Saturday, November 24, 2012

Love ~ Seats...

Our tatty leather love seats were well beyond their best before date,
the leather had split and cracked and they were looking shabby ~
unfortunately not in an English country cottage way or we would have kept them.
In hindsight I think we paid way too much for them when we purchased them a dozen years or so ago
and their quality was lacking.

Happily they were snapped up by a family we know with young children,
we are overjoyed to see them go to a good home rather than the landfill.
(one thing I can't stand is waste and I try very hard to recycle)

I wanted to have some lighter slip covered pieces like Janet at The Gardener's Cottage has in her living room.
I'd love to have her decorate my room like she did for one of her friends a while back, and if she lived closer I'd invite her over for tea and ask her advice!
Go over and take a look at Janet's living room and see what I mean.

We have dark wood wainscoting and our room is teeny tiny so it's a challenge and my thoughts are to keep things simple and on a small scale.
I wanted to have something plush and comfy and something that was within our budget.
So we took a look at what IKEA had to offer and found two affordable love seats with washable covers.
They have been shipped over from the store in Richmond and have been installed...
I need to find some extra cushions and perhaps add a few choice items...



I've got a scented candle for ambience
so far...


the family room opens right off the Humble Bungalow kitchen


the wooly cushion is one I hooked when I took a course with my girlfriends
we are known in our circle as "the hookers"
(I think I'll put this one downstairs in my hobby room when I find some new ones)

The love seats are Ektorp
and the covers are in the natural linen shade.

We've ordered a new LG steam washer and dryer set
which will be delivered after the in floor heat and tiles have been finished. 
They are large and sturdy so the slip covers will be able to be laundered at home.
I have been paying to have our duvet and cover laundered over the years so we'll save time and money.
Which is great because the new LG set is more expensive than I thought it would be!
Our old washer and dryer are over 20 years old
and we will be giving those away as they still work.

I'm pleased with the love seats and hope to enjoy many years of comfort sitting on them.
We do not change up our furniture or appliances very often 
when we buy it's with an eye for longevity.
~ ~ ~
 Slim Paley's home in Santa Barbara showed us her home dressed up for American Thanksgiving!
It's absolutely gorgeous!
Pop around and see for yourself.

What home keeping projects are you up to?
Are you adding your personal touch for the autumnal season?

Take care and have a great weekend.

~ ~ ~
Hostess
XO

15 comments:

Sarah said...

Very nice Hostess.. I have one of these sofas too in Australia... And love your Diptyque candle all looking very cosy and comfy. Perfect. X

Jennifer said...

These are great looking love seats. I have light colored Slipcovers and they are the ONLY way to go. It always surprises me when I take them off, just how dirty they did get. It's looking very cosy and homey. I need new washer and dryer as well, these suckers just will not die, so I may take a page from your book and donate them so I can justify new ones.
Have a beautiful weekend.

Debbi@SheAccessorizesWell said...

Your new loveseats look very cushy and inviting. We need something dark in our house due to having a dog. I haven't done any decorating for a long time. I have everything pretty much the way I want it for now.

Mummaducka said...

I think you are going to love your LGs I love my 10kg steam washer dryer combos ( I have 2). Husband and son came home yesterday covered in Hydraulic oil from servicing a front end loader and they have washed up perfectly clean in the washer! If i didn't have them the clothes would have to be burned. I did a little soak first in hot water and soap in a big bucket to get rid of the majority of the oil, then did a 95 degree wash with soap and napisan. I also washed all my covers from my 3 lounges last week- perfect as well. They are magnificent machines! mine are around 5 years old now. My repairman was called for a rubber band in the impeller. He said that he had never been called out to one before- I know there are many in the district so I take that as a fantastic sign for their unbreakability!

Pondside said...

I've been eyeing that very love seat for some time but with a yellow slipcover - perhaps in the spring....

frugalscholar said...

People really like those Ektorps. They will probably last as long as much more expensive stuff. You will LOVe having slipcovers!

mette said...

Very well chosen Leslie!
Just the right color for your dark wood interiors. And imagine - Ikea, not that expensive either.
Are the slipovers available as such; what I mean is, that you could buy an extra pair - just in case- and as long as the sofa is in production.
I´d place some nice ( cat friendly colors ) throws on the sofa, we´re I you.
As the sofa is so pretty on it´s own, no need to hide it with masses of pillows!

Anonymous said...

I love those loveseats and yours looks great! I think if we had an Ikea here on the Island (fingers crossed - one day)I'd buy more of the bigger items there. Oh well, just as well we don't.

Judith said...

What a sweet name 'love seats' never heard sofas called that before,I have learnt so much from blogland.
Am with Mette on the throws they finish the look of a sofa as well as being cosy to wrap round one.

I am still making changes around the Barn,we have been here almost a year and need to see how the seasonal light falls in the rooms.

Hookers,be careful where you use that word over here heeee,hee.Ida

La Vie Quotidienne said...

How nice. My daugher has two chairs from IKEA with white slipcovers and they are wonderful! So easy to wash and keep clean. You are going to love yours...and the new appliances of course.

the gardener's cottage said...

hi and you are going to really love those loveseats. i always order the bright white slipcovers but i'm sure the off white is pretty too. on my computer screen yours look to be a very light beige. nice.

and of course thank you for the lovely shout out. isn't slims house gorgeous?!

Slim Paley said...

Where oh where would I be without slipcovers?? In the dry-cleaning business perhaps?!
They are a total game-changer.
Thanks for the link Hostess and wishing you and your family a happy, messy Holiday Season with no worries!

Sunday Taylor said...

Your love seats look great! I love the white. I am not doing too much to my house right now, just decorating a little bit for the holidays. I did put lights on the outside of my house right around Thanksgiving time, and they make me smile when I come home in the evening.

Marilyn Leslie said...

Love the new love seats, they look so comfy. I'm in the middle of painting my foyer. Day 1 I patched the walls and painted the ceiling. Day 2 I started to paint only to discover the paint was the wrong color- alovely periwinkle, but not suited to the space. Day 4 back to paint store and they worked with me to get the color just right. Then up to my mother-in-laws for a few days. last night I started repainting with the correct color- it is perfect. Next few days will be doing the edges(close to ceiling and floor) and the wood trim.

KSL said...

They're great love seats and it's fun to be able to change the look with different throw pillows. Great choice.