topic Re: Slipcovers for the sofa in Home

Slipcovers for the sofa

Mominohio — Sat, 27 Aug 2016 22:50:35 GMT

I have had my sofa for over 25 years, and for about 20 years of that time, I loved it. But I'm changing my style especially in colors for the living room, and while the sofa is still like new, I hate the fabric more with each passing day. I see it as standing in the way of me having the perfect room.

I don't want to buy a new sofa at this time, but just about can't stand to look at the current fabric any longer. So, I've taken the plunge and ordered several Sure Fit slipcovers. I have seen much more expensive ones, but honestly don't want much of an investment in a cover, when what I really want is a new sofa.

I ordered from Kohl's (on sale plus 30% off, plus free shipping....why can't Q do that?) because they have such a great 'no hassle' return policy.

I know this isn't going to be a perfect solution, but I'm hoping to get a much more neutral look than the printed sofa I now have, and in a color that suits the rest of the room now.

I ordered several styles, to see what looks best and hope that at least one will give a fit good enough to satisfy me.

Anyone else have any luck with slipcovers?

Re: Slipcovers for the sofa

Irshgrl31201 — Sat, 27 Aug 2016 23:21:18 GMT

Hey @Mominohio, how are you?

When I was first starting out on my own I was given a really good family couch but like yours, I hated the upholstery and it was getting a little frayed too. The couch itself was a really good quality, 8 way hand tied and very sturdy. Back then there weren't all the options there are now with all the online retailers and specialty stores that just did slipcovers and the ones I wanted were too expensive for my meager budget so my mom made them for me. She is a pretty talented seamstress so I picked out fabric that I liked and could afford and she made it. It came out really well. I couldn't believe it was the same couch!! I used that for a while and then when I moved and wanted a different couch style, I put it in storage. When my daughter moved out, she bought a new slip cover for it and took that couch with her. She used it until just recently when she and her husband bought a big sectional. It is still in great shape though structurally and I had it re-upholstered and it is in my office now.

I know a lot of people who have really gotten some great slipcovers. I think yours will be just fine. Let us know how you like them though when they come in, ok?

Re: Slipcovers for the sofa

Mominohio — Sat, 27 Aug 2016 23:29:41 GMT

@Irshgrl31201 wrote:
Hey @Mominohio, how are you?

When I was first starting out on my own I was given a really good family couch but like yours, I hated the upholstery and it was getting a little frayed too. The couch itself was a really good quality, 8 way hand tied and very sturdy. Back then there weren't all the options there are now with all the online retailers and specialty stores that just did slipcovers and the ones I wanted were too expensive for my meager budget so my mom made them for me. She is a pretty talented seamstress so I picked out fabric that I liked and could afford and she made it. It came out really well. I couldn't believe it was the same couch!! I used that for a while and then when I moved and wanted a different couch style, I put it in storage. When my daughter moved out, she bought a new slip cover for it and took that couch with her. She used it until just recently when she and her husband bought a big sectional. It is still in great shape though structurally and I had it re-upholstered and it is in my office now.

I know a lot of people who have really gotten some great slipcovers. I think yours will be just fine. Let us know how you like them though when they come in, ok?

Oh my gosh @Irshgrl31201! Your family heirloom couch, it makes me sentimental!

I had several pieces of really old family furniture passed down to me, and I used them for years, recovered and then after they were in need again, I ended up choosing to get new. Sometimes I still regret that decision, as I know there will never be pieces made like that sofa and chair from the 1940's. Stupid me!

Re: Slipcovers for the sofa

Zita — Sun, 28 Aug 2016 12:44:04 GMT

I hope there will be other replies. I, too, am looking into slipcovering my sofa, but I'm unsure about the choices. I do NOT want Sure Fit because they seem sloppy to me and hard to keep in place. I don't like their elasticized ones either. So I'm stuck! To recover is too expensive. I'd like something in the $200-$250 range for a small apartment-size couch.

Anyone?

Re: Slipcovers for the sofa

151949 — Sun, 28 Aug 2016 12:52:44 GMT

When we had our dog my DH would allow her on the furniture. The sofa was pale blue so in order to keep it clean I kept slipcovers on it, always from sure fit. I had 2 sets so if I took them off to wash them I had others to put on. Since our dog was large I would usually put her outside when we had company since most people are uncomfortable around large dogs, and then I could take the slipcovers off and have pretty and clean furniture.

Re: Slipcovers for the sofa

blueroses47 — Sun, 28 Aug 2016 12:54:24 GMT

@Zita wrote:
I hope there will be other replies. I, too, am looking into slipcovering my sofa, but I'm unsure about the choices. I do NOT want Sure Fit because they seem sloppy to me and hard to keep in place. I don't like their elasticized ones either. So I'm stuck! To recover is too expensive. I'd like something in the $200-$250 range for a small apartment-size couch.

Anyone?

