Let's Add Some Color!

Many of the slipcovers that come through the workroom are understandably in neutral tones. But, every once in awhile, we get to play with color. This was one of those projects (and I got some pictures against the new navy wall in the workroom!)...

The chair is a Pottery Barn Teen chair that my client found at a consignment store. I don't have a "before" picture. but it came with a white velvet slipcover that my client was ready to move on from. She considered a variety of fabric options, but eventually settled on this red cotton duck. It was a great choice!

She just wanted to mimic the original slipcover, so we did, keeping the short, kicky skirt to show off the pretty front legs.

This spring I hired a workroom assistant, Mary (she is amazing!) - this was one of her first mostly solo slipcover projects and she did a great job!

And that bird pillow! You may have seen them on my Instagram or Facebook accounts, available through Pillows For Good. I have a few of them in my own home and they are a fun, versatile accent in all kinds of places!

Do you use red in your home?

Sherri

Working Under The Radar

Hello, there!

I feel like I'm having to learn this blogging thing again, it's been so long since I last posted. If you are new around these parts, welcome! It may have been quiet around here, but my sewing machines have been humming - I have so many projects to share with you, so let's get started...

I did this project a few months back. It started with two chairs and grew to add four more. We started with a pair of these classic arm chairs...

...added four more curvy side chairs, and refreshed them all with simple white cotton duck slipcovers...

So fresh and clean-looking! Here are some details...

(Aren't those pretty chairs?)

Simple slips for some classically beautiful chairs!

Sherri

P.S. Pillows by Pillows For Good.

Finally, for us...

If you have been following me on social media for awhile, you may remember that we purchased a new couch back in June. Well, it was a new-to-us couch, found through the 5miles app - have you ever used it? We (ok, I...) had been looking for awhile, and when I saw this Pottery Barn model, clean and available locally for a great price, and the seller was able to deliver it, SOLD! Here she is in all her red-flowered slipcovered glory...

When you are looking for pre-loved pieces with the intention to slipcover, it opens up lots more possibilities ;)

In this case, I really wanted to "neutralize" our family room. We LIVE in that room - play, read, watch TV, my husband's work desk is in there (artfully cropped out, because -- Professor ;) Someday, a real home office space for him...), it opens to the kitchen, you get the idea! It's a busy people space and I needed the decor to be quieter. Quieter now looks like this...

Much better than the navy we had before, and definitely an improvement over the red flowers! I found a brushed denim for a great price here, and with the impending deadline of hosting guests, ordered it in faith without seeing a sample. The fabric came and turned out to be almost the exact color of our paint in that room, perfect for the neutral, quiet look I was aiming for! I got lucky - if there was more time, I definitely recommend getting samples to make sure you are getting a color that works.

I was a little hesitant about getting a light color in such a well-used space, but it washes well and does so much for the room, that it is worth it.

I kept the slipcover design simple, partly because I had a deadline ;) A waterfall-style skirt saved some seams and eliminated several additional yards of piping.

All ready for some serious family time (and guests)!

Do deadlines help you get projects done?

Sherri

Going to the Lake...

There is nothing quite like lake living (or, so I am imagining - I've never lived by a lake!). My client had a well-loved pair of chairs that needed a new look for their new lake home...

They are sturdy and have a classic shape. The pair was destined to anchor (see what I did there?) the ends of a large dining table. And here is the after...

This fabric was a perfect choice - a linen/cotton blend with a spa blue stripe (and, yes, this fabric has also showed up here and here). We chose to design the slipcovers with a waterfall-style skirt so the stripes wouldn't be interrupted by seams.

And I fit it so no closure was needed - it just slides on and off.

Now these chairs have a fresh new look, perfect for their new home at the lake!

Is lake-ing part of your summer tradition?

Sherri

P.S. The pillow shown for styling is from the Pillows For Good collection - a perfect match, don't you think ;)

From Thrift Store to French Beauty

You know I love a good before-and-after :) Well, this is a great one!

My client found this chair at a thrift store for a steal. Although it was orange, it was in great shape and she had a vision for what it could be.

By the time she brought it to me, it was all beautifully painted and ready for no more orange! She chose gainsack fabric with the navy stripe, and added a stencil to a piece of the grainsack for the cushion top. And here is the after...

What a difference a little paint and fabric can make - hard to believe it's the same chair! My client did a great job of the painting, and the stencil was a great choice to make it a one-of-a-kind piece...

There was a tiny bit of upholstery on the arms, so we made sure to cover that up as well...

(those arm covers just fasten with velcro underneath)

And I couldn't resist topping it off with a Pillows For Good pillow, just because :)

Now I know who to go thrift store shopping with! Have you come across any good finds lately?

Sherri

Crisp and Tailored

My client knew exactly what she wanted for this next project - tailored, white slipcovers. The only thing that changed in the course of planning was the size of the project - we started with one sleeper sofa, but then she purchased the same sofa in a non-sleeper version to replace a sectional that just wasn't working for them. 

Unfortunately, I don't have any "before" pictures, but both of these pieces are "Axis" style couches from Crate and Barrel. She chose white 12oz duck cloth and this was the outcome...

We opted for no skirt, just taking the slipcover almost down to the floor. And I think I am a fan of those simple track arms :)

This one is the sleeper - I treated it the same as the other, but installed a zipper around the seat deck to make it easy to access the pull-out bed without removing the whole slipcover.

Just very simple. But, those throw pillows! My client has the best collection - every time I install a slipcover, she brings out all these perfectly mixed-and-matched pillows - wait until you see the whole room!

Such a great space, made lighter and brighter with the white slipcovers...

A perfect summer look, just in time for the Texas heat!

Do lighten your home for summer?

Sherri

Time to Lighten Up

Sometimes it doesn't take a whole slipcover to make a big difference in a room. In this case, my client knew that she just wanted the backs of her dining chairs covered. 

The leather seats were in perfect condition and, of course, were perfectly suited for dining chairs, so we just needed to come up with a new look for the tapestry-style backs.

She chose a brushed denim in Natural that was a great complement to the dark leather and wood of the chairs.

We kept the look simple, with top-stitching along the "boxing" around the edges of the back.

But, then, of course, we had to make the back interesting - it is the side of dining chairs that you see most.

Covered buttons with loops, and top-stitching to finish it off.

Now my client's dining room has a new look, without compromising the function (and isn't that a beautiful room?).

Sherri

P.S. In spite of what my random blog posting schedule would indicate, my amazing clients are keeping me hopping! I just booked a project for October, so I only have a few more spots until the end of the year. Just an fyi... ;)

P.P.S. Linking up here :)

Traditional Meets Preppy, with Color!

Many of my projects end up capturing more of a neutral style sense. And, while I love me some neutrals, it's fun to mix it up with some color sometimes.

My client already had a base of neutrals in her home, so she was ready for color to more fully express her style. Kelly green was her color of choice for the first couple of projects: a large ottoman and tailored tablecloth...

She opted for green duck cloth, with white piping trim, and large box pleated skirts...

It took a lot of fabric, but it's so worth it to have full pleats!

A layer of Dacron over the top softened the tufts...

(and then there were these two scoundrels, who made it very difficult to take pictures that day - tails everywhere!)

(Thankfully, Max has had a haircut since then!)

The second project was another large ottoman for a more formal space. 

This time she chose a textured linen/cotton blend in a muted teal...

...with a band of natural linen/cotton for the accent (which, apparently, perfectly matches her couch!). Again, we did full box pleats for a luxurious look.

I top-stitched the band to keep the seams going the right way.

This fabric was sturdy enough that the top did't need any extra padding to minimize the tufting.

Perfectly fresh for spring!

Sherri