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Young House Love » Crafting & Art » Adding Some Linen Slipcovers

| By Sherry Petersik | May 17, 2011 | 397 Comments

Adding Some Linen Slipcovers

Remember back when we got our conference room slash hotel-ish parsons chairs on Craiglist for $25 a pop?

DChairs Vertical

We always envisioned cheerful apple green ones (and even tried a crazy chair-painting project with limited zero success) so in the end we admitted that slipcovers or reupholstering would be the way to go.

And after a long a$$ time spent going back and forth between the merits of slipcovers and reupholstering we decided that slipcovers would ultimately be the best choice for us (since we love the idea of tossing them into the wash). But we didn’t want anything fussy and long for fear of taking the dining room from hotel conference room to hotel banquet hall. So first we did some serious slipcover seeking and found a silhouette that we both liked. We landed on a no longer sold Pottery Barn option because we both appreciated the clean-lined mostly-fitted look and the short skirt for that show-me-some-leg effect

But alas, they weren’t the green tone that we wanted and they weren’t the right measurements to fit our chairs. Oh yeah and they weren’t even sold anymore (and when they were they weren’t in our budget anyway). After a bit more digging we came across some off-white ones from World Market with the same basic silhouette and they were a lot closer to our chair’s measurements. Although they didn’t come in a happy apple green color (and instead were off-white) I’m no stranger to dyeing things (like my wedding dress), so I thought it might be fun to give green dye a shot.

But of course being the cheap-o that I am, I hemmed and hawed and didn’t even show them to John at their original $60 for two price tag. I know, I know- $30 per slipcover isn’t a bad price but for some reason I was just too scared to pull the trigger. So that tab remained open on my computer for a while without me taking any action- not even just the show-your-husband-and-see-what-he-thinks kind. Then I got an email from World Market saying that a lot of their dining stuff was on sale. Dining stuff? Does that include slipcovers? Off to that always-open slipcover tab I flew, and hit refresh. Bam, $20 off!

Slipcovers World Market

Instead of $60 for two they were marked down to $40 for two (just $20 a pop). Heck, I doubt I could have bought fabric and thread to DIY my own slipcovers for that price (especially if you factor in a laaaaarge margin of error and hours spent screaming into a pillow). And my nightmare was ending up with eight slipcovers that were wonky and abnormal (since repeating the same steps eight times would surely yield some being looser or longer or weirder than others).

Yup, $23 slipcovers definitely sounded like the perfect complement to my $25 chairs. So I did that little tap-your-man-on-the-shoulder-and-tell-him-you-found-something thing and then waited to gauge John’s interest. And he proved that I know him well, but not that well. His response? “We should get ten instead of eight. That way if we have any dyeing issues we have extras on hand and if we don’t need them we can return the extras to the store to avoid shipping fees (World Market is nice like that).”

I’m used to him saying “we don’t need that.” So I can’t argue with a man who wants to buy more of something. Especially such a practical man with such good points about dyeing and returning the extras if we didn’t need ’em. Alrighty then. Ten it was. The total for all 10 slipcovers including shipping and sales tax came out to $232, which made each slipcover just $23 a pop (with a possibility of recouping $40 if we didn’t have any dyeing issues and returned the extra two to the store – for a total of $192 spent).

So we ordered them and waited what felt like forever for them to show up (in reality it was probably around 2 weeks) and then I excitedly unwrapped one to slip it onto our chairs to judge how good the fit actually was…

Slipcovers Loose

Talk about a womp-womp moment.

I realized I could probably attempt to tailor them myself to get a better fit, but that’s still waaaaay outside of my beyond-beginner skill set (I know someone will tell me it’s easy and I can do it but I’m all about working up to stuff like that and messing around with idiot proof projects like pillows and runners while I build up my confidence). So instead I decided to take the easy way out and wash one in hot water to see how much it would shrink up. Just as an experiment. Into the wash it went and I waited for the beep to signify that it was time to toss it into the dryer about a half hour later.

