Decorating Dilemma: Sofa,Sofa...What to Do? Help!

Do you know anyone who’s handy with a sewing machine? Sewing slipcovers that aren’t perfectly tailored (but more fitted than a throw) isn’t supposed to be terribly difficult (though I doubt I could do it). I’ve seen tutorials online that basically show how to do it by laying out the fabric, wrong sides up, on the actual sofa and pinning at all the appropriate places to fit the form. Then you sew along the pinned lines, turn it right side out, and voila! Another alternative is to just tuck fabrics or blankets over and around everything. Obviously, this is less than ideal, but may work in the short run.

If neither of those is workable, check out the sofas at Ikea.com. Relatively affordable, and the lines/styles should suit the look you’re going for.

As for the kitchen, are the cabinets flat fronted? If so, it would be pretty easy to wrap the doors in wallpaper (sans glue) or even fabric. Wrap the doors like presents, tacking the wrapping on to the back side of the door. If they have moldings, you could always use contact paper in the center parts. It’s removable.

Lastly, post pictures when it’s done!

To continue what @augustlan said, you can actually purchase wallpaper that clings with the application of water until you move, and is very easily removeable.

I hate sofas and have none. I have replaced with rocker/recliners from the Charity thrift stores.

Thank you so much for the wallpaper ideas….!

Actually, @Augustlan, I looked into Ikea, too. I am thinking that perhaps if I can coordinate something with the beige body (the body of the sofa is a beige/oatmeal which is not at all Shabby Chic color) and make the loose back cushions and the seat cushions in a totally different color…? I am just trying to find how on earth I can get some “shabby rose” fabric to coordinate with that beige. Most fabrics have white backgrounds or blue backgrounds and don’t think that would work….?

That’s the only alternative I can think of….change out the three back cushions and the two bottom cushions for a French/vintage fabric and keep the oatmeal colored body…any more ideas? Color ideas? I’m open to seeing what can coordinate with a beige that would be a vintage type cottage fabric.

Thanks soooo much…...lurve coming to @YARNLADY and @augustlan!

@DarlingRhadamanthus Visit your local fabric store and you will be pleasantly surprised. There are fabrics to match or go with any and every color or decor.

I did that to an old sofa… I covered the body in a slipcover, and the back pillows with a coordinating (but not matching) fabric. It worked out really well! I’m positive that you’ll be able to find something with at least a touch of the beige color in it that will work for you. Bring a couch pillow with you when you go fabric shopping.

Maybe something like this?

Or this?

GA everybody, there are some sites here here and there are TONS of useful links here and a great way to tone down dark wood cabinets (and allowing you to leave them as they are) is to accessorise using a brighter colour. Pick a theme, and match your curtains/blinds, napkins, utensils, even things like toaster/kettle etc and the lighter colour/s will draw attention away from the dark wood of the cabinets. Also make sure that your window treatments/blinds don’t prevent the sunlight from coming in, lots of light will make your kitchen feel so much bigger and airier and so the cabinets won’t be so imposing.
hugs honey xx

To be in keeping with your Scandanavian/Shabby Chic theme, think about a fabric like the middle one pictured here.

As an interior designer with an honors degree I am wondering if you could find what your looking for at http://www.ikea.com/ as @augustlan mentioned.
If we are on the same lines. It is also quite budget friendly. Have a peek, I think this is what your talking about. I really don’t think it would be cost effective to recover unless you can figure out how to do this yourself.
Now since you can’t change the cupboards I suggest doing something with the table. That could be a simple center peice also a tablecloth even picture in the design era. Not everyone will look at the cupboards and say this is not shaker style and shaker style really is basically clean straight simple lines with function not a cabinet that shouts “look at me” traditionally the shaker makers used cherry wood, which is darker. Sometimes you can simply just change the hardware on the cupboards to shaker style, to compliment what your looking for.
Most kitchens are usually contemporary style when rentals which actually falls also under the shaker style. You did not say what type of cabinets they are. But cabinets and kitchen cupboards don’t have to always go just even having your table in the room could give a great look as cream and brown go great together. I say certain themes are out, and it is very typical for one to lean closer to a bit of a modern feel with the choice of other style and a very few eye popping colors. Standard ROYGBIV either bright, or toned down. Hopefully it helps a bit.

First of all….gorgeous, wonderful, contributors! Your generosity absolutely floored me…and the great links were fabulous…thank you, thank you, thank you!

