5 Slipcover Tips for Updating a Classic Loveseat

Use these simple slipcover tips to update your classic loveseat. With just a few design tweaks and a versatile fabric, your favorite seat in the house will look new again.

Isn’t this loveseat a cutie? I’m not sure if my customer, Tamara, purchased it secondhand, or it was already in her family. What I know is she looked past the outdated features and saw potential in the solid frame, classic design, and comfortable cushions.

The only thing this piece needed was a slipcover makeover with fabric and design details that worked with her farmhouse-style living space.

Here are the five updates I made to give Tamara’s loveseat the style boost she envisioned.

1. Chose a versatile fabric with good coverage.

For this project, I used Boyd Natural, a cotton/flax/rayon blend in a pretty shade of oatmeal. It’s a versatile neutral that works great for unifying different styles of furniture in one room.

This grainy medium weight fabric has a homespun look. It isn’t the most sturdy or tightly woven fabric, but it did a good job at keeping the upholstery stripe from showing through.

If you are slipcovering an upholstered piece that has pile or textured upholstery, choose a tightly woven heavyweight fabric for best coverage.

2. Change the skirt design.

I created a chunky box pleat skirt to the cover the original tailored skirt. The new skirt style instantly updated Tamara’s loveseat, and it now coordinates perfectly with the swivel chair slipcover I made for her (above).

3. Remove attached back cushions

Detaching back cushions and covering them individually is a must if you want a good fitting slipcover on the frame and removable covers for the cushions.

It took me less than 10 minutes to remove the back cushions from the loveseat. To avoid leaving a hole and patching, I cut the cushions off from the back side of the cover. Never cut the fabric on the inner back of the furniture. Check out my step-by-step guide for detaching back cushions.

I took apart one of the back cushion covers and used it as a pattern to make the new covers. Easy and guaranteed to fit.

4. Choose trim that compliments the furniture design. 

For this piece, I trimmed seams with self-fabric welt cord. Oatmeal on oatmeal is a fresh update from the original high-contrast brown welt. The look is classic, just like the loveseat design.

5. Simplify the construction.

An English rolled arm slipcover always looks best when you DON’T follow the upholstered arm seam placement. When I pin fit this type of arm design, I like to simplify the construction so it fits as smooth as possible. The only pleats or gathers I want to see are over the front arm.

For this piece, I raised the outer arm seam to sit on the arm’s edge right before it rolls over to the outside. I didn’t get an after photo, so I drew in the new seam line on the photo to give you an idea of the placement.

I used a string to mark the new arm seam placement. See how I use kitchen string as a seam marker here.

There you have it! I hope one or all five of my slipcover makeover tips come in handy for your next project.

More Loveseat Slipcover Makeovers

• Awning Stripe Slipcover for Camelback Loveseat
• White Denim Slipcover for Vintage Loveseat
• Casual Slipcovers Update Formal Ethan Allen Furniture