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UGH! You know when you start a DIY project and you are so excited about it, and completely confident that you will be able to accomplish it?
Loved everything about it, except the yucky fabric
When I bought this couch last year for $19 at Faith Farm, I was sure I could handle the re-upholstery job it needed. It’s something I’ve done a few times, and this one won’t be that hard…
I was so excited about how beautiful it was going to be…
But then, it just didn’t turn out to be as easy as I thought…
Everything starts with such determination…
and I was in way over my head…
Then the layers start to show – see that little bit of green?
and I wanted to cry because I REALLY wanted it to be beautiful…
When I gave up… it needed more than I was ready for…
When I started to pull off the old fabric, I was finding that it had been re-upholstered before. And the new fabric didn’t follow the original lines, and I was so completely overwhelmed by the mess that it was becoming… so, I sent it off to get reupholstered professionally (after saving my pennies for a few months while it sat in my garage).
A few weeks and $1200 later (for fabric and labor), my couch was back. And it is BEAUTIFUL.
Most expensive $19 couch ever!
Don’t mind the mess, I was trying to get a picture while in the middle of Christmas decorating, and between changing the covers that protect it…
Have I lost my mind?? A white couch in a house with dogs and cats and kids??
Why did I pick white for this couch, you ask? Well, I couldn’t find a fabric I loved, so I thought I would just pick white, which is a safe color.
What the heck was I thinking?!!!
Oh, and do you see all those wrinkles in the cushion? The don’t look that wrinkly in real life. How do I fix that, by the way? Will adding some fill to the pillows make it smooth out. Maybe I should just try that?
Anyway, I’m digress…It has been covered with sheets and blankets since I got it home, and it is still very clean, but there have been many a nights when I’ve awoken to find the dogs have pulled off the random objects I’ve placed on the couch to keep them from getting on it, and are sleeping oh-so-soundly on it. Or creeping off of it ever-so-silently, like I won’t know they were just on there.
Scotch-guard isn’t keeping the dog hair, or the cat hair, from showing.
This whole predicament causes me much heartburn.
I should have chosen a nice durable, stain hiding fabric. I didn’t. But the fabric is lovely and soft… and WHITE.
My dogs won’t stay off of it. Our cat, Elvis, is a long-hair black cat who sheds a ton, he won’t stay off of it.
And I can’t find a slip cover for it that fits it without looking messy.
It is a disaster just waiting to happen.
I think I was temporarily insane to choose white…
I’m not allowed to get rid of the animals… (okay, I didn’t really consider this as the solution…) And it won’t fit anywhere else in the house…
And so, even though I LOVE this couch, I must sell it. I can’t afford to re-upholster it again.
It makes me want to cry.
Why am I telling you all this? Because I want you to take this as one of those things that you don’t need to experience for yourself. Learn from my mistake: Dogs are always attracted to the furniture they aren’t allowed on; kids will pick your white couch to wipe their boogers on (thank god for the covers that were on it!), and your husband won’t understand why you spent so much money on a couch that you now want to get rid of before it gets ruined.
So, if you know anyone that needs a beautiful, vintage, amazingly comfortable couch, please send them my way.
Happy New Year, by the way 
Hope that this year brings you much joy, good health and lots of love and laughter.
Eliesa
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I’m so, so sorry. It IS a beautiful couch! I’m sure whomever ends up with it will love it as much as you do.
Every day that it doesn’t sell brings me closer to just keeping it and hoping for the best. I really love the shape and how classy it looks. (by the way, the rest of my house is far from classy! LOL!)
OMG Girl! I am in LUV with it! I can not believe the going rate for upholstering a chair! I need to get into that
Should I fly to Florida to custom make you slipcover?
I would be forever in your debt if you did!! Thanks!
I feel your pain!!
What I wouldn’t do to have made a darker choice for it
Oh, no! It is beautiful! I would take it, but I know my limitations, and one of those limitations is white.
I am starting a list of things to NEVER compromise on. White couches are number one on that list.
