As the crisp air of September arrives and the calendar pages turn, an undeniable surge of creative energy fills me, signaling the cherished arrival of fall. This seasonal transition brings a palpable sense of excitement, an eagerness to infuse warmth and coziness into my home. If you share a passion for autumn, you’ll undoubtedly understand this unique joy.