Painting Slipcovers Wash

As I went to put it into the dryer I decided to check the tag to make sure it was ok to put it on high heat (for maximum shrinkage). That’s when I saw that the tag said “dry clean only.” Whaaaaaat?????? Who the heck sells slipcovers that have to be dry cleaned? Isn’t the whole point of slipcovers to be easy to just toss into the laundry pile?

Perhaps in an act of defiance (or sheer lunacy) I decided to high heat dry it. I had already washed it in hot water so I just went for it. I was hoping it would come out fitting really well and then I’d know that I could continue to machine wash them at home (because dry cleaning slipcovers isn’t an option for someone like me – I mean I can machine wash my sectional’s slipcovers, so why would my dining chairs be allowed to be high maintenance?).

When it came out of the dryer it was all warm and delicious and it didn’t look like the cover for a dollhouse chair or anything so I was semi-enthused. I ran over to one of my chairs and slipped it on. Holy bananas, it was almost a perfect fit. Still a tiny bit loose on the sides, but perfectly fitted nearly everywhere else and the slight imperfection of the semi-loose sides didn’t bother me (we’re down with the casual lived-in look, and actually worried that the dining room would feel too formal, so it was a pretty great place to end up).

This story will probably perpetuate the we’re-perfect-and-nothing-ever-goes-wrong-here-in-YHL-world stereotype (we’re so not – more on that here) but it was one of those “ahhhhhhh” sound effect moments where angels sang and the clouds parted and a beam of heavenly light shined down on the amazing little slipcovered chair. I have no idea why it worked, but I guess it was just one of those crazy risks that paid off. Whatever, I’ll take it. And just because I love a little side by side comparison, here’s a slipcover before I washed it (in hot water and high heat dried it) next to a newly washed and dried version of the same one:

Slipcovers Side By Side

And the great news is that the covers are super thick- so none of that crazy pattern beneath them shows through – even on the chairs in front of the window with the light shining down on them. Whew.

So although I definitely still have plans to dye them apple green down the road, it’s immediately nicer not to have all that crazy hotel pattern going on in there. Although with the white walls it’s all a little… white.

Slipcovers En Masse

We’re actually thinking that we want to paint the walls before we dye the chairs, just to be 100% sure that once the walls get a soft gray coat of color that we won’t want to keep the off-white covers for some reason. We don’t expect that we will (since they look dingy in comparison to the crisp white trim and built-ins thanks to their off-white coloring), but you know, just in case. If there’s anything that this post demonstrates, it’s that I can take my time when it comes to pulling the trigger (and then I can snap and defy the washing instructions of said item with a devil-may-care attitude while furiously biting my nails the whole time). Lookout world, I’m a wild child.

Pssst- Oh em gee. Who watched Jersey Housewives last night? What do we think about the new girl (Melissa I think) vs. Teresa? Either way, Momma Manzo is always my favorite (I love to watch her & her boys hang out in that kitchen, throwing cold cuts and talking jibberish).

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Comments

  1. Jennifer C. says

    May 17, 2011 at 10:57 am

    YAY for World Market sales! I watched Jersey Housewives last night and I see some MAJOR drama going down this season! And, what is up with Ashley and her mom?!

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      May 17, 2011 at 10:58 am

      Agreed- I like Jacqueline so I hope they can work it out.

      xo,
      s

  2. Wendy says

    May 17, 2011 at 10:58 am

    They look great – how lucky are you that they fit that well after washing and drying??? I just posted the other day about the cool tunics I found at World Market. I think that place is an untapped resource for wonderful things – and great prices too! They have some good outdoor items in there now and they seem to be getting more away from the African/animal print stuff I used to always associate them with. You can also find some nicely-patterned window treatments there, and of course – great baskets! I love their Christmas ornaments too!

