I must start off with a disclaimer - the living room makeover it is not any where close to being complete! (more on my list of things to do later) However I do LOVE our new comfy couch! When I moved up from Atlanta - my couch would not fit up the stairwell so we were left with an oversized recliner for 8 months!
Marcia and I were lucky enough to get our new couch for free from a friend. It is literally a build-a-couch, made out of pressed wood puzzle pieces - but either way it is a couch!
Our living room doesn't get much direct sunlight so we wanted to go with light fabrics to brighten the room as much as possible.
The sofa pillows that came with it were like large cotton logs which left little sitting room. When you sat on it, half of your thigh literally hung off the edge - no one wants to watch a movie on the couch sitting that straight up. We decided to go with euro style pillows, they would bring the height of the couch up and you would be able to snuggle down between the pillows and really get relaxed.
I found the pillows at target for $10.99 each but when I went to grab the pillow shams I was shocked! $30-40 per sham!? not on this budget! I looked a few places and decided I was definitely not going to be able to afford to buy the shams but quickly realized I could just make them for a fraction of the cost.
I purchased a Queen sheet set ($30) and some stitch witchery from Michaels ($5) and had everything I needed.
A Queen sized flat sheet is all the fabric you need to cover four euro pillows.
Fold the to fabric squares together, place the stitch witchery between the edges, and iron your them together. Voila - you have a secure edge! (I do plan to go over the seam with a sewing machine once I get my hands on one)
I purchased the slip cover from Target for $65, it was the most expensive item. Pull it tight and iron it once it is in place.
I must admit I am not set on the pillow sham color - I found sheets from Bed Bath & Beyond for $20 that match the slip cover perfectly. I might be making four more shams.... Any thoughts?
Here is the finished usable/lovable couch! Some of our throw pillows from etsy have arrived since I took the pictures so I will be updating with a post on those.
We plan to paint the side table by the door, replace the lampshades, recover the barstools (not pictured), and make/hang new curtains! We have even thrown around the idea of painting the walls... I love having a project and with a small, small budget - I am forced to come up with inexpensive solutions which is exciting!
Everyone loves before/after:
