't you think your sofa wants to let go and let it all hang out sometimes too? One of the greatest attractions to slipcovers is the ability to play with fit and tailoring. We can create covers that are shabby, loose-fitting (and even wrinkled) or we can tailor it to look just like upholstery.
Which Slipcover are you? A tailored fit, collage/mix&match style or shabby chic?
Tailored Slipcover:
Photos above: Stunning slipcover design & fabrication by Leslie Fehling
Collage/Mix&Match:
Photos above: slipcover design & fabrication by Leslie FehlingShabby Chic:
So what do you think? Ready to try on a slipcover for size? Take a look at some of our favorite looks and I bet it just might tempt you to redesign a few pieces.
You can add details that most upholstery does not offer, such as bows, buttons, fringes or other embellishments. These are the types of details we infuse into our own designs too, take a peek here: Storibook Designs Gallery.
The length of a skirt and the width of the pleats can make all the difference around the hips, don't you think? Its no different with slipcovers. The styling of the skirt can completely change the look of a piece!
Do you know any slipcover diva's? I do! And I would be remiss if I even thought about writing a blogpost without highlighting the talent and amazing work of Leslie Fehling, of Prosperity Pennsylvania. I consider Leslie the Queen of Slipcovers (and custom couture details). I feel blessed to have been a student of Leslie's at one of her Summerhill Weekend events and I am continuously inspired by her creativity and excellence.
Just take a look through Leslie's albums and you will have to agree with me that the level of detail she puts into her work is awe-inspiring, as showcased below.
Photos above: slipcover design & fabrication by Leslie Fehling
Check out more designs at Leslie's artistry in her Picture Gallery.
For information on her Summerhill Weekends: 
And we are quite proud of our own work as well, so don't forget to take a peek in our Gallery too!Here are a few pics from those albums:
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I don't usually go for slipcovers, but I honestly thought some of those pieces were upholstered! Now I know that tailored slipcovers may just be right for me...because as you hinted, I'm a little afraid of commitment. I also appreciated seeing your work right here on the blog. Great showcase!
ReplyDeleteThank you Michelle. I really do need to incorporate some of my own work in the blog. .I do have a gallery on my site and on FB but I also so admire the work of others that I love to showcase their work too.
ReplyDeleteI love the versatility of slipcovers. It gives you the flexibility to instantly change the look and mood of a room. Or it would be great to change a couple times a year to go with the seasons.
ReplyDeleteI only have one customer that actually does change out her slipcovers seasonally. For the rest, they fall in love with their slipcovers and can't bring themselves to change it. It's funny, because most usually start the process thinking they want to change them out but I have found that they usually just fall in love w/ the first one and leave it at that. I guess I need to start picking and fabricating both at the same time.. ha, ha. Seriously though, it is an investment to have a custom slipcover made so often times the first investment usually gives way to the decision to stick with just one.
ReplyDeleteThe great thing about slipcovers is there is no commitment! i think of them like paint -- you don't like them, you can change instantly. New colors for new seasons and holidays. Washable slipcovers look better over time like khaki and denim slipcovers! Gorgeous.. great post. :)
ReplyDeleteYou are right Ronique. The neutral slipcovers are great because they give you the ability to splash with color and artwork. They are really popular with my urban and cottage clients.
ReplyDeleteI usually recommend to my clients that we slipcover in neutral fabrics. They are much more flexible that way. And I have yet to have a client that changes them out seasonally. Could that be because we don't have seasons here in Florida?
ReplyDeleteI think its more because "time flies" in all seriousness. It's a nice thought for most people to think they will change things out but lives are so busy these days that an entire year has gone by in what has felt like a season.
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