    Reply
  3. Meghan says

    May 17, 2011 at 10:58 am

    Um. WOW. is all I have to say! They turned out AWESOME. So, so great…and they’d look great green OR white. Nice choice Petersik’s!

    Reply
  4. Emily says

    May 17, 2011 at 10:59 am

    Love them!!!!!

    and I miss Dina :( But I havent watched last night’s episode yet so now I am more excited! I have however started watching Mob Wives, I can’t help it, I guess I was needing some drama in my life while RHONJ wasn’t on!!

    Reply
  5. leanne says

    May 17, 2011 at 10:59 am

    looks so good! I really hope you keep them white.

    Reply
  6. Heather says

    May 17, 2011 at 11:02 am

    I love how that worked out! And I love how much calmer the room feels just getting rid of that crazy pattern!
    I also have a question for you… I’m painting (for the first time ever!!) which is super exciting, but I just finished priming, and I cut-in, then rolled the rest, but the texture of the primer is very different where I used the brush…. does this show up noticeably with the paint too?? (I’m using semi-gloss) I’ve never noticed this in anyone else’s paint jobs, so I’m wondering if I’m doing something wrong… maybe I got the wrong kind of roller? Or am I too much of a perfectionist?
    I’d love any advice you have! :)

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      May 17, 2011 at 11:14 am

      Primer usually looks uneven and crazy so I wouldn’t worry about it. It’s just meant to grab the paint, so even if it’s uneven it should all work as a nice foundation so I’d guess it’ll look nice and even after a coat or two of paint. Good luck!

      xo,
      s

  7. MamaGigi says

    May 17, 2011 at 11:03 am

    That is fantastic! Chair slipcovers can look horrible so that is amazing. I’d actually say keep the extra two in case you get a stain or major spill (or when Clara finds the scissors in a couple years and goes on a cutting spree).

    What a find!

    Reply
  8. Whitney says

    May 17, 2011 at 11:03 am

    They look great (and you are very lucky- that’s something I would do and not get so lucky!) What about apple green curtains? (Sort of like the ones in your “Stuff We’re Digging” column?)

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      May 17, 2011 at 11:11 am

      We’re thinking we want some fun patterned curtains for in there- but they might have some green in them for sure!

      xo,
      s

  9. JZB says

    May 17, 2011 at 11:04 am

    GENIUS. They really look great.

    Reply
  10. Jen @ The Decor Scene says

    May 17, 2011 at 11:05 am

    Love the new slipcovers and how they turned out for you. I really like them in off-white. I think once you add all the color that you will add to the room, you might want to keep them that way. Maybe after paint and curtains go up, you can make a 100% decision about dying the slipcovers or not. Can’t wait to see what you do next with this room.

    So what do you think about wood backed dining chairs with slipcovers? I only have the seat with fabric on it and the backs are wood. Check out this post to see what I mean. http://thedecorscene.blogspot.com/2011/04/house-tour-our-dining-room.html Because there are days when I regret getting this sort of a DR set. It’s not a formal DR, the set is in our Great Room. I worry once we have kids, that they are going to ruin the chairs, and not just the seat fabric. At least I can change that if I have to down the road. So how bad do you think a slipcover would look on that sort of chair? I’m thinking way to loose probably. Yuck?!?!?

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      May 17, 2011 at 11:10 am

      I bet you might be able to drape a towel or some batting over the wooden chair back so when you slip a cover on it looks plush and perfect. Hope it helps!

      xo,
      s

    • Jen @ The Decor Scene says

      May 17, 2011 at 11:41 am

      Batting is a good idea. I just might have to look into that once we have kids. Thanks for the great idea. :)

    • YoungHouseLove says

      May 17, 2011 at 11:41 am

      Good luck!

      xo,
      s

  11. Lindsay says

    May 17, 2011 at 11:08 am

    How about tie-dying them? Only kidding. I love the bold move! :)

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      May 17, 2011 at 11:12 am

      Wow- that would be kind of fun! But probably waaaay gutsier than I am. Haha.

      xo,
      s

  12. Paige says

    May 17, 2011 at 11:11 am

    wow–I’m amazed at the shrinkage–that’s awesome. My vote is still apple green! I’ve been a fan of that idea from the beginning…can’t wait to see the progress.

