Types and making do-it-yourself covers for a sofa and armchairs
Upholstered furniture in the living rooms of our houses is an indispensable attribute of the interior, since it is easy to use and gives a solid look to the furnishings. Everyone loves to get into a comfortable chair in front of the TV or lie down on the sofa with a book.
However, this furniture is not durable enough, because the upholstery material tends to wear out or wear out quickly enough. One method of protecting fabric is using sofa and armchair covers.
Advantages of a sofa bedspread
First of all, the advantage of using a cape is to protect the upholstery of the sofa and armchairs.
- The cover reliably protects the material from rubbing or other mechanical damage. After all, there are frequent cases of damage to the upholstery as a result of an accidental spill of liquids. And if in this case, after spending a lot of effort and time, you can clean the material, then as a result of the actions of pets or children's pranks, the upholstery can be hopelessly damaged by snags, scratches and cuts. At the same time, the sofa cape is easy to wash or replace. In addition, the bedspread retains the heat of the human body longer and will undoubtedly add coziness and comfort.
- The dignity of the cape is its aesthetic function. A beautiful bedspread, selected in accordance with the general style of the room, will add originality and uniqueness to the interior. In stores, the assortment of covers for upholstered furniture is very wide, and if you add here the possibility of making them in an atelier to order, then you will surely choose a suitable option for any design style.
Since the covers are made from different materials, you can choose a soft plush option for cold winters, and an easy option for hot summers.
There are times when the upholstery has long lost its original appearance and is badly damaged, but buying a new set of upholstered furniture or its restoration is expensive and is not affordable at the moment.
In this case, using a cape can be a cheap and beautiful alternative, giving a second life to old furniture.
Types of sofa covers
- Sofa covers are most often rectangular in shape. They can either completely cover the upholstered furniture, or in parts. There are separate seat covers, backrests and even armrests. They can also have a lining on the inside to increase the service life. Such models are often sewn with geometric patterns.
- Plaids familiar to everyone, used as blankets, are also one of the varieties of sofa capes. The difference from the usual options is the texture of the fabric, which has no finishing. There are fur and carpet.
- The cover may not be fixed to the furniture in any way, but can be fixed with an elastic band around the perimeter or with the help of decorative elements.There are also models with Velcro locks.
- Often, sofa covers add some functionality to the furniture, due to the existing pockets.
By the way! Bedspreads can be divided according to the material from which they are sewn. It can be a single color fabric or multi-color, or with patterns embroidered on it. Often, furniture capes are decorated with fringes, ruffles, frills, braids, tassels.
Fur blanket
Such a blanket is in great demand in the market. People associate it with wealth and luxury. Such an accessory will add extra volume and a premium look to the overall interior. It is pleasant to sit on this blanket, as the fur is very comfortable.
The great advantage of such a blanket is its resistance to all kinds of pollution, but at the same time, the main drawback is associated with this - these products cannot be washed, therefore, to eliminate pollution, you will have to go to dry cleaning. In addition, fur blankets are a kind of dust magnet.
Terry bedspread
Such bedspreads are sewn from environmentally friendly and natural materials, so they are "breathable", that is, they provide good ventilation.
It is especially recommended to use this type of blankets in children's rooms, as they do not cause allergies. In terms of comfort and softness, they are in no way inferior to fur blankets, but they have a shorter service life. The disadvantages include the large weight of the products.
Furniture tapestry blanket
The most practical and durable bedspreads from furniture tapestry.
Such products hardly wear out, retain their original color for a long time, and are easily cleaned of any contamination. The texture of such blankets is very diverse, so you can easily choose the right one for the sheathing itself.
Textile capes
Textile capes are lightweight and inexpensive, they are the most colorful, festive and elegant. However, they have a very short lifespan - they are highly susceptible to abrasion, tear quickly, and clues appear on them.
In addition, the original bright color fades quickly after a few washes. Due to their fragility, they poorly perform the protective functions of the cape and are not at all able to protect it from spilled liquid.
Knitted
Knitted bedspreads are pleasant to the touch, keep their shape well, do not fade over time and do not lose their appearance even after a lot of washings.
However, they cannot be washed in hot water or in an automatic machine. Such capes perfectly fulfill their protective function. They are suitable for any type of interior in the room.
Velor
Velor is a beautiful and refined material, but it has good strength and durability due to its density. After washing, such blankets do not change their shape in any way, do not stretch or shrink.
The color of the velor also does not change in any way over time. The soft fabric creates a homely feel. The velor blanket should not be washed in hot water, but it is better to dry it in the fresh air. Dirt is easily removed from the cape with a sponge and detergent solution.
Unusual Shaped Capes
If you have a regular sofa, then a cover for it can be purchased in a store, however, for furniture of a non-standard shape, you will have to order a cape from an atelier or sew with your own hands. On the corner sofa, the covers must be fixed, otherwise they will constantly jump off and get lost, because of which it will be uncomfortable to sit or lie and the appearance of the furniture will also suffer.
It is best to use capes for such sofas that will completely cover it from all sides - this will provide additional fixation. But because of this, the fabric for the cape requires much more, and accordingly the price increases.
A typical example of an oddly shaped cover is the corner sofa cover.
How to choose the right sofa cape
Before you contact the sellers and start choosing covers for the sofa and armchairs, you need to take measurements from the furniture. After all, too small a cape will not provide adequate protection, and too large will add bulkiness to the interior. If you are going to sew a custom-made cover in an atelier, then you will need the dimensions of the sofa to determine the amount of fabric required.
Of course, the texture of the fabric and its color should be in harmony with the other situation in the room, and if the cover does not cover all the upholstered furniture, then it should also be suitable for the upholstery. Designers advise choosing calm, non-aggressive tones to create an atmosphere of peace and relaxation.
If you keep pets, then you need to choose capes made of dense fabric with a smooth surface. First, your pet won't be able to damage it. And secondly, such material will not collect wool on itself.
Consider how often upholstered furniture is used. If the whole family gathers in the living room every evening, then light textile capes are unlikely to be appropriate, they simply will not be able to provide protection for the upholstery.
How to sew with your own hands
A do-it-yourself sewn cape for the sofa will add originality to your interior. But it is worth remembering that although this process is creative and fun, it will require some skill and investment of time and effort.
In addition, you will be able to sew capes for armchairs in the future, which will allow you to arrange everything in the same style. First of all, measure the sofa in all respects, not forgetting about the armrests and legs.
After that, it is necessary to decide on the shape of the cape - whether it will be a simple rectangular canvas or a completely fitting cover. The next step is to draw a pattern or find it on specialized resources on the Internet.
Important! Having chosen textile as a material, first iron it with steam so that the fabric immediately shrinks and does not deform in the future.
If the back of the sofa consists of several soft blocks, then the cape can also be sewn in separate squares. To increase the strength of the product, an additional one can be sewn to the main fabric as a lining.
How to make a soft chair cover? All principles are absolutely the same as in the case of a sofa, in most cases there are differences only in size.
Is it possible not to cover the sofa
Of course, you can not use covers on upholstered furniture, but even with proper care, the upholstery material will still rub and wear out. Therefore, your upholstered furniture will, in any case, lose its appearance over time and will require an upholstery or a complete replacement.
And if you have small children or pets at home, the upholstery is almost 100% likely to suffer someday from their actions. The use of covers on upholstered furniture is more of a necessity, and not just a desire to decorate your home. Buy or sew capes, and then your furniture will serve you for a long time and will delight you with its appearance.
Video: how to sew covers for upholstered furniture
Photo of sofa covers in the interior
