From formal to fun

Even though this chair was sitting off to the right of the window there was a lot of sun damage along the left side. The room is quite formal but the burgundy stripe was just too much. The homeowner has a great sense of color and style and picked this outdoor fabric for the slipcover that actually looks really good in the slightly Victorian space. It needs a cushion in solid brown with some fantastic trim and I'll find something, I'm sure, in Vancouver next week.

Another ottoman saved!!

Another false cushion ottoman that was destined for the big bin. --Tufted top, worn olive green velvet, all lopsided and wonky. The slipcover makes it look like it belongs in the room. The club chair in the client's loving room is upholstered in this fabric too.

Ladybugs

This is a miniature chair. The red splotches in the new slipcover seat and back are actually ladybugs. The chair, and it's matching sofa, are going to the Ladybug Landing daycare. Too darn cute for words. ( Work done by Darcy and me. )

The old cover was getting very warn thanks to the two little beauties in the foreground. The chennile we used, (cudos to Fabricland again), has a soft aqua background and a gorgeous bronze cut velvet design. Quite a change.

Cushions from leftovers

I was asked to make a cushion to match the headboard and bedskirt. ( The gray one). What was left over for the cushion presented quite a challenge because there were only 4 pieces, the largest being 16" x 18", the other 3 about 5" x 16" so I designed this cushion and added a tassle. It's pleated on the right edge but only about half way - that's all the fabric I had. The brown striped cushion follows the same design and with the pleats it isn't just a typical striped cushion. I like being able to use one good tassle. I sew a button on the inside of the bottom pleat to which I attach the tassle so it can be removed for cleaning.

Swivel Rocker

This chair swivels and rocks. It was in perfect condition; we found it at a second hand store. The client wanted a swivel rocker for the corner window, right beside the book case. The perfect spot for reading to the Grandkids, Kaylin and Ashton when they come home to visit.

Once again Fabricland fabric, $8.00 per meter, used 9 meters.

Blue chair one more time

This is the second incarnation of the blue

Fabricland display chair.

It is a really vibrant print, the lime green piping is perfect and the chair creates a really sunny spot. I think it is going to someones bedroom soon. I have used fabric from this textile designer before, in 5 bedrooms- 5 different colorways and each one is spectacular. All his prints are a jaquard cotton - there is a woven design on the fabric as well as the printed floral.If you get a chance, go see this chair. Fabric cost: 6.00 per meter, I used 10 meters

Remake the swag.

We started thinking about this one 4 years ago. The fabric is perfect for the room and the homeowner loves it, but the droopy swag had to go. We wanted something a bit formal, not too fluffy and something I could make from the fabric we had. This is an Empire style valance. The bay measures 80 inches on the sides and 33 in the center section. I have a new way of constructing these huge bay valances so that they are very transportable, no velcro and no corner braces. I'm still working out the kinks but I'll publish something about it soon.

Up from the basement

Relegated to the basement. Still comfortable, still good design but really outdated fabric - and they didn't work together anyway.The finished chairs and sofa have been moved up to the main living room. They co-ordinate now, I re-designed the chair cushions to match the sofa

cushions. Very cosy.

White wins again

What a difference a slipcover can make.  To the left is  one of the chairs in the before blue velvet.  Above is where the two chairs are now;  below is the closeup. The white is tone on tone  floral: Rococco ( yes.. Fabricland) and we used a tone on  tone white stripe for the side insets, the outside backs and the front band. The piping is also the stripe, cut on the bias. And it's all washable. 

Update.. Update

From early 90's Southwestern to up to the minute green and taupe chenille. The semi-attached cushions have been replaced with separate cushions. They feel a lot better now too.

Another Great Transformation

A very nice sofa, very beige, just not a lot of pizazz. The 'botanical' print and added skirt changed the look from quite modern to a more country, yet still modern, style of sofa. We're doing the two side chairs next. Maybe in a raspberry tweed..

White Denim Slipcover

This chair was slipcoverd in white denim from the local fabric store. 60 inches wide, about $5.00 per meter. I prewashed the fabric so the slipcover can be machine washed whenever necessary.

This is the before, the old legs were ready to fall off so new legs were made by a neighbor. 

The white chair is a great addition to the teenagers navy and white color schemed room.

Inside mount blackout blind.

This is the typical roll down blackout shade, inside mounted. It has at a 1/2" gap on one side and a 3/4" gap on the other. The bottom rail is fabricated in such a way that there is a 1/8" gap there as well. We put a valance with side panels, blackout lined. Next step is to attach some trim to the bottom rail of the blind to overcome the light leak there.

What dimout lining does

The before is the verticals. They had bleached out from green to plum. Who knows.. The drapes; again made from my current favorite, Rococco from Fabricland, has a dimout lining. You can really see the difference. It was sunny and hot this day and the temperature in the room changed dramatically as soon as the drapes were closed.

I estimate the r-value of the drapes to be about 4, this is a substantial increase in cost saving for heat loss in the winter as well. In the before picture, the sun shining on the new hardwood floors is quite noticeable, this is just damage waiting to happen.

Check out the post on my  Articles Archive ( see connecting information to the left )  December 2008 ' How Much Does it Cost to Heat One Window?' for more information on heat loss through windows. 

Magnetic Roman Blind and Valance Headrail

Some new developments on the magnetic headrail front.  I can now put a cord lock system on the headrail, no need for a cord cleat as on the blind pictured here.  Today I installed a blind  25" wide and 84" long. Some

new components are coming my way and  I hope to be able to put a continuous cord system on the

 magnetic headrail soon.. Stay tuned!!

This is one of the first ones  I completed: Muslin for the blind, a jacquard for the valance. They are both attached to the metal door via magnetic headrails. What makes this different is that there are no screws into the metal door. This blind functions like a normal Roman Blind  and has  a cord cleat to anchor the draw cords. If you would like more information, or to order a custom length rod, e-mail me at info@designsewlutions.ca.

Quite a transformation

This sofa now fits the decor of the room. Once again Fabricland was the source for the beautiful fabric.

From yucky tomato paste red to great.

I found this sofa, a Flextsteel, on sale. Regular price was $2899, on sale for $499.00. The color was just awful which is why, I'm sure, it was on sale. I slipcovered it in this lucious bronze tweedy fabric that was a bit pricey but was just exactly what I was looking for. I unstuffed the semi-attached back cushions, tacked the old cushion cover part down and made separate cushions instead. If it is  ever decided to go back to the original cover the cushion part is there. I can't think why anyone  would ever do that but it is also good for my clients to know that the sofa has not been damaged in any way with the slipcovering.

The Green Loveseat

60's wing

This is a Koehler chair found at a garage sale for $30.00  and was paid for in local trade dollars. The fabric and chair costs came to just under $85.00