    Reply
  13. Gaidig says

    May 17, 2011 at 11:16 am

    I’m pretty sure they were labeled ‘dry clean only’ because washing would cause shrinkage. :) If they had fit your chairs before, you’d have been pissed. I hope that that one wash really took care of the shrinkage. When you dye them, you’ll need to be careful, but since they’re a linen/cotton blend, you can dye them in cold water, so you should be fine.

    Reply
  14. Susan says

    May 17, 2011 at 11:18 am

    Amazing results!!! Housewives was CRAZY!!! I still love Teresa, although I think she should have removed her children as soon as the fighting broke out. Poor Gia crying…

    Reply
  15. Chelsea says

    May 17, 2011 at 11:21 am

    Wow, what a lucky accident! Just a heads up if you do decide to dye them…. Rit “Apple Green” should be called “Neon Green” despite the nice green color on the packaging. I learned that the hard way with a set of ruined curtains.

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      May 17, 2011 at 11:23 am

      Yikes- thanks for the tip!

      xo,
      s

  16. Karrie says

    May 17, 2011 at 11:23 am

    Ugh, I hate it when practical items are dry clean only. I had a waffle weave shower curtain that shrunk so badly after washing it the first time and of course, only then did I look at the tag. A shower curtain of all things! We also bought a slip covered couch once after talking to the salesman explaining why we wanted a slipcover and he checked and double checked that the fabric could be washed. After 6 weeks, the couch finally comes in only for us to discover that it recommends “professional cleaning only”–not even dry cleaning. GAH! Luckily we were able to return it because we were very specific in what we wanted when talking to the associate who sold it to us.

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      May 17, 2011 at 11:47 am

      Oh man that stinks! So glad you could return them!

      xo,
      s

  17. Jenn says

    May 17, 2011 at 11:27 am

    wow!! i actually found myself staring open-mouthed at the first picture of the slip covers when they didnt fit! ..and then had my fingers crossed while you threw them in the wash and waited for them to dry!!!…haha. you guys get me so involved in the process, i feel like its my own house.

    i cant wait to see how these keep coming along :)
    jenn

    Reply
  18. Dana says

    May 17, 2011 at 11:35 am

    Sherry, I’m a Jersey girl too. And I’m a “REAL” New Jersey housewife! I really hope America does not think all of us in New Jersey behave this way!! Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE watching the show and all the drama that unfolds. But seriously, when the show ends each week, I feel so lucky to live a modest life in my cozy 3 bedroom house where all that drama exists only in my TV.

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      May 17, 2011 at 11:43 am

      Haha, I think most people know that those gals on RHNJ are few and far between. Haha. They’re just made for TV.

      xo,
      s

  19. Patti says

    May 17, 2011 at 11:40 am

    What a happy accident, the slips look wonderful!
    P.S. Re: a previous comment, we know you guys aren’t perfect but I have to give you credit for making me feel less afraid to try something new in my own home, so Bravo! Speaking of Bravo, that show was crazy last night! I always thought of Teresa as a bit of a troublemaker, but last night I actually felt sorry for her. Her sis-in-law is a beeotch!

    Reply
  20. meredith says

    May 17, 2011 at 11:41 am

    OK, my eyes just did that cartoon thing where they flew out of my face on springs, like when a boy dog sees a cute girl poodle strutting by in a vintage saturday morning cartoon. What the heck? They shrunk to perfection? They had to have shrunk at least 15%. That’s a lot!! Amazing. I keep praying to the cleaning fairy for things to get done for me…obviously I need to pray to the Fabric Gods – they know how to get stuff done!

