Custom slip cover for old sofa?

10 years ago

How cost effective is it to have a slipcover made for a sofa rather than purchasing something new? I don't have any experience with custom slipcovers, so I have no idea where to even go for this service or how much I would have to spend. I'm specifically interested in slipcovers, not actual re-upholstery. Can some please educate me?

Background -

W have a sofa and love seat purchased 12 years ago at Macys. To this day, we love these sofas. They are unbelievably comfortable and in pristine condition. However, we are now redecorating our home and the color (midnight blue brushed velvet) and style (oversized, stuffed) are just too "heavy" for our current home and decor plans. It occurred to me that if I re-cover the sofas in a lighter, off-white fabric, I can soften the look and get away without having to buy new sofas. I could certainly use the money on other items on my list!

Thanks so much!

Debbie

Featured Answer

ctychick
Original Author

10 years ago

Interesting replies! I am a diy'er with some sewing experience, but this seems beyond my scope. I happen to have an old, small hand-me-down sectional in my basement. Maybe I'll experiment with that using dropcloth.

Would love more input! Thanks!

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Comments (6)

Ideefixe
10 years ago
I think old furniture (but 12 years doesn't really strike me as old) is usually better built than anything but the highest of high end available today. Look on your local Craigslist for someone who sews slipcovers, or try for referrals at good fabric stores. I've slip covered my sofa twice and am always pleased with the results.
celticmoon
10 years ago
Ask at fabric stores for names. Or maybe try decorators. You want somebody who does good work unless you want a loose, really casual look.

I found a woman who does impeccable work and she charges about $400 for a sofa with multiple cushions.

You will need a lot of fabric, so consider that part of the cost as well.

Definitely worth it if your alternative is replacing a higher end sofa with something current - new will either cost much more now or be much lesser quality. Excellent USA made furniture is either crazy expensive and/or hard to find IMHO.
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teapot100
10 years ago
If you're like me and a neophyte at sewing who gets easily overwhelmed, don't cover them yourself! I started to make drop cloth slipcovers for our consignment shop sofa and loveseat and a year later, they are still only half done. Ugh. We can't afford to get them done by anyone else so until I get up my nerve to finish them, they'll suffer from an identity crisis.

However, if you are willing to try, there are a bunch of online tutorials on blogs that detail the whole process. Just google "drop cloth slipcover tutorial"
_sophiewheeler
10 years ago
There's not a huge difference in the fabric or labor involved if you are doing a custom fit slipcover vs. reupholstering. $400 is pretty cheap! I would have said that around $500 is the bottom on pricing on that, and I live somewhere labor is darn cheap. And that's why I learned to DIY it. By the time I bought the fabric, I was already around $400, and if I had to pay for labor too, I might as well go ahead and get it actually reupholstered.
kswl2
10 years ago
I live in the sticks, literally, and our cost to reupholster is about $1200 for a small sofa or a love seat. Not including the fabric. Around here it is much cheaper to have a slipcover made, around $700 plus fabric for the same size. Price isn't everything, though; if you like a loose, relaxed look and need to launder the covers frequently, a custom slip made of prewashed, washable fabric cannot be beat.