Khanyi Mlaba
Slipcovers are one of the best decorating tools and if you choose the right fabric, extremely practical as well
Related to slipcovers: Slip cover ideas
You can’t go wrong with slipcovers. They have the ability to transform ugly chairs, sofas and even tables into stylish pieces. But always use washable fabric so that you can pop them in the washing machine and make sure that it’s pre-shrunk before the upholsterer makes it up.
A great idea is to have a set of slipcovers in a light fresh fabric for summer and then swap them for something thicker and more textured for winter. You can do this for sofas, chairs and even headboards. As headboards are usually against a wall, use one fabric on the front and another on the back so you change the look depending on your mood or the season.
HERE ARE A FEW GREAT IDEAS
1. A mother of three boys, Shawna Neill, owner of Unison Store in Durban, says that ironically white slipcovers have proved to be very practical in her living room as they can be bleached.
You also might like: Decorating with white
2. To update a neutral dining room, slipcover the chairs at either end in a stylish on-trend pattern such as the ikat used by Amanda Walters Interiors. This way you don’t have to recover all the chairs.
3. As slipcovers look more casual, you can use them to tone down a too formal room and make it look more inviting as in this living room decorated by Studio Dylan Thomaz.
4. Tables can also be updated with a tailored slipcover and this is a great way to introduce colour and pattern. Protect the surface with a piece of safety glass cut to size.
5. “Instead of upholstering a headboard, make a slipcover that can be easily laundered,” says Susan Hughes Elliott.
As the imported fabric she wanted to use on this headboard wasn’t wide enough, she added a border of inexpensive plain fabric on either side so only a small amount of the costlier fabric was needed.
6. For this apartment CW Interiors slipcovered the dining chairs and then made a couple of sets of fabric caps in different patterns. These can be fitted over them to change the look according to the occasion.
Keep reading: 6 ways to give your dining room pizzazz