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      May 17, 2011 at 11:42 am

      Isn’t that crazy?! They were so baggy! I think since they were linen and cotton (which both are known to shrink up a lot) all that heat in the washer and dryer did the trick. Oh man, I was worried though. Haha.

      xo
      s

  21. Christine says

    May 17, 2011 at 11:45 am

    I love them in white! I think they would be nice with apple green walls.

    Reply
  22. Sara B says

    May 17, 2011 at 11:47 am

    Hooray for washing them! My vote is to keep the two spares (in case say, Clara accidently spills juice on a chair an hour before company comes over for dinner).
    In the meantime it looks like you need something colorfull in the center of the table, maybe just a fruitbowl of granny smith apples, to bring in the color you love?

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      May 17, 2011 at 12:09 pm

      I never say no to a big bowl full of green apples!

      xo,
      s

  23. Deanna says

    May 17, 2011 at 11:48 am

    I am a color-lover, and fully support your plan to dye. I had a great time last fall dying bar cloths that I use for cleaning instead of paper towels – after a while the white got gross and dingy, so I dyed them yellow and orange, the kitchen accent colors – fun!

    It’s funny how we notice different things… my first observation was that the slipcovers apparently have “assembly required.” Wha????

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      May 17, 2011 at 12:10 pm

      Hahaha, that’s hilarious. Didn’t notice that either!

      xo,
      s

  24. Blair says

    May 17, 2011 at 11:49 am

    I love slipcovers, they are simple way to update furniture!

    Reply
  25. Sue says

    May 17, 2011 at 11:50 am

    Wow, that worked great. With your light wood floors have you thought about painting/staining the chair legs dark (like Karl’s) to provide some definition from floor and table? Might look fabulous with colored walls and off white slip covers.

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      May 17, 2011 at 12:12 pm

      We like how the legs seem to work with the table’s coloring almost perfectly so we don’t want to hastily change them and then realize that they don’t relate anymore. We do have plans to someday refinish the floors though, so maybe that’ll make them pop more with those chair legs someday!

      xo,
      s

  26. Kelly says

    May 17, 2011 at 11:51 am

    Looks great. Glad the washing trick worked for you. Personally, I like the clean look of all the white. I think it directs the eye to focus more on your beautiful built-in and rustic table. Plus, if you want more color, you could always add a bit of fun colored trim too. And if you get bored with that color in the future, it will be much easier and cheaper to swap out for something new!

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      May 17, 2011 at 12:12 pm

      The problem is that they’re actually off-white (so the white trim and built ins look cleaner and more crisp by comparison). I’m pretty sure we’ll end up dying them someday but who knows!

      xo,
      s

  27. Emma says

    May 17, 2011 at 11:51 am

    Yay! They look great. And you’re doing the sensible thing to wait until you paint the walls to dye them. Rushing to buy furniture (or purchase and/or dye slipcovers) may provide instant gratification but frequently results in a design hangover full of buyer’s remorse. It’s hard to wait but it almost always turns out for the best because you end up saving money and are happier with the end result. Gotta pounce on those deals though. Good for you!

    Reply
  28. Bethany Annechino says

    May 17, 2011 at 11:51 am

    Such a fantastic outcome! I am psyched about you finding such a great deal on the perfect slipcover for your set. I love crisp apple green, so I look forward to seeing them turn into the lovely greenies you’ve been talking about for ages.

    Sidenote: I hate you a little bit for getting me hooked on the bizarre festival that is Pregnant In Heels. When I saw you talk about it, I went to check it out and now I’m hooked.

    Alternate sidenote: I checked out more on the $29k house and it was a nightmare. If I had $100k to do a good renovation, it would be a dreamboat. But I don’t have that much so I had to wave bye-bye to it. Now there is a chance I will end up moving into a cute little trailer. I have a bit of a stigma about trailers and parks, but getting this would allow me to use the leftover $ on the loan to wipe away all my old debt and pay off my car. I’d save more than $700 a month based on current expenses. It’d give me a chance to save up and get MY house in 5 or 6 years, and if anyone could make a trailer fabulous, I know it’d be me.

