Temporary upholstery options
March 29, 2017 5:25 PM   Subscribe

For the next 18 months or so, I will be living with a sofa that is not to my taste. E.g., I prefer lighter furniture with simple lines, including exposed legs and this behemoth is a queen size sleeper-sofa with green and cream plaid (not exactly, but close enough) fabric. I want to temporarily reupholster the piece without spending a fortune on upholstery fabric.

The slipcovers I've seen that completely cover the furniture tend toward the "shabby chic" look (I don't want this) or are tailored and too expensive. I can sew covers for the cushions and can staple fabric to the frame without damaging sofa, but upholstery fabric is more than I'm willing to spend.

Size and price-wise, sheets are perfect. Is there any way I can do this without it being obvious that the sofa is covered in sheets? Specifically, what fabric would be best? Online images of microfiber sheets look promising, but I've never seen them IRL. Any thoughts about designs/patterns? I favor simple/subtle designs in darker neutrals, but I'm open to any options that accomplish the goal.

Final note: the sofa gets relatively light wear, primarily from resident adults (1 full-time, 1 part-time) and there is usually a throw/light blanket between us and the sofa fabric.
posted by she's not there to Home & Garden (9 answers total) 3 users marked this as a favorite
 
If you can sew and staple, I'd suggest instead you get a cheapish slipcover and then tailor it yourself. I have done this. Adding a few judicious seams and tucking and folding can get you a much nicer look, and the fabric won't look like sheets.
posted by lollusc at 5:38 PM on March 29, 2017 [1 favorite]


I use microfiber bed sheets.
posted by tilde at 5:40 PM on March 29, 2017


Did you know you can paint upholstery with chalk paint? It gives it a completely new look, one which I quite like. I don't know what the fabric feels like after it's been painted but you can google it to see the effect anyway.
posted by Jubey at 5:58 PM on March 29, 2017


This is certainly not the "correct way to do it", but you can certainly reupholster a couch with any fabric, not just upholstery fabric. You'll want something on the thick, heavy side but otherwise it'll be fine, especially for only 18 months. I've used a thick velvet and a lightly waxed cotton, both of which were on major sale at the discount fabric basement so cost me about $40 each time, and both held up great for multiple years.

So yes, sheets should be fine, especially microfiber sheets! Or hit up your discount fabric basement if you have one! Suit wool would be lovely if you can find a stash for cheap.
posted by LeeLanded at 7:51 PM on March 29, 2017


If you can find a good sale on them curtains make good hack&dash upholstery fabric, too. The rod pocket can be used with a thin slat of wood to pull everything super taught and flat (and then hide it under cushions or below the frame underneath, depending on your couch's shape and the curtain width. (And of course you can make your own pocket in other fabrics.)

Think about getting a different fabric for the base of the couch and the cushion covers. It can still look clean and simple with a combination like an ivory base with taupe cushions or two different soft tones of blue (something sheets often come in.) I suggest this because you might find a good deal on a smaller amount of fabric that will only work for one component, or you might have a lot of trouble getting that clean look and then having to patchwork the rest from scraps. Give yourself room to breathe.
posted by Mizu at 8:25 PM on March 29, 2017 [1 favorite]


I cannot sew a stitch but have been able to cover, fold, and drape new or used curtains over a sofa - works very well for both light and heavy use. Best thing is, the "covers" are machine washable.
posted by iamhere:youarethere at 9:13 PM on March 29, 2017 [1 favorite]


I've seen DIY's with canvas. You can get big drop cloth canvas at the hardware store - keep in mind many of them have a seam down the middle so calculate your yardage with that in mind.

But I agree that just tailoring one that already fits would be easiest. You are also likely going to be limited just by the shape of the sofa underneath too.

Sheets sound way, way too thin for this.
posted by Crystalinne at 9:20 PM on March 29, 2017


I got a microfiber slipcover at Bed, Bath and Beyond that works well. Something like this, but it was more like $80 in the store. It cost a bit more than I had planned to spend on fabric but it saved me a lot of time. They have a lot of sales and coupons, so I probably got 30 percent off the regular price.
posted by soelo at 8:06 AM on March 30, 2017


I think sheets might be too thin to hide the original checked pattern, unless you go with a darker color. If you like the unbleached cotton look, you can also get extra wide continuous yardage muslin or canvas for cheap from Dharma Trading. If you're feeling ambitious you could even try dyeing the material to your preferred color. I've seen tutorials for "no-sew slipcovers" that are basically carefully tucking dropcloths into the couch. They also tend to look very shabby chic but I think you could get a more streamlined look with the addition of some careful stapling and the judicious use of broomsticks/PVC pipes to hold things taut (see step 7 of these Ikea instructions).
posted by yeahlikethat at 10:01 AM on March 30, 2017


« Older Was this a short story I read, or a dream?   |   How does a leadership team track in progress... Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.