Fitted Slipcovers: The Benefits Of Covering Your Way Into A New Couch - By: Chris Harmen

The slipcover has long been an option for covering couches, but this old standby is now finding its way into more homes than ever before. The reason is simple: as the recession tightens budgets across the country, more families are discovering that a room can be updated more quickly and easily with a slipcover at a fraction of the price. Fitted slipcovers are cheaper than reupholstering your existing pieces or buying a new sofa, and they can easily be customized to your home décor.

Re-Upholstery Versus A Slipcover

In the past, the go-to option for a tired old sofa was a complete renewal with upholstery. The process was time and money intensive, and often required the customer to struggle through demands placed by the owner of the upholstery shop. Many such shops limited the selection available to customers, particularly if they were attached to a fabric shop. If so, it was common to require that the upholstery fabric be purchased from the related shop, or else the upholstery provider wouldn't use it.

Although some of these restrictions have relaxed in today's upholstery shops, covers seem likely to dominate. Fitted slipcovers are placed over the piece of furniture in moments, cutting down on the excessive time demands of upholstery. In order to have a piece reupholstered, an owner has to submit the order weeks in advance, and it might still face delays. Many decorating-savvy people enjoy the speed and efficiency of a slipcover in comparison.

In addition, covers are much more cost effective. They are a fraction of the price charged for typical re-upholstery, and the price won't vary depending on the intricacy of the job. Because upholstery requires that the craftsman tailor his or her design to the form of the piece, it is much more demanding than a simple fitted slipcover.

Fitted Slipcovers Or New Furniture?

In the old economy, it was not uncommon to simply replace a sofa if it didn't match a new design or motif being integrated into a home. In the new, more budget-conscious era, designers are looking for ways to avoid replacing expensive pieces like sofas and chairs. It can cost thousands for a truly excellent sofa. That sofa will last for years, so there is no reason to replace it if it's still in working condition. A slipcover can be used to breathe new life into any piece of furniture.

With proper material, any cover can give an outdated sofa a new look. Recession-savvy decorators are repurposing and reusing more than ever before, inventing creative new ways to use things like fitted slipcovers in decorating schemes. And best of all, they are able to do so at less expense, better results, and added protection for years to come. Using a cover actually increases the overall life of furniture, making it a smart investment decision.

Better Choices, Better Décor

Many designers also enjoy using a slipcover because it allows them to express the full range of their designing creativity. When purchasing a sofa from a store, it is often difficult to find the ideal color or pattern combined with the desired framework and structure. Designers are often forced to choose between a perfect couch with the wrong color, or an excellent color and the wrong design style.

Fitted slipcovers make such dilemmas largely irrelevant. With a cover, it becomes possible to change the color at a whim without the major expense of re-upholstery. Covers also give an added benefit of protection to new and old couches alike. Particularly if a durable fabric is chosen, the wear and tear upon the couch itself is stopped by the protective cover. Instead of having to replace or re-upholster, maintenance is as simple as changing out the fabric.

Of course, there may be circumstances where re-upholstering or buying new furniture is warranted. However, in the majority of cases, using a slipcover is a cost-effective and very easy way to get the same look without the hassle. The only difficulty with fitted slipcovers is improper measurement. Be certain that all measurements are completely accurate before sending anything in to the company. It is very unlikely that a company will refund the cost purely because of customer measuring error, and it is also unlikely that an improperly measured cover will fit onto the sofa. The company should provide measuring guidelines, which should be followed rigorously. If there are any questions, designers should not hesitate to contact the company in question. They should be happy to provide clarification and guidance for getting the best fit out of the covers.

About the Author

Chris Harmen writes for CustomSlipcoversNow.com, an online company offering each slipcover at the best price. Several fitted slipcovers are available to revamp your furniture today.

Article Directory Source: http://www.articlerich.com/profile/Chris-Harmen/89665

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