    Final sidenote: I really need to stop rambling in my comments. Sorry, guys!

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      May 17, 2011 at 12:15 pm

      Haha, I love your rambling comments! I know you’ll end up somewhere amazing and you’ll make it look and feel like home- no matter where it is! And I can’t wait for this week’s Pregnant In Heels- I think it’s the topless horseback photo one (either that or that one is still waiting for me in my DVR)!

      xo,
      s

    • Bethany Annechino says

      May 17, 2011 at 12:47 pm

      That was last week! The painting came out… special. Apparently the couple decided to hang it in their bedroom. Nothing says “restful night of sleep” like looking at yourself naked on a horse before you drift off.

    • YoungHouseLove says

      May 17, 2011 at 1:15 pm

      Ahhh – so weird! Can’t wait to see it!

      xo,
      s

  29. Brenda says

    May 17, 2011 at 11:52 am

    I have to agree with another follower, I was expecting to see a post about the privacy fence or the runner you made for Clara’s bday. I love it when you guys blog about something totally unexpected. Good job on those slipcovers!

    Reply
  30. Elyse says

    May 17, 2011 at 11:52 am

    I’m seriously considering giving this a try.. we have parson’s chairs in microfiber that are starting to look yucky (we have a 2 yr old and you can only wipe them down so many times).
    What are the dimensions of your chairs? ours are smaller than the ones at world market so i thought they were a no go, but maybe we can shrink them up too!

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      May 17, 2011 at 12:16 pm

      Ours are about 15″ wide at the top by 24″ from the top to the base of the upholstery and around 16″ deep in the chair area. Hope it helps!

      xo,
      s

  31. moxiemandie says

    May 17, 2011 at 11:52 am

    I love them! What a great price, too!

    Can’t wait to see the room once it’s painted! :)

    Reply
  32. anissa says

    May 17, 2011 at 11:53 am

    You can try getting some cotton or polyester batting from the fabric store and wrapping that over the chair back before putting on the slipcover to fill in that little bit of extra room. It is cheaper than foam and also will help hide any texture that might be showing through.

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      May 17, 2011 at 12:17 pm

      Thanks for the tip! No texture or pattern shows through (thank goodness the covers are nice and thick) but it’s a great idea if the slight loose look ever bothers me!

      xo,
      s

  33. Amy K says

    May 17, 2011 at 11:54 am

    Love that the slipcovers worked so perfectly. I often wash DCO items with no problems. I think it’s a big scam honestly.

    RHONJ was crazy! I thought it was so funny that they subtitled “I’ll kill all of yous!” Now I know how to spell “yous guys”. Plus, who drinks that much at a christening? Not that I’ve been to many but do you normally do shots at 2pm on a Sunday? All they needed was Tamara from RHOOC to do body shots!

    Reply
  34. Joanna May says

    May 17, 2011 at 11:55 am

    These look great! I was inspired by your parson chair deal and found 4 for $20 on Craiglist. They had a crazy ugly pattern, but I did the fabric paint in a dark brown (the fabric isn’t textured like yours are) and they turned out pretty good, but I wanted them slipcovered too. I ended up getting my slipcovers el cheapo from WalMart online for $12 each, and they are awesome! A little thin if you’re really trying to cover a bright pattern, but worked perfectly for mine after a little shrinking. http://www.walmart.com/search/search-ng.do?search_query=slip+cover+dining&ic=48_0&Find=Find&search_constraint=0

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      May 17, 2011 at 12:18 pm

      Wahoo! So glad it worked for ya.

      xo,
      s

  35. holly says

    May 17, 2011 at 11:57 am

    wow! talk about lucky!! i was going to suggest wrapping the chair backs in *thin, even layers* (yes, teasing you!) of batting until you got a tight fit, but the wash seems to have done the trick! i love the look and think the white is very pretty with your dark table. until you do do the apple green, maybe toss a few green lumbar pillows on the chairs?

