I have been in the slipcover business for just over 3 years (when did that happen?!?) and this project was my first opportunity to work with linen. I wasn't avoiding it - it just wasn't what my clients were choosing. And now I think I am in love :) I love the organic texture and drape that just can't be duplicated. And now I have a couple more linen projects on my list :) So, let's have a look...
We started with this antique wicker loveseat that had belonged to my client's grandmother (always a great place to start!)...
The red upholstery was not original ;) But, it wouldn't work well under the lighter colored linen, so we decided to take it off and I did a not-fancy upholstery job with a couple of layers of dropcloth to give us a neutral base to start. No, I am not going into the upholstery business!
Ahh, much better!
Then the fun began, with these ingredients...
... neutral zebra-print linen and a collection of vintage buttons. My client just wanted a simply-styled cover, so I came up with this...
Sweet and simple. The cover was shaped around the posts and closed with the mis-matched buttons and tabs. The bottom edge was finished with a simple blind hem.
My client also requested a bevy of throw pillows for the loveseat and other places around the room. She included a solid, rustic linen for this part of the project. Time to play!
The largest pillows (20") were done in the solid linen, with a zebra flange and french pleats at the corners.
The 18" pillows were done in the zebra, with looped button closure using mother-of-pearl buttons I had on hand.
Yes, that is a functional closure (one of my pet peeves is pillows with buttons that don't work - weird, I know ;) ).
The lumbar pillows were done in the solid linen, with a center panel of pin-tucks and more zebra flange.
Just an fyi - the down pillow inserts came from Cutting Corners. They have stores in Dallas and Fort Worth (and a few other cities), but we weren't making a trip there, so I took advantage of their FREE shipping (and they have a Design Pro discount if you are in the design business). The inserts got to me within a couple of days and worked great (no, I don't get any compensation for this - they just give great service!). And, yes, order them 2" bigger than the intended size of your covers - it really makes a for a nice, plump pillow.
And there you have it - a little wild and a lot elegant :)
Do you use animal prints in your home?
Sherri