Giving Old Leather Sofas a New Look
You wouldn’t believe the amount of e-mail I get these days from companies and PR people wanting me to tout one of their products here on Hooked on Houses.
Please, PR people. I do not carry ads on my site and I’m not selling anything. I am not going to hawk your wares for you.
And I am NOT going to announce that a new salesperson has joined the team that is selling new homes at Hampton Lakes, either! Why on earth do you send me e-mails like that, saying you think my readers would be interested? I can guarantee you, they would NOT.
However, when this hit my inbox this week, I found it kind of interesting. A website called Cover My Furniture is selling slipcovers for leather furniture. It’s hard to get normal slipcovers to work because they slip slide around on leather. This company, based in the U.K., uses a range of chenille fabrics that “grip” better on the leather.
So that sounds good. Then I saw the covers and throws and they were…let’s just say eye popping. Take a look at a few ways they transformed this basic black sofa:
Whoa. That’s a whole lotta look for one basic black sofa. What do you think? Would you use these to jazz up an old piece of leather furniture? Or do you prefer the basic black?
You can check out more fabrics and styles for leather on the website Cover My Furniture. But please, PR people, don’t take this post as encouragement and flood me with more press releases today. My inbox is already full.
August 20th, 2008 at 8:00 am
I don’t even know what to say? Maybe “sleek to eeeek!” That should be their tagline.
August 20th, 2008 at 8:26 am
The first two really aren’t so bad. They might not look so bad in a real house instead of a stage with all the matchy matchy stuff.
The third one looks like a futon. That is not good, by the way. And why did the photographer person like putting that bowl on the floor so much. It’s like an offering altar to the slipcover gods.
August 20th, 2008 at 8:40 am
OMG - laughing about the “offering to the slip cover gods” comment.
Maybe the 2nd one isn’t too bad. I think I’d just buy a new couch.
August 20th, 2008 at 8:42 am
I’d stick with the basic black and a few toss pillows! These scare me.
August 20th, 2008 at 8:56 am
The red/black combo on the sofa with nailhead trim isn’t so bad. But hey, I could sew a few cusion covers myself and save the dough. I do love the look of a brown leather sofa with paisley chenille or tapestry seats.
That last one just reminds me of a horse blanket thrown on top. Naaayyyyy!
August 20th, 2008 at 9:08 am
i think it COULD work, but these styles DO NOT! sorry!!
August 20th, 2008 at 9:14 am
Because so many of us have a black, fuschia, red and gray color scheme — or at least want one, right?
August 20th, 2008 at 9:21 am
YUCK!! But, I have never liked hot pink with black, so maybe I am baised!
August 20th, 2008 at 9:22 am
Uhhh…Nope!!
August 20th, 2008 at 9:28 am
Um. NEXT.
August 20th, 2008 at 9:55 am
Woah! Who needs coffee after that?!?
That third one isn’t too bad, in comparison to the rest, but I’ll agree with a previous commenter - it does resemble a futon now, and I don’t think that’s an improvement.
I have a better idea than these - donate the OLD sofa to Goodwill and get thee to Ikea for something new.
August 20th, 2008 at 10:36 am
Oh, this site is so scumptious, I could devour it in one sitting. Plus, I’m a PR practitioner. That reference you made to my ilk was pretty funny. The pitching does get old. I found you via SoulMoxie. I’ll be back for more dessert.
August 20th, 2008 at 10:45 am
Eww. As my cousin’s little boy used to say, “I can’t like them.”
August 20th, 2008 at 11:11 am
Um, sorry, no. I prefer basic black. I’ll grab a couple of throw pillows from Target or Home Goods and call it a day.
August 20th, 2008 at 11:16 am
I guess I typed too soon. I did look at their website and they have really cute slipcovers in general. I actually found one for an ottoman I have. I have the most heinous looking chair and ottoman that are incredibly comfortable- which is why I haven’t thrown them out. This site might help.
August 20th, 2008 at 12:41 pm
I could almost like the middle one but …It doesn’t quite make the cut.
August 20th, 2008 at 12:52 pm
OMYGWILLIEWINKIES! Those are fun!
August 20th, 2008 at 3:42 pm
Thanks for your comments:) I too am a house lover and just think your blog is sooo much fun! I do not have any leather furniture, but that is really cool!
August 20th, 2008 at 4:31 pm
yeah, sometimes you should just say — It’s time to buy a new sofa! If not, option 2 was OK.
Kudos on your advertising stand!
August 20th, 2008 at 4:42 pm
oh no. not savvy at all.
August 20th, 2008 at 5:37 pm
Um…uh…ah…
Yikes.
August 20th, 2008 at 7:46 pm
Maybe if the got rid of all that uneccesary STUFF in the photos, the slipcovers would look a little better? That’s a whole lot to digest, you know? I actually have leather furniture. And I actually wanted to find slipcovers for it this summer. But I’m over it. :o)
August 20th, 2008 at 8:12 pm
Yanno, I have visions of a couple of hipsters with all manner of sexy leather furniture.
Then, the instinct hits and suddenly a dog and a baby arrive.
SLIPCOVERS!!!!
Yup, good idea. In fact, get them when you get the sofa and just put them on until you have a party.
Of course, I’m one of the guys who puts shearling seat covers on his new leather car seats.
August 20th, 2008 at 10:02 pm
You know……as soon as you said that the company was from the UK - we knew it would be bright & bold. You’ve seen those designing and decorating shows over there - the results are always WILD!
Clever idea though!! Thanks for sharing it with us!!
Karla & Karrie
August 20th, 2008 at 11:20 pm
Wow definitely eye popping. Why do you need slip covers for leather????
August 21st, 2008 at 9:31 am
WOW, I believe I hear Laura Ashley rolling over in her grave!
Janet
August 21st, 2008 at 11:10 am
Um… I prefer the plain leather sofa. These kind of freak me out. Much too… much.
August 22nd, 2008 at 7:13 pm
I actually really like them. They aren’t my personal style, but I can think of a lot of people I know, whose homes look awesome, who would totally love these! I’ll agree with most the last is my least favorite, but what’s so bad about the first two? They basically are just a black couch with throw pillows. So some people don’t have the ability to sew their own pillows and can’t find anything they like among all those boring colors and patterns, so they turn to these bold and fun prints.
Overall- I like them! I wish I was daring enough to try something fun like this in my home- until then I’ll just stick to my boring plain brown sofas with plain boring pillows.
August 22nd, 2008 at 7:14 pm
…….AND…. some people can’t afford to go out and just buy a whole new leather couch. THAT is why you would need a slip cover- you know if your old one is still comfy, yet stained, torn, or wore down.
September 18th, 2008 at 1:22 pm
I happen to be a leather certified cleaner and restorer and one of the easiest ways to fix a leather sofa is to have it pigmented another color. Black would have to stay black, any other color you’d have to stay in the same color family and light colored sofas could be colored any color.
February 3rd, 2009 at 6:42 am
I have a 2 seater and 2 seperate chairs in cream leather, very comfortable but i want to cover them to make them brown or black leather.Can i do this cheaply or will it be just as cheap to buy new settee!!!??