Oh! I am so sorry for your troubles. It IS a fabulous sofa and I even loved it orange, but as a mom to 3 boys and wife to 1 husband (can anyone REALLY manage more than one of those??), I TOTALLY get why you are stressing over the white. Our sofa is safe, boring, tweedy brown from nearly 8 years ago now. I hate it and have been considering white slipcovers; but I had them before and you are right, they never fit the same and always looked messy, as they slid out of their tucked spots. I have resigned myself to just trying to decorate the room around it with colors that lighten and brighten it. Then when they are in college, I will get the sofa I dream about.
Good luck selling it for the price it is worth and I hope you find something that will make everyone happy.
I loved the orange too, but it was so filthy in real life. And grubby where the wear was showing, so a good washing wasn’t going to fix it. I thought it was kind of fun. Alas, I will be trying to sell it so someone who will love it as much as I do, but won’t hyperventilate when it gets dirty
You’re right. It is a gorgeous couch. You should get enough to more than make up for your loss. Wish my area resale shops had such great finds.
Thank you!! Right now, I can’t seem to find good quality, but cheap furniture, even at my favorite places… I can’t wait for summer, so all my favorite shops will lower their prices again!
Oh, it IS beautiful! You know, I always do the same thing when I am picking out carpet…lean towards a light color thinking it won’t be hard to keep clean and then regretting my decision for years afterwards.
I suppose I should have known better, with as many pets as we have, but I just didn’t realize how much I would agonize over keeping it clean. I’m really not a clean freak, but the dirt just screams at you from a white surface.
Well….you could try fabric spray painting it a dark(er) color…
As much as I love fabric spray paint, I don’t think I could even try it on this couch – and I can’t imagine how many bottles it would take to cover it!
Ugh! I’m so sorry! Your post had me cracking up though because you’ve completely described my life and my poor furniture. Sometimes I wonder why I bother with nice furniture between my boys and my dogs. I have a 13 year old dog that can hardly walk but she somehow magically gets up on the couch when I’m not looking. Good luck selling it – it is gorgeous!
Holy Smokes!We too have a 14 year old dog that limps around but he can jump up on the couch – but then can’t get off! He just looks at me like, “if you want me off, you’re going to have to take me off!” LOL
Ok this is my advice. Keep the sofa because it is about the coolest sofa I’ve ever seen. I’ve been looking for one for years and would die to have found yours. Try your best to keep it clean for as long as possible. Think about making a very close fitting slipcover in a microfiber. Then start saving for new upholstery that you can either do yourself or have done. Except for the money you have to invest in cleaning, this couch should last a while as it is and you will get your 1200.out of it. Even when you cover it again it will be worth what you spend on it. I’m saving a picture of this couch so I can have one made like it! How much did you have to pay for it originally?
Thanks, Karen! I have a little confession to make… I haven’t renewed the Craigslist ad, and I haven’t done anything else to sell it either. I’m starting a sewing class next week, so I am hoping to be able to learn enough to sew a slip cover for it. I love this sofa so much, I just can’t bare to part with it. Can you believe I only paid $19 for it? People actually laughed at me for buying it! Well, Ha! It is FABULOUS!!
Why don’t you paint it as you did on your other projects? The white is awesome, especially with your other items around it, but seriously, a home is for living and I totally understand your angst. Since the couch is so unique, I would try painting or staining it. Keep is informed!
You could always store it until you’re kids are older( not sure how old they are). We got rid of our fabric couch and got pleather instead because of the animals.
This reminds me of the table we bought for 60.00. The seller told us it was “vintage” and from her grandmother in Oklahoma. When I got it home, I saw “made in tawian” on the underside. We ended up spending 400.00 to have it professionally refinished. It is Oak though and looks great, but I would not have bought it had I know it wasn’t made in the USA.
UGH! That’s so annoying! I love the couch, but so many animals, it lives under a big blue blanket 99.99% of the time. I’m glad yours looks great though, and ended up okay for you. I just bought another couch today that is very similar, but when we got it home, the wood structure is broken – and I can’t return it!
You should take it back and have the people that upholdered it fix is. I’m sorry about my “L”s in the words above. I don’t know what is wrong with my “puter”.
You do a great job though.