Slipcover Makeover: West Elm Chair-And-A- Half
I am so excited to share this post today because I am OBSESSED with my ‘new’ old chair!
I am a very thrifty person, but I also appreciate quality and don’t like spending money on things that aren’t going to last. Slipcovers are an excellent way to refresh old but high-quality furniture pieces while creating a custom look that might otherwise be out of the budget. This whole thing started when I went on the hunt for the perfect reading chair for our bedroom and I quickly found out that I have very expensive taste and decided buying new wasn’t going to be an option at this point in time.
ENTER: FACEBOOK MARKETPLACE
Almost immediately I found a chair-and-a-half originally from West Elm and knew it was the one. It was wide enough that it could fit 2 people (and it turns out a dog or two if they’re determined). It also had separate back and seat cushions making it easy to slipcover. It wasn’t exactly the classic/traditional style I was looking for but I knew we could change that with the right fabric and slipcover details.
Chair Cost: $100
The Fabric
This type of slipcover requires about 8 yards of fabric and I knew I didn’t want to spend more than $200 on fabric in total so I started searching online for fabrics that fit the budget - roughly $25/yard.
On the Fabricut website, there is an outlet section where you can shop designer fabrics that are being discontinued and are steeply discounted.
Be warned: this can become an addictive black hole of endless scrolling and deal hunting. The filters on the side are an excellent way to make the search more manageable. You can narrow your search to only specific pattern types, price points, colors, use, and how much is in stock. I love florals and I wanted this chair to be a statement piece so I started by narrowing my search that way and found this gorgeous linen/cotton blend fabric: Bordeaux - La Mer. It was difficult to understand the scale of the pattern from the pictures online but I didn’t want it to sell out from under me so I went ahead and ordered the yardage I needed without getting a cutting for approval. Thankfully, it was completely gorgeous in person.
Original fabric price: $73.50/yard
Discounted outlet price: $22.05/yard
Total fabric cost + shipping: $187.29
The Slipcovering Process
After the fabric arrived, we worked through some design details for the slipcover. To achieve a more classic look, we ended up deciding not to do the single seam flange detail as seen on the original cushions. Instead, both cushion covers were made with a box and a simple line of cording at the skirt to add a classic, elevated detail.
Total labor cost for a chair and a half: $500
I have a beautiful, custom piece at a fraction of the cost. The cost still makes this a substantial investment but compared to what it could have been it feels like a steal.
Here is a breakdown of all the costs I outlined above:
West Elm Chair-And-A-Half from Facebook Marketplace: $100
Discounted designer fabric from Fabricut outlet: $187.29
Chair-And-A-Half Slipcover Labor cost: $500
All in cost: $787.29
For comparison, the cost of a similar replacement slipcover through the Pottery Barn website is $1,319.
The cost of a new slipcovered West Elm chair-and-a-half is $1,359-1,699
A Pottery Barn Slipcovered chair-and-a-half is $2,399