@augustlan….Absolutely thought that was a lovely fabric. Would not have even thought of that….so thank you!!
@marinelife….Ditto and totally different, too.
@bunnygrl….Thank you for all the links…I am going to plow through them.
@Meego…I did find a sofa at Ikea, but I adore my silly sofas…they are lovely and functional and very comfortable. Unfortunately, the table is built in (the one in the kitchen) is one of those corner units with the trestle table also in dark wood. I will (however) incorporate some of your ideas. Thank you.

NOW FOR THE BAD NEWS….After agreeing to rent to…me.the landlord called and decided to give it to someone else. I was so gutted. I cried. I had looked forever. And it ticked all the boxes. The price was also great.

Basically, the backstory is that the landlord and landlady got into an argument (they did not know that I knew their language) in front of me. She thought he was not charging enough for the house. He said, “Mind your own business….I know what I am doing.” So, I called and the next day and I was told the house was mine and to come sign the contract. She went on and on about how “perfect” I was for the property and that she knew I would take care of it, etc etc. Then, I got this email that said, “Oh, we decided to go with someone else.” I figure that the market is so competitive, that someone offered them more money or she went and told the other interested parties that they could have it, if they paid more. And they did.

However, I still need to recover these babies….no matter where they end up. And I am sure that I will have to do some work wherever we rent…as brown seems to be the cabinet color of choice in most of the towns. So your great suggestions will not go to waste.

Thank you sooooooooooo much. I appreciated your help! Lurve coming!

NP! Anytime. I am really sorry to hear about the rental :((
Ok so I just had a thought, what about keeping the knoll sofas which are corduroy brown as that would give you more of the Scandinavian feel you are looking for with the option of pillows, drapes maybe if you dont want to purchase all the material for the drapes even a simple fabric wall art or even a throw in a similar color. Check out these fabrics, maybe they would appeal to you.

http://www.scandinaviandesigncenter.com/Products/usd0/Scandinavian_Fabrics/Fabrics/10387/Paradis+satin+fabric

http://www.scandinaviandesigncenter.com/Products/usd0/Scandinavian_Fabrics/Fabrics/6096/Skugga+fabric

Ok so I’m adding a bit in here lol I did not see for some reason you said you wanted a cottage feel. Why didn’t I see that? Any who, Something like this

http://products.janechurchill.com/details.aspx?StockCode=J236F-01&Item=&Use=&Colour=&Pattern=&Keywords=&Start=1120

I’m not sure it’s hard to design what you can’t see. I have knowledge though.

I wish you tons of luck. I am here if you need any info or advice on anything. ;)

So I just wanted to give you a picture of the Scandinavian feel I was kind of thinking about…
If I can get the picture to work lol

You could just check here I hope it works..

http://meegougo.tumblr.com/

There is also another place similar to ikea, I’m going to take a wild guess and say your somewhere in the UK as you said you paid for your sofa in £. So here is the link..

http://www.jysk.co.uk/

Perhaps like this?

http://www.jysk.co.uk/4/58/667/1827880/a/catalog

JYSK is also smaller than ikea.

@Meego…thank you so much for the superb ideas…..I loved the bird fabric, especially. And thank you for the extra suggestions as well. I really liked the Jane Churchill as well.

You found a lot of lovely contemporary Scandinavian pieces/fabrics. What I meant was Gustavian which is more traditional/antique Scandinavian like this link which is why your Churchill would go well.as well as those lovely embroidered cases.

You were so incredibly helpful….I am sending you “lurve”....I do live in the UK, but not familiar with things here….well, not all things, anyway.

(Basically…you rock…! Thank you!)

Yes I see now the embroidery look your going for and how it would work much better.

I really liked that bird fabric as well seems like that goes well on a small thing ie pillows and such.

But I did find these pillows a few moments while looking for embroidery type and I think they may be right up your ally they are beautiful!

http://www.oninteriordesign.com/on_interior_design/2008/10/alidad-pillows-for-chelsea-editions.html

Make sure you check this:

http://www.chelseaeditions.com

And this:

http://www.alidad.com/chelsea-textiles-cushions.html

These are definatley just some ideas you could go by.

Oh BTW I enjoy what I do, which also consumes looking on the Internet as well as running around and I have many fabrics and styles bookmarked for reference. I love to help out. :))

P.S. I think you rock too.