Sofa Redo-Would You Believe-Polar Fleece?

Yes….you read that right Polar Fleece!

Hard to believe….easier than you would think to do!

The couch and love seat are gorgeous….sadly not mine….the story is amusing…(at least to me).

Read on to learn about “thinking outside the bolt….fabric bolt that is!

Since I have been so busy with school, new projects just aren’t happening at my house this week….probably this month!

I decided to share some past projects that are BB (before blog) so you will have to pardon the photos and the fact that I don’t have any before pictures!

I wasn’t thinking like a blogger a year ago!

This beautiful love seat is paired with a matching sofa in the upstairs of the darling 2 bedroom expansion home of my niece and nephew.

Obviously, it wasn’t always beautiful….in fact it looked a lot like this!

Only worse…it had seen a lot of fun 🙂 and was showing it!

Since I don’t have any photos of the process,

I have written you a little screen play of the story of the transformation from ugly to amazing!

Act 1:

Scene 1:

The upstairs of T’s house

T: How am I ever gonna get those ugly things down the stairs and then what do I do with them…what a pain”

Me: Maybe you should just burn them! But what do you want for furniture up here?

T: I want seating but something sort of modern and really comfy….I love these pink and gray pillows from Target and like the idea of grays and pink.

Me: So would you still have a couch and the love seat?

T: Yeah….but it will be a long time before that is in the budget…Maybe Craig’s List?

Me: What if we tried to recover these?

T: I HATE THEM! Look at the skirts….they are just awful!

Me: Let’s go rip off the skirts and see what they look like!

Act 1:

Scene 2:

Still in the upstairs

Me: Here…just take the scissors and start on the skirt of the love seat…
T: Are you sure?
Me: What difference does it make….they can’t look any worse!
T: rippppppp…this is fun!
Me: You know….once you get the skirt off they don’t look so big….
T: Can you meet me at the fabric store next week?

West Elm

Inspiration: The Henry Sofa from West Elm

cost: $699 times 2 for both sofa and love seat!

YIKES

Act 2:

Scene 1:

At the fabric store

T: I got here before you and I am bummed….I want something soft and gray, maybe velvet. There just isn’t anything. Let’s go to another store.

Me: Yeah, but let’s look around and get some ideas of what makes sense. Look at all the fabrics and get some feel for something you like even if it isn’t upholstery. What about wool?
T: Too scratchy
Me: What about denim?
T: Yuck……ohhhhh! Look at this soft gray stuff….it is exactly the feel….what is it?
Me: POLAR FLEECE…but really nice Polar Fleece…how much is it?
T: 8 bucks a yard…but it is really wide! Do you think it would work?
Me: Who knows…..but I bet it would….let’s DO IT!

Act 2:

Scene 2:

Still At the fabric store

Me: We want 12 yards of this…is there enough on the bolt?

Clerk: it looks like there is…what are you going to do with it?

T: Cover a couch and love seat…won’t it be beautiful?

Clerk: That will never work…..do you still want it?

Me: Yup…it is just what we want!

Clerk: (with disdainful expression) Okay then….

Act 3:

Back at the house
Montage:
Ripping, cutting, stapling, sewing, laughing, swearing, prying, stretching……

Success! And I actually like it better than the West Elm inspiration!

I had never thought of using polar fleece to cover furniture, but it was probably the easiest fabric I have ever used for this!
It stretches and is very forgiving….and sitting on the couches feels like sinking in to a wonderful, cozy blanket!
In fact….when my grand-niece sits here, you usually find her tucked in behind the cushions!

Cost: Under $100 for the couch and love seat
Time: wellll…..a bunch….probably all told….20 hours
Results: Priceless….given the fun we had!
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