For fear of walking away with a heat rash and a faint chemical perfume, children of the ’70s recoiled on contact with the vinyl slipcover that shrouded grandma’s sacred couch, thus protecting the living room showpiece from all eyes, limbs and any real living.
The ’80s and ’90s brought refinements in slipcovers. Gone were the inorganic body bags and the foam backings that shed like a cheap acrylic sweater. In were cabbage-rose prints and solid twills that felt decent and dry-cleaned reasonably well when Junior sloshed from his sippy cup.
Still, there was room for improvement.
“At their worst they looked like giant diapers on a sofa or chair; they had that gathered effect,” said Lindsay Bierman, editor of the book “Southern Living Style” (Oxmoor House, $29.95) and editor-in-chief of Southern Living magazine. “They weren’t very elegant. The unfitted ones, you ended up having a very messy look anyway, so you might as well let the fabric wear.”
Advance to 2012, when the right slipcover constitutes an upgrade, not just a stopgap disguise or prophylactic device. Dressmaker details such as buttons perfect the fit over a sofa. Contrasting tie closures turn a functional element into a decorative one on dining chairs. Monograms epitomize personal style. And even the best ones are bound to cost less than a brand new sofa of equal stature.
No wonder slipcovers are more popular than ever.
“With slipcovers you’re really kind of putting a dress or a jacket on a piece,” Bierman said. “You can make it as flirty and feminine or as simple and masculine as you want. In my house, I have a piece where I did a windowpane plaid. It was like slipping a beautiful old hunting jacket on an occasional chair in the living room.”
With her husband, four sons and two dogs, Lexie Barnes, author of “Sew Up a Home Makeover” (Storey, $19.95), salvaged an old sofa from the roadside in a Massachusetts farm town.
“We needed something that could withstand the jumping, the napping, the spills — all of the chaos of having a big family,” she said. “We had to put a board in it because it had no springs. We slid it under the cushions.” Then she sewed a slipcover for it. “Now, it looks like a real couch. You can take even the homeliest, junkiest couch and turn it into something you’re proud of.”
Slipcovers can transform headboards, duvets, even switch plates. Barnes’ book even offers instructions for a craft or utility table slipcover with pockets for tools.
The possibilities are almost endless, said Jan Jessup of Calico Corners. But she offers some cautionary counsel:
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Choose medium-weight, not heavy fabrics.
“There will be many layers of fabric, plus welting, where seams join, so heavy chenilles and velvets won’t work,” Jessup said. Also steer clear of fabrics with a latex backing. And make sure the fabric and color will conceal the upholstery beneath.
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If cushions are sagging or springs are broken, a slipcover won’t change that.
“Ask your workroom for new foam and/or Dacron wrap to renew cushions,” Jessup said.
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Dry-clean rather than launder slipcovers.
“A wet slipcover — with 10 or 20 yards of fabric — is very, very heavy, and washing puts a lot of stress on the seams,” Jessup said. “Slipcovers hold up better if dry-cleaned, and there is less shrinkage as well.”
If a slipcover is done well, it’s like a sigh of relief.
“Slipcovers relax a room automatically,” Bierman said. “There’s something inherently unfussy about them even if they’re tailored and detailed. It’s kind of like putting on a slightly loose, comfortable sweater. It softens the edges.”
Sofas
Banded bottom:
“When you have a skirted piece, like a sofa, it’s nice to put a dark band, about 4 inches, across the bottom of sofa. It adds a nice detail, but it’s also functional,” Bierman said. “When shoes scrape against the skirt, you won’t see that dirty edge.”
Cushions only:
“If a sofa is very traditional like an English roll arm, you can do a contrast cushion in a dark velvet or mohair,” Bierman said. “That is perfectly acceptable as long as it ties into another color in the room. If it’s dark, it’s very functional and hides stains. It’s a stylish way to upgrade a piece that has some wear on it.”
Chairs
Skirted legs:
Bierman created slipcovers for dining room chairs out of a neutral quilted cotton with a pleated skirt that hangs just below the seat. “It’s like a short skirt on a woman. If the chair has good legs you want to show them off.”
Host and hostess chairs:
Bierman likes anchoring each end of a long rectangular table with chairs that differ; a slipcover is a nice way to distinguish them.
Wooden chairs:
“In the South, these Queen Anne chairs seem to be everywhere. The wood doesn’t look so great, you kind of want to refinish it, but then it will be a little too pristine or shiny. So I’ve seen people slipcover a piece in a gauzy linen. You see the wood through the sheer fabric. It’s very pretty and looks good in a room filled with light.”
Gliders:
Even white becomes practical on a glider in a child’s bedroom if it’s in the form of a washable slipcover. Loose ties and a simple waterfall skirt with tuck pleats at the side “takes a piece that you think of being dowdy and traditional and makes it feel more modern.”
Odds and ends
Computer nooks:
Metal storage units can be slipcovered, with a valance and a Roman shade, to create “a little tent” in a family room or elsewhere.
Stools and ottomans:
These are great additions to many rooms, but they take a lot of abuse. Solution? Slipcover. “You can take those cubes and supergeneric stools you see at World Market or Ikea and give them a serious style upgrade,” Bierman said. “They become functional elements in pairs tucked under a console table or side by side in an entry hall or in front of a sofa. They’re great in a kitchen if you have extra people but don’t have room for extra chairs.”
Tables:
Consider slipcovering a wooden kitchen table in a decorative vinyl (yes, vinyl!) slipcover with a scalloped skirt. “You can spill anything, and it protects the piece. It might have a pretty base and the slipcover allows you to use a table that you might otherwise not use in the kitchen.”
Costs and benefits
The cost of a slipcover hinges on fabric, fit and detail. For starters, be clear on the look you want.
“Slipcovers can be made to fit like a glove, or with a relaxed fit for a more casual look,” Jessup said.
Fabrics can be as inexpensive as a basic cotton duck. “It is totally classic, and you can get it just about anywhere,” Bierman said. “Another trick is to get artists canvas and wash it, and that’s really cheap and a really good look.”
Patterned fabrics require more yardage to match the seams, and Bierman recommends against them. “The whole point is that a slipcover kind of neutralizes a piece and makes it much more versatile. You can add color and pattern with pillows.”
The resource guide at the back of “Sew Up a Home Makeover” lists some fabric Web sites. Barnes used Spoonflower.com to custom-print her own monster textile design for a kid’s room. “It’s a little more expensive than buying it off the bolt, but it’s another way to do something totally different,” Barnes said.
Don’t skimp on skilled labor. “There are all kinds of ways to do the zippers and the seams,” Bierman said. “To get it really tailored, you want somebody who has an eye for detail.” Ask for photos of the person’s work and seek word-of-mouth recommendations.
