Some say the charm of holiday decor lives in how temporary it is. We don’t disagree. But also, the colder seasons last well beyond the holidays. And changing up all your decor for each holiday is a lot. What if you could take a different approach?
Regular readers of this blog will note an affinity for clothing-related metaphors — and you’d be right. There’s such a great parallel between the clothes you wear and the upholstery fabrics your furniture wears. Both say something about you, your style, and the life you love living.
And both have seasonal cycles. In most latitudes, there comes a point in late summer or fall when shorts get packed away and jeans out. The same goes for light and airy linens traded in for flannels, wools, and other more weighty fabrics.
Embracing similar seasonal fabric shifts in your furniture’s upholstery “outfits” can refresh your design vibe, give you more of what you crave this time of year, and add to the sense of occasion these seasons come bearing. And all of that in a way that’s affordable and easily changed whenever the seasons (or your whims) change again. So, today we’ll talk rustic seasonal slipcovers.
Your Quick Refresh On The Simple Style Refresh Power Of Slipcovers
First up, a super quick review. What’s a slipcover anyway? As the name suggests it’s a cover you slip over something. In this case, furniture. Essentially, it’s like reupholstering your existing furniture or a newly acquired piece without actually getting into the nitty gritty of a full reupholstery job.
It’s a relatively easy and simple way to resurrect tired pieces or family heirlooms, or to make a vintage find uniquely your own. Plus, it’s a chance to refresh your vibe and just play a bit with your home’s design style without significant expense or long-term commitment.
For our purposes today, slipcovers are also a great way to make a small and/or temporary change to your furniture and style without breaking the bank. And a great way to sort of make a foundational shift to the design canvas you’re working with as you’re adding additional seasonal decor.
DIY Slipcover: There’s A How-To That’s Right For Your Life And Home
Slipcovers can be as simple as a basic fabric thrown over and strategically tucked into a piece of furniture to as complex as a professionally sewn custom slipcover like you’ve gone ahead and reupholstered. It’s really up to you based on your time, budget, and sense of crafty adventure.
To give you a sense of what points on that spectrum might entail, here are some DIY videos we found super helpful:
Basic
- YouTuber and DIY enthusiast Robin Johnson kicks us off with an approach so simple that your new slipcovers can be just a bit of tucking and pinning (safety pins) away from reality.
- Next, strap in as Dan The Technology Man offers an unusual slipcover hack involving just that, straps. It’s a unique approach that’s accessible to pretty much any DIY skill level.
- For a no-sew DIY solution that’s more of a hybrid between a fully sewn and a thrown-over-the-furniture option, look no further than the how-to from The Simple Farmhouse. Their fabric hack is dropcloths. Our hack is the largest upholstery fabric selection online — so you can get the look, feel, and price you really want.
Deluxe
- Back to Robin Johnson. Because she received so much response to that first video she did a follow-up. It’s a little more involved and a great segue into our slightly more advanced and refined slipcover how-tos.
- DIYer Ashley Sorrells comes offering a DIY adventure. She won’t leave you hanging either. Step-by-step she takes you through using a slipcover as virtually a full furniture reinvent.
- The same holds for this in-depth guide from Mimzy & Company on how to not just make a slipcover for a sofa, but how to make it snug and neat.
Finally, we highly — highly — recommend our friend and KOVI contributor Aimee. She’s the fantastic force behind the Artisan Upholstery Studio. On her channel, you’ll find slipcover resources and reupholstery how-tos galore. Whatever project you’ve got in mind, she’ll help you get there.
How To Choose Fabrics That Slip Your Home Into Something Cozy — Your Way
All of which brings us to our favorite part: the fabrics. Remember when we talked earlier about changing clothes from summer to fall/winter wardrobe fabrics? Now, let’s do that for your furniture. And let’s do it in a cozy, rustic style — no matter your style. Here’s a spectrum of ideas to get you inspired:
Classic
Let’s start with the classics. And what’s more classically rustic than nestling into a fireside sofa or chair decked out in plaid? Focus on timeless, like an eco-friendly brick red burgundy, dark green and gold woven fabric, espresso checkered damask, or a buffalo plaid in silver and natural tones.
Contemporary
Stick with a rustic seasonal feel but also a bit more crisp and contemporary. Longing for snuggly but perhaps with a more refined elegance? Focus on sophistication, like a light mint green velvet, arctic blue abstract textured woven pattern, parchment white Crypton velvet, or even a subtle country plaid damask in beige and white or black and white.
Just Plain Cozy
A rustic aesthetic tends toward the utilitarian. And there’s nothing more utilitarian this time of year than warm and welcoming. Looking for some of that just plain cozy feel? Focus on texture like alluring chenille in olive green, cider orange, or toasty beige. Or the undisputed queen of quintessentially cozy, luscious velvet in golden yellow or eclipse blue — both built for real-life performance, btw.
It’s Time For Your Furniture To Rock A Winter Wardrobe Like You Do
As we settle into the colder months of the year, it makes sense that you’re not out in the world rocking shorts and sandals. And it makes sense that you’d like to come home to a home — and furniture — dressed for the season, too.
Sometimes that might mean candles, candy canes, and more, sure. But through the simple power of slipcovers, you can set the scene and simplify the process of shifting to a seasonally aligned style with your furniture, too.
To get there you can go deep into DIY or quick and easy, whatever works for you. And one last quick tip. If all of this sounds super tantalizing but DIY just isn’t in the cards for you, there are resources like Angi to help you find professional reupholstery services in your neck of the woods.
Whatever direction you decide to take to update your furniture’s “wardrobe” for the months ahead, we’re here to help with all of your upholstery fabric needs. No matter the season, it’s what we do. Give us a call or drop us a line today.