Go with leather!

Thanks for the thought k9arlene, but I don't like leather at the beach. Just doesn't fit the vibe or atmosphere. The house isn't fancy but comfortable, and we've used light woods and cool colors throughout.

I love looking at all the beautiful magazines with homes furnished with slip-covered sofas; it's a nice, casual, beachy, look. However, when I was looking to purchase a sofa for my beach house, I soon becam disillusioned with the so-called ease of slip covers.

At each store that featured a slip-covered sofa I liked, I had the sales person demonstrate just how the cover is removed. Even the sales people who liked the slip covers and purchased them for their own homes, had to agree that they were not so easy to remove, wash and put on.

I guess if you're willing to do that, because you don't have to change the covers that often, it would be fine. I did hear that the slip covers washed well...I didn't end up going that route and chose a chintzy-type floral that gave me the cottagey type look I wanted.

Just my thought....by the way one of the sofas I had liked was a Rowe...

I had matelasse covers made for chairs in my LR and love them. They wash like a dream which in my mind is the whole purpose behind slipcovers. If they are dry clean only, I would use a different material and/or furniture source. Mine are not difficult to get on - they zip down the back behind the welting so it's hidden, The seat cushion covers take a bit more work but if you can stuff a pillow in a case then you can do this, too.

For our beach place, I bought sofas and slipcovers made (in the USA) by Lee Industries. The slipcovers are washable in the fabric I used. I don't know how the sofas or slipcovers wash or wear since they were just delivered in February!

Almost all of my furniture is slipcovered, and I must say that the pieces of furniture that I have that are not, are the ones that give me fits. Also, my slipcovers are all quite light, and although we will be getting new furniture in the next year or so, I plan to get mostly white slipcovered furniture then, too. I have 3 little kids (soon to be 4), and they have really held up well. I think the secret is getting tough fabric that is washable. Most of my slipcovers are cotton canvas or duck, and they have held up to a lot of abuse. My kids have even colored all over the sofa a few times, and they still look really good. I don't find it to be a very big deal to take off the slipcovers. It reminds me of changing a big bed that is against the wall-- it is awkward and a bit of a struggle, but not something that would keep me from getting them. All of my furniture is from Cisco Brothers, and I have been really happy with them. My friends who have slipcovered furniture from Quatrine are happy with it, too.

At our summer cottage, we have a slipcovered sofa from Crate & Barrel that I love. It's comfortable, and it's a sleeper! It's the Bayside sofa, shown in link below. We've had it for two years, in a print that they don't seem to carry any more -- a blue and white floral. I haven't washed the entire cover yet, but I have washed the seat cushion covers because my dogs snuck up there. They washed easily, no problem.

At home, I also have a Lee "Coveralls" loveseat. I removed and washed that slipcover many times until I just couldn't get it clean any more (it was a light color, and my dogs *lived* on that sofa). I ordered a new slipcover from Lee about a year ago -- in a darker, sturdier fabric. The dogs aren't allowed on the loveseat any more so I haven't had to wash the new cover yet! But I found the Lee covers extremely easy to remove, wash, and put back on.

Here is a link that might be useful: C&B sofa

Thanks all. I have learned a lot from what you have told me. There is a store near me that carries Lee industries so I will definitely check them out. I love the Crate and Barrel sofa, too. The other lines some of you mentioned don't have a dealer nearby, although they look very nice. I've definitely got someplace to start, and I appreciate hearing your experiences with slipcovers.

I was going to say Lee Industries but someone beat me to it. Ironically, the Bayside sofa by C&B is made by Lee. They carry the Lee industries line and select C&B sofas are actually made by Lee.

How about upholstering the furniture in Sunbrella outdoor fabric for durability?
Candice Olson on Divine Design recently did that for a couple w/small children.

Sunbrella Fabrics

Jim

I think Lee carries some of the Sunbrella fabrics that Jim referenced.

Thanks for the reminder, Jim. We get intense sun at the beach house so I was going to look for the sunbrella fabrics on the sofas with or without slipcovers.

Hi all-I've been peaking into this forum as I start an update of my house at the beach - my DS (figured out some of the codes) directed me to you all because she's found so much info here... anyway my DF has furniture from the Cindy Crawford collection and it has denim slipcovers --- she has washed and dryed them every six weeks (cat, dogs and gkids) for two years and they are still like new - gorgeous. Just an FYI

Do you know the wash settings for the cindy crawford white denim slipcover?