    Reply
  36. Cassie says

    May 17, 2011 at 11:57 am

    Great slipcovers! I think you guys are so brave and lucky they worked out so well in the washer. Like another commenter, i first noticed dry clean only. I rarely dry clean, so i always look first as what the material is and then see if i wash anything else that is supposed to be dry cleaned but i’m just super careful. So far, everything is going well.

    Oh and RHWONJ, LOVE LOVE LOVE IT! Sherry, I have to tell you, I am SO GLAD someone else is completely obsessed and in love with Bravo and their housewives shows. And to admit this publicly, right before our wedding I was living back with my parents and my dad canceled Bravo. The ONLY channel i watch, literally. (well besides TLC, HGTV and a few others) so when we got married, we wanted to make our wedding fun and light hearted, especially for our crying mothers, and for my husband’s vow, he vowed never to cancel Bravo under any circumstances. Funny, but true. (for his I could never unplug his computer in any times of want. haha)

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      May 17, 2011 at 12:19 pm

      Haha, that’s hilarious. Best promise ever. Off to make John promise the same thing to me.

      xo,
      s

  37. Erin says

    May 17, 2011 at 12:00 pm

    lsdjfsldj (gibberish) i like the chairs in white and i love World Market – good find! skdsdfljalks (gibberish)

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      May 17, 2011 at 12:09 pm

      Haha, love the gibberish. Hilarious.

      xo,
      s

  38. sarajane says

    May 17, 2011 at 12:02 pm

    Congrats on your happy shrinkage accident! I dye natural fiber stuff all the time, using Procion dyes from Dharma Trading Company – they are way, way, way better than Rit – longer lasting and brighter colors (though your dyed wedding dress did turn out awesomely). It’s got a few more steps to it than the Rit dye, but once you get the hang of it, it’s easy-peasy.

    Reply
  39. Jill says

    May 17, 2011 at 12:06 pm

    Wow! Those look awesome and such an incredible deal! Well done Sherry.
    So just a seredipitous story; I live in Chapel Hill, home to the Carolina Inn and inspiration for your bedroom paint color. We were in a local restaurant,The Waethervane at A Southern Season, the other day and I looked at the chairs and thought, “Now why does this pattern look familiar to me?” Then I realized they were upholstered in the same fabric as your dining chairs. Here is a link to the photo gallery that shows the fabric.
    http://www.southernseason.com/menu.asp?id=38
    Anyway I just thought it was a funny coincidence.

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      May 17, 2011 at 12:09 pm

      That’s hilarious! What a small world.

      xo,
      s

  40. Emily says

    May 17, 2011 at 12:07 pm

    I found one of those very same funky swirly chairs at a big consignment store in Greensboro, NC. SO random!

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      May 17, 2011 at 12:08 pm

      That’s so funny! I think they’re from some sort of hotel chain!

      xo,
      s

  41. Beth says

    May 17, 2011 at 12:08 pm

    I like the slipcovers as is. I think some apple green curtains would be awesome in that room. Maybe one of those ikat patterns that are so popular now?

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      May 17, 2011 at 12:13 pm

      We LOOOVE ikat. So ya never know!

      xo,
      s

  42. Lola says

    May 17, 2011 at 12:11 pm

    Looks great! I would have done the same thing…I hate having to take things to the dry cleaners!!

    Reply
  43. Melissa @ A Place to Nest says

    May 17, 2011 at 12:15 pm

    OMG- the chairs look great but the real meat of this entry is the Real Housewives banter… OMG. Jay Mohr did a blog entry on bravo and it was spot on hilarious. Good thing your family did not invite Teresa and Joe to Clara’s party. John’s new patio might have been demolished after a few shots. Sherry’s Martha Stewart balls would have been used as a weapon. Danielle (who I cannot stand) must have felt like she was let off easy after just a table flip at her party.

