It’s been a week of lethargy around here and the start of summer is totally to blame. We’ve spent most of the mornings just lying around and then sometimes we find the energy to do something fun but I admit it’s been nice being extra lazy the past two weeks. 

Ever since the house tour I’ve had a few questions, namely about the furniture in our home and especially in the family and dining rooms with other inquiries like how we live the way we do with kids and pets and my answer comes down to one word or choice that I’m sure several of you endorse and that word is this: slipcovers.

Slipcovered furniture is a mom’s BFF and I’m a true believer. What’s better than a washable piece of furniture when those oops and spills and mistakes of life occur? Slipcovers buy me piece of mind because I know (like last week) when applesauce gets spilled on them, they can go straight to the wash. I prefer the tailored fitted versions, the ones that mimic upholstered pieces but have the benefit of easy removal when “oh no mom I spilled on the couch” moments happen.

Our family room sofas and dining room chairs are our most used pieces and as a result, limbs and hands and paws are on them constantly so naturally they’re bound to get soiled. So here’s the slipcover report after all these years of living with them with kids and pets and life’s circumstances and the lowdown on my two favorite pieces of slipcovered furniture.

First the family room sofas. I bought these sofas five years ago – they are the Pottery Barn Basic sofa and loveseat and worth the investment. They were manufactured by Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams (in partnership with Pottery Barn according to the label) and still are as comfortable as the month they were delivered.

This color of slipcover is (sadly) no longer available, they are the “Slate Blue” brushed canvas fabric, and as you know I’m a sucker for anything in the blue gray family so the choice was easy. The cushions are polyester which are more firm and hold the shape a bit better than down blend as I understand (but tell me your experience if you have the down blend versions). They’re not in direct sun, so I have no idea how the fabric color holds up those circumstances, but ours has been consistent through the multiple washings. 

I’ve washed these slipcovers more times than I can count and they still keep their shape, but a few tips: don’t wash all the cushion slipcovers together if you have both a loveseat and sofa, I’ve confused them before when they come out and struggled with which belongs with which. It’s better to wash the loveseat cushions and loveseat cover together, then just the sofa cushion covers, then just the sofa cover, in three separate washes. That’s my routine anyway. Also dry them on a low heat cycle and pull them out when ever so slightly damp so you can smooth any wrinkles away.

Also, the sofa is the foldout version, which we love for family movie night or kid sleepovers when we move the loveseat back a foot and move the coffee table out of the way and they all pile on top in front of a movie with blankets and pillows and popcorn.

In the dining room are the Ballard Designs Couture Chairs that I bought seven years ago and still going strong. I have three of the pleated slipcover sets for them, a dark brown velvet which is yummy in the fall, a cream velvet which I love in the winter, and then a spa linen (seen below) in a pale gray blue which I use in the spring and summer and complements the family rooms sofas nicely.

The regular price on the pleated slipcovers is $49 but I wait for the $39 each sale or use a 15% off coupon (find it in House Beautiful or other publications). I like that the flirty pleat adds a feminine touch and that the chair legs are visible. They’ve gone through multiple washings as well and have held their color and shape for years.

So there you have it, the secret to sanity in my house: tailored slipcovers. Fitted and washable, I couldn’t ask for more!

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Hey everyone, it’s the start of a new week! Let’s kick it off with a recent reader submission, an email from Kristin who posed a design dilemma many people (*ahem* ladies) face when decorating their living or family rooms, and today’s focus is on that piece that so many dudes love, the leather sofa or sectional. I received this recent email from Kristin:

“Hello! I have been following your blog for years and I share a lot of the same styles but have a dilemma. My husband and I have a decent size house but one living room with a leather furniture set. I love the airy and clean looks of your decorating style, but the leather furniture purchased by my husband is big, dark, and manly.  We don’t have many windows and the walls are a light beige (Latte by SW) and I decorate with a lot of whites, blacks and beiges but I just feel STUCK! Any suggestions for making the room feel more light and feminine?”

Hi Kristin! This is a common dilemma, since many people own leather sofas and sectionals, and pieces upholstered in a traditional dark hide can feel visually heavy in a space. But I think it’s less about making a room feel more feminine and more about creating a room that is balanced with clever layering and accessorizing since (done right) leather sofas can be both attractive and comfortable. Here are five ideas I came up with to decorate around leather sofas.

