Showing posts with label Dyeing Slip Covers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dyeing Slip Covers. Show all posts

Tuesday, March 14, 2017

Cottage makeover with slip covers. . . . . . . . . . .



Was it worth it? 
Sending the slip covers across the country to change their color, and
 my living room, was definitely a leap of faith.
Showing you the new look is not easy either - the lighting in this room on
these later winter days is not the best, however I think you will get the 
feel. . . . . . . . which is a lot different from the previous bright white
shabby chic look. 

Overall I'm pleased with the slip covers. There are a few darker
marks on the chair cover, but nothing a pillow and throw can't hide!
As warned, the zippers used on the backs and the cushions were white
 polyester and they did not take the dye, however they are just about
 invisible on the furniture so that isn't a major problem for me.

For now I'm keeping the antique French linen cover on the side chair, and the 
ottoman cover, white. As the slip covers came back quite a bit darker than
expected, charcoal rather than medium/dark grey, I think I need the white 
to keep the room from looking too dark.
I picked up some new pillow covers at IKEA at the weekend - two large grey
velvet and two small indigo blue linen - which I think go well with my antique cream
 and blue covers purchased in Provence some years back, also my elephant
 cover from Pottery Barn last year, and the sweet bird on a branch pillow in
another shade of blue found here at the Vintage Village.
I like how the dark grey contrasts with my armoire painted in
 Annie Sloane's Paris Grey. . . . .also with the silver metal gym
 baskets under the coffee table, perfect storage for my magazines
 and current reading materials.
Nothing fancy here - after all this is just a small cottage, compact and comfy.
 We've lived here 30 years now, not sure how much longer, but will keep it our
home as long as we can. . . . . . . . . . because our neighbors won't let us move,
 and our garden birds would miss us, haha! 

We have a bathroom reno starting this week, followed hopefully by a
 kitchen facelift during the Summer. Later this year the exterior of the house
 will be receiving a much-needed paint job.  
It's going to be a busy year around the cottage!

This photo was taken with my iPhone and it seems to be the closest
 color match - more the shade of charcoal grey without the blue hue in the
other photos.

All in all I am pleased with the covers. I did wash them all in my washer
 yesterday (and dried them in the dryer) as I wanted to be certain the dye is
 permanent and would not rub off on light clothes - it won't, and there was no
 dye in the washing water. The covers feel lovely, much softer and for some
 reason were easier to get back on the cushions - the job I always dreaded!

The wall behind the sofa might need some work. Perhaps I'll eventually
 hang some art along with the old mirror, haven't decided yet.
So this is the new look - even Bob seems to like it which is always a 
plus - and it cost much less than new furniture for the time being!

Now I'm working on the dining room table for Spring, and eventually 
for Easter. I've definitely edited my collection of Easter items over the 
past couple of years so remaining are just my white rabbits. . . . . . and 
a few other things I'll share in a later post closer to Easter.



Sunday, March 5, 2017

. . . . . . . still waiting for the new look!


I just received a very brief e-mail from Oregon.
Oh happy day, my dye job is apparently completed at last!
My new old slip covers for the sofa and chair are being packed
 up and the big box will hopefully be shipped east come Monday.
It will take about a week to travel, patience required.
Will I be sad they are no longer white,
or thrilled to have them grey? My fingers are crossed
that the new look will be just what I'm hoping for.

Around the cottage things need freshening up. With Spring imminent
 and Easter on the way, I'm into the attic this morning to get the white rabbits
 out of hibernation. I feel some new simple, but seasonal, vignettes are needed.
Or do I just have too much time on my hands today?


Saturday, February 4, 2017

Cross country covers . . . . . . .


I'm wondering if I've made the right decision!
Last week I took a 'leap of faith' and I'm hoping it will work out fine.
Before committing to a new sofa purchase, I found a company which 
does professional textile dyeing. . . . . . . including slip covers!
After checking them out by phone and reading positive reviews of others who
 have had covers dyed, I whipped these white ones off the sofa and big armchair 
on the right (didn't send the natural French linen slip cover on the small chair by the
 fireplace as I just might dye it later - indigo blue, aubergine, or some brilliant hue),
 and headed to UPS. There they packed my covers in a big box and soon they
 were on their way across the USA.
 Yesterday they arrived in Oregon where, hopefully, within a few weeks, they will
 be turned into a perfect medium dark grey and then travel those
 2,860 miles back east.

When I mentioned another option about the slip covers versus a new sofa,
this was it. It seems perhaps a good way to know if I really want a grey sofa.
Of course I know it still means we will be going through those
 'slip cover battles' for a while longer BUT nowhere near as often as with
 white covers. I'm prepared to try the dye job, hopefully will love
them and be showing them to you later.
Meanwhile this what we're living with for now - a bit of a green mishmash!
I laundered the antique French linen cloth from the dining room table and draped
 it to hide part of the old damask upholstery on the sofa. Although I'm not into
 green decor right now, apparently it's a trendy color this year (Pantone's Color
 of the Year 2017 is Greenery) so I will love it for a few weeks until the grey covers return.
Yes, it's that time of year again. The cottage needs sprucing up and 
I need to get busy.
Sunny Saturday morning here though somewhat cooler - hope your weekend
is full of bright moments.