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      May 17, 2011 at 12:23 pm

      Haha, hilarious.

      xo,
      s

  44. Brooke says

    May 17, 2011 at 12:18 pm

    The chairs look amazing! I love to pull ideas from YHL.

    The NJ housewives started with a bang last night! I felt so bad for the poor kids stuck in the middle of that fight. Momma Manzo is my favorite also. The cajun voices were hilarious! She seems the most real to me out of all of the housewives.

    *gibberish* Keep up the good work. *gibberish*

    YHL is my lunch time ritual…

    Reply
    • KiTX @ The Big Grateful says

      May 17, 2011 at 1:09 pm

      It’s my lunch time ritual, too! This blog and People.com are the only things that keep me sane during the day. (And who DOESN’T love Mama Manzo? Caroline is amazing, I want a mom who is all about being “thick as thieves!”)

  45. CourtneyOutLoud says

    May 17, 2011 at 12:20 pm

    I personally believe you have a pact with the “design devil” because y’all always have these strokes of luck! However, what a perfect blank slate you have in your dining room — with it all white right now, you have some many directions and options to move towards!

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      May 17, 2011 at 12:23 pm

      Haha- remember when I painted one of the dining chairs and it sucked?! I even linked to it in this post. Sometimes I think people remember the good luck but we get our fair share of the bad too. Haha. So the design devil hopefully doesn’t assume we made any deals. Ha.

      xo,
      s

    • Suzanne says

      May 17, 2011 at 12:51 pm

      I don’t think you have a pact with design devil. ;)

      When I was a teenager and talked to my dad about all my hopes and dreams and ideas, he’s say “better put some work clothes on those dreams”. ;-) I think that’s exactly what you guys do.

  46. Jaimie says

    May 17, 2011 at 12:23 pm

    They look great! I really like how the dining room is turning out, can’t wait to see it painted.

    Reply
  47. Kelly says

    May 17, 2011 at 12:33 pm

    I really like the slip covers. They are perfect! I’d keep them white. That way you can just bleach them if they get stained.
    xo
    Kelly

    Reply
  48. gemma@thesweetestdigs says

    May 17, 2011 at 12:35 pm

    Wow – I can’t believe they shrunk down so much. The chairs look a million times better already! Nice one :)

    Reply
  49. Kay says

    May 17, 2011 at 12:37 pm

    I’m trying to read real-REAL fast while I wolf down my lunch here at work, so forgive me if somone has already suggested this: you can wrap the back (the upright part) of the chair with batting to beef up the size a little, and fill out the slip cover if the casual look ever bothers you. Wrap the batting around the chair and hand-baste of safety pin it in place. Slip a drycleaner bag over the chair back, then put the (now snug we hope) slip cover on the chair, sliding it on until it hits the chair seat. Rip/pull the drycleaner bag out from underneath the slip cover and finish putting the slipcover on the chairseat.

    And if you haven’t considered this idea: leave the covers white, and drape a length of hemmed fabric (You know, Sherry…like a scarf-sized piece of fabric that YOU hemmed – on your sewing machine!) over the back of each chair to add some optional color. Solids, prints – anything. Those could be added or changed for special events…like Clara’s next birthday party.

    Congratulations on your slipcover find. The chairs look great!

    Reply
  50. Andi says

    May 17, 2011 at 12:39 pm

    Love that you retaliated by drying them on high heat. And I love how they look right now. As for RHONJ – wowsa! I’m going to stay tuned to that show, and to your blog to see if you dye the slipcovers. What can I say? I’m a sucker for dramatic reality;)

    Reply
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John and Sherry Sitting On Woven ChairHey, we’re John & Sherry. We’ve fixed up 7 homes, written books, designed products, started a podcast, and then downsized & moved to the beach! Here you’ll find over 3,000 DIY projects & home updates. More about us…
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