1.)  Lighten Up.  A traditional leather sofa is dark by nature so the easiest way to balance that out is to accent and/or surround it with plenty of light for desirable contrast. A paler hue on the walls, soft cream or white accent pillows, and/or a light or white coffee table will accomplish just that!

The Painted Hive

West Elm via Apartment Therapy

source unknown

SF Girl by Bay

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Hello hello, how are you? I thought I’d continue the Solutions for Renters series today and chat about the bathroom – a space that poses challenges equal to kitchens in rentals since most everything is fixed. The cabinets, the fixtures, the tile. Yep, you’re stuck with it. So how do you make the space feel more like you? I thought about all the ways to tackle the job and came up with ten solutions.

1. Curtains with Style.  Add a happy shower curtain in a bold floral or a mod geometric and suddenly the space has more color and personality.

Better Homes & Gardens

Ten June

Better Homes & Gardens

2. Hide the floor. A stylish floor mat helps to disguise flooring and also brings comfort underfoot. There are plenty of retail options or you can get creative with a DIY project. As an alternative, ask if the landlord will allow you to adhere peel and stick linoleum tiles.

west elm / garnet hill / east coast creative

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Greetings everyone, this article is long overdue! I promised Matt would return after the Ten Tips for Selling Your Home post from last year to discuss the opposite side of a real estate transaction, purchasing a home. Matt is an experienced real estate broker and appraiser and as a bonus, I’ve also included tips from Dino, a long time real estate agent in the Bay Area. Together these guys have almost four decades of experience in representing buyers and sellers in the real estate market so they’re smart, savvy, and full of helpful information. Today they’re sharing ten tips for buying a home:

“In the home purchasing market, being a buyer is different than being a seller. A buyer wants to find the best home for the best price, the seller on the other hand wants the most money for it. Buyers should be prepared for many twists and turns in their quest to purchase a home. Know that there are many different real estate markets and laws across the country, so these tips are meant to be helpful guidelines.

1) Find the Right Agent.  Look for someone with experience in the area, someone who is easy to reach and responds to phone calls or emails, and one you have an easy time talking to about your wants and needs. Ask them how many times they have represented a buyer since it’s a good idea to find an agent who has worked with many buyers. Learn how much experience they have and ask them if they have the time to find you a home. You’d be surprised how some agents are stretched too thin and as a result won’t go the extra mile.

If an agent has ten or more active escrows, that person may not necessarily be right for you. It’s possible they’re more concerned about closing deals and getting commissions and may not have the time to be your best advocate. Most importantly, find an agent who has the time to serve your needs.

You might also look at agents that work on a team. These days, clients are often better served by having more than one person do it all. Ask whether the agent works with a team of assistants – it doesn’t cost extra, and you may get better attention to your needs. As a buyer, you want to be treated as though you are important, so the one of the most important things to know is how many clients they have at that time and whether they may have colleagues to assist in your search for a home.

2) Learn the Market.  When you getting ready to buy a home, take the time to learn the market on your own. This research can take six months, but if you are in a hurry, it can be done in a few weeks. Ask your agent for every listing in your price range in your neighborhood. Be specific, learn as much as you can about where you want to live and figure out how much you can afford.

You can also search many of the listings online for free without burdening your agent. Redfin is an excellent site and give its readers access to all the current listings on the market. There are also other sites to review, Zillow, Realtor, Trulia, to name a few. Some of these sites work with agents who will rebate part of their fee if you work directly with them, but expect that you may get what you pay for. An agent hired for a full fee may give greater attention and work harder for their client.

Part of learning the market is seeing many homes and judging their quality, condition, location, size, and amenities. Many factors can play a role in you decision: schools districts, crime rates, appreciation rates, and proximity to services. Learning the market includes viewing as many homes as you can to educate yourself on what styles you prefer, and also to learn about value.

If you trust that your agent knows what you’re looking for, have them preview homes for you, that’s their job. After they see the property, they can contact you right away and schedule a time for you to see the home.

Technology is a huge part of the arsenal of today’s tech-savvy agents. You often see them driving around searching homes using iPads and mobile phones. Now you can easily and efficiently research the home’s facts online and without the paper flyers from the past. Agents who use this technology have access to real-time data and can provide you with the quickest service to help get you the home you want.

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