I grew up with slipcovers....my mom had several sets made custom made through the years, so I grew up seeing how versatile they can be and I love the fact you can wash them and keep your sofa cover fresh.

As an adult, I learned to sew quite well, and I learned to make my own slipcovers. I don't boast about much in my life, but I was so proud of achieving this skill and I've made so many for myself, and even a few for friends and family. They really do look professional.

My advice to you would be to look into having a custom one made. When done properly, you almost can't tell them from upholstery. The ones you buy, like Sure Fit, well they are better than nothing and look nice when no one sits on your furniture, but they never look very neat for long.

If custom made ones by a upholstery shop are just too expensive for what you want, try looking into independent sewers who might advertise in a local paper, or something like that. I knew a friend who did sewing for extra money, and she was very reasonable.

Re: Slipcovers for the sofa

ValuSkr — Sun, 28 Aug 2016 13:08:17 GMT

Thank you for the Kohl's recommendation. I need a slipcover too.

Re: Slipcovers for the sofa

Mominohio — Sun, 28 Aug 2016 15:24:49 GMT

@ValuSkr wrote:
Thank you for the Kohl's recommendation. I need a slipcover too.

Honestly Kohl's is one of my go to places, because they have THE best return policy. You aren't limited to 30 days, and they take things back anytime you aren't satisfied. I haven't ever gone beyond the 30 days, but I like knowing it is there if needed. I bought my Bissell there for just that reason. Not something one uses everyday, but if it failed within the first year or so, I wanted to know I could simply take it to my local store and exchange/refund.

And as for the covers, I don't hold out much hope that I will be excited about them, but I'm not spending hundreds of dollars on a cover. For me, that is just money that could go towards a whole new sofa, because while there is definitely a difference in the quality of slipcovers, unless totally custom made, they are still going to look like a cover.

I'm kind of doing this to get a look at moving from a print sofa to a sold color one, and see if I will like it as much as I think I might. For me, choosing a sofa, getting the style, the fit, the quality and the fabric to all come together into something I love, is really hard. So this is kind of a dry run before deciding on something new.

Since we have a family room now, no one hardly ever sits on this particular sofa, so I'm hoping to get the cover looking good, and it should pretty much stay that way, because it is rarely used.

I noticed that Sure Fit has a wider range of styles and fabrics than I was aware of from seeing them on Q. And there are some YouTube videos put out by the company with nice 'how to' information to make it fit better.

I'll post my experiences when they arrive.

Re: Slipcovers for the sofa

SahmIam — Sun, 28 Aug 2016 16:47:00 GMT

@Mominohio Please do report back. I'm using them from Overstock.com on OLD leather furniture; they are NOT made for leather furniture, lol. They look REALLY good as long as no one sits on the furniture. THe moment you do...... what a mess.

I've read articles and looked at pictures of those who went the route of custom because good furniture is hard to come by now, upholstering is outrageous in price and a custom made (done well) is not detectable. Many switch the fabrics from Spring/Summer and Fall/WInter (which sounds kinda nice, being honest).

Right now, I have mine duct-tapped and pinned. Laugh away, lol.

Re: Slipcovers for the sofa

Mominohio — Sun, 28 Aug 2016 17:14:47 GMT

@SahmIam wrote:
@Mominohio Please do report back. I'm using them from Overstock.com on OLD leather furniture; they are NOT made for leather furniture, lol. They look REALLY good as long as no one sits on the furniture. THe moment you do...... what a mess.

I've read articles and looked at pictures of those who went the route of custom because good furniture is hard to come by now, upholstering is outrageous in price and a custom made (done well) is not detectable. Many switch the fabrics from Spring/Summer and Fall/WInter (which sounds kinda nice, being honest).

Right now, I have mine duct-tapped and pinned. Laugh away, lol.

@SahmIam

I agree that being able to have a couple of different looks with good quality covers would be so nice. It would be great to change with the seasons for sure.

If I totally loved the size/shape/and 'sit' of my sofa, I'd be considering investing good money in covers.

But over the years, I have changed physically to where the current sofa sits way too low (hard for people with mobility issues to get up from it), and I'd like something with a bit more style, and have some exposed legs now, rather than the traditional 'skirt' at the bottom. I'm also considering doing away with a sofa entirely, and putting just a love seat in that room, to open it up and seem less crowded.

We have so much work to do in there before I commit to new upholstered furniture. The picture window needs replaced, new paint, crown moulding installed and new floor covering.....all before the new upholstered pieces are chosen.

My sofa color/pattern is just driving me nuts though, and I'm grasping at straws to make a cheap and quick change!

Re: Slipcovers for the sofa

SahmIam — Sun, 28 Aug 2016 17:17:08 GMT

@Mominohio You and I must be twins as it's the EXACT same situation in my house. The slipcovers work (though messy) and I accept that I simply have to tuck them in whenever I see them so they stay neat. They look great when that happens!

Re: Slipcovers for the sofa

151949 — Sun, 28 Aug 2016 17:45:21 GMT

When I was using slipcovers I cut swimming noodles to slip in the ends and the back - it helped a lot to hold them in place.

Re: Slipcovers for the sofa

Mominohio — Sun, 28 Aug 2016 20:10:24 GMT

@151949 wrote:
When I was using slipcovers I cut swimming noodles to slip in the ends and the back - it helped a lot to hold them in place.

@151949

great idea! I noticed Sure Fit sells a 'device' to do this, and it is a crazy price for what it does. I was thinking of what I could use in place of that, and thanks to your post, I now know!

Re: Slipcovers for the sofa

151949 — Sun, 28 Aug 2016 20:13:26 GMT

I also washed mine in hot water and vinegar before I put them on my powder blue sofa the first time. I had navy slipcovers and just wanted to be extra certain they would not bleed navy on the powder blue. They never did, but I always did that first wash to be certain.

Re: Slipcovers for the sofa

VanSleepy — Mon, 29 Aug 2016 03:41:41 GMT

You can also roll up a magazine to whatever diameter works and put rubber bands around it. (Then when company comes over, they have some reading material, too haha)

Re: Slipcovers for the sofa

ID2 — Mon, 29 Aug 2016 09:47:24 GMT

I would just spring for a new couch. You may think your old couch is just perfect and feels good. That's what I thought. When we moved last year we gave a lot of our furniture to one of our kids, one being our beloved couch. My new couch now beats the feel of my old one by miles! Old upholstered furniture isn't only worn but very bad on your back. Buy new.

Re: Slipcovers for the sofa

Mominohio — Mon, 29 Aug 2016 11:39:28 GMT

@VanSleepy wrote:
You can also roll up a magazine to whatever diameter works and put rubber bands around it. (Then when company comes over, they have some reading material, too haha)

@VanSleepy

Great idea. Free is always good! I have magazines and rubberbands, and that will now be my first attempt for keeping the covers in place. Thanks for the idea!

Re: Slipcovers for the sofa

Mominohio — Mon, 29 Aug 2016 11:53:36 GMT

@ID2 wrote:
I would just spring for a new couch. You may think your old couch is just perfect and feels good. That's what I thought. When we moved last year we gave a lot of our furniture to one of our kids, one being our beloved couch. My new couch now beats the feel of my old one by miles! Old upholstered furniture isn't only worn but very bad on your back. Buy new.

Eventually I will, but I won't consider a sofa that will cost less than $1500-$2000 based on my 'window shopping' and what I like. I just don't want to put the cart before the horse, and make that kind of investment until the rest of the room is ready (window needs replaced first, and that is $3000 alone). Paint and flooring are going to be replaced too, and those colors need to be decided upon before I choose upholstery colors. I plan on replacing the two chairs in that room as well, and I plan on looking for those to be coordinating pieces to the sofa, so that is even more choices to consider, but not before the structural things get addressed (I want crown moulding installed in there too!).

This is simply a temporary "fix" to try and make the room come more in line with what I'm aiming for with the 'remodel' and eliminate a no longer desired color and pattern in the room. My idea for the last couple of years has been to go very neutral with browns/tans/taupe/creams/ivory kind of colors for my upholstery in that room, and while my chairs already fall into that category (as does the very old carpet) changing the sofa this inexpensively will let me see if all that 'plain' is really what I'm looking for.

I could be surprised and find it all too dull, and I'd rather figure that out with a slip cover debacle than buy a sofa I end up hating!

Re: Slipcovers for the sofa

violann — Mon, 29 Aug 2016 12:10:33 GMT

I've never used slipcovers but my mom and aunts, all far more fastidious as housekeepers/homemakers than I, all did.

The slipcovers were sometimes made "skin" tight with big zippers that hurt your hands on the backs of the furniture, and sometimes tightish in "one size fits all" elasticized fabric. There were ng straight pins to hold the OSFA covers in place.

At the time, they were always used to "keep the furniture nice", but the actual furniture was never revealed, which I always thought was kind of funny.

I can remember some furniture being discarded for other reasons that was in absolutely perfect condition as far as the upholstery went, but the frame broken or a leg falling off.

Although the slipcovered furniture sometimes looked very nice and usually looked at least OK, I can't remember any that was really chosen to make a room look better.

By the way, you folks who can make slipcovers are REALLY talented!

Re: Slipcovers for the sofa

SahmIam — Mon, 29 Aug 2016 12:22:01 GMT

My in-laws us the noodles to hold theirs in place and it works like a charm.

However, on MY sofa, loveseat and club chair; they did NOT work. My furniture is contemporary oversize leather while theirs are traditional and fabric. This may play a role in keeping those noodles in place. It also was uncomfortable because you could feel them when you sat back; you can not at my in-laws (they've been using them for years).