If you love the look of relaxed white slipcovered sofas, this guide is for you! Get the ins and outs of this casually elegant look.
We’ll share it all! Find out what to consider when you’re shopping, and get sources for a fabulous new slipcovered sofa at every price point.
No matter the style of your home or your budget, you’re sure to find the perfect sofa with removable covers! Read on for all the details.
I’ve long loved the look of white slipcovered sofas. There’s just something about the comfortable, easy and relaxed look of them that I adore!
We have embraced two different looks between our St. Louis tudor and our Table Rock Lake Cottage. One home is a little more traditional, and the other is more modern. However, our love for white slipcovered sofas works in both homes!
In fact, this style of sofa can work with many styles of homes. Whether your home is casual, eclectic, formal or farmhouse, there’s a slipcovered sofa out there for you.
At one time, slipcovers were sold as loose fitting, sloppy fabric covers to remake your existing sofa. No longer! Now, you can purchase a slipcovered sofa with that charming, relaxed feel you love, in a style you can maintain for years to come.
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Slipcovered Sofas
What is a slipcovered sofa? The term slipcover generally refers to a piece of furniture that comes with a removable cover to protect the upholstery.
Most slipcovered sofas are skirted to the floor, so no legs show. White slipcovers are a timeless look, but you can order fabric slipcovered furniture in virtually any color or type of fabric.
We’ve got several versions of this style of sofa between our two homes! We have a classic, affordable Ikea Ektorp sofa and an Ikea sectional sofa at the lake (sadly I believe the sectional is discontinued).
In our St. Louis home, we have a slightly more elevated look, with a slipcovered sofa in both our living room and family room. Learn more about our Pottery Barn sofa here and our linen slipcovered sofa here.
Learn all the secrets and techniques for how to measure furniture, and get it right the first time!
Why You’ll Love it
- So easy to clean – just throw the slipcover in the wash. Some can also be dry cleaned!
- In fact, read my guide to How To Design And Maintain A Clean House. There’s lots of great info on how a white sofa helps us keep things clean.
- See the dirt, eliminate the dirt! That’s my philosophy. Just because your sofa is dark doesn’t mean it’s not dirty… quite the opposite, in fact.
- Replace only the covers if necessary over time.
- Easily transition with seasons or as your style changes.
One of the things I love most about this look is that all it takes is a simple change of throw pillow covers to make it look entirely new! A white slipcovered sofa is the perfect backdrop for any accent color you’d like to bring into your home.
What to Consider: Pros and Cons
- Clothing Dyes – Yes, jeans and dark fabrics can leave a blue tint on your white slipcovered sofa. In our case, it generally washes clean, but it is something to consider!
- Washing the Slipcovers – It can be a pain, it’s true. While washing them isn’t my favorite, I feel like it’s worth it know that our sofa is fresh and clean.
- Putting the Slipcovers Back on – Again, this is something we rarely need to do, luckily. But when it’s time, prepare for a bit of a work out! The reward is worth the sweat equity for our family, though.
Tips
- Quality is often in line with price. For example, down wrapped cushions will be available at higher price points.
- Keep the fabric itself in mind – not all slipcover fabrics are created equal either. Some fabrics are engineered to be more stain resistant from the start!
- Spot clean in between washing your covers. We swear by Folex – it’s a game changer!
Sources
York Slope Arm Slipcovered Sofa
As seen (in white) in our living room. For details on size and specific fabrics, see more here: Pottery Barn Sofa. Starts at $1,699
$1,223 (closest to our Ikea version at the lake)
starts at $1,999
$1,199
$3,099 (Arhaus)
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Perfect timing on this post. Thank you! I had a slipcovered sofa from Ballard Designs that I loved! I too like that you can pop it off and wash to freshen. Sadly we sold it when we sold the home and my next home had leather which is wonderful also.
I’m moving into a new build in a month and looking at this PB York sofa. I love the bench look. It’s one of the only ones I van find that is taller in the back which is what I need for a two story room. I may have missed it, but can you tell me the slipcovers you have had on this sofa please? I’m debating which fabric to go with. I love the linen look but concerned it will get too wrinkly, so leaning towards the performance fabric. Your thoughts appreciated! Thanks again. 😊
They discontinued the fabric we used, but I highly recommend a performance fabric for longevity and ease. We did a Pottery Barn performance fabric on our sectional in the basement and Serena and Lily in our living room – it’s amazing and they can even be bleached, if needed.
Thank you for this tip!
Where can I purchase the 3 seat sofa. I notice ikea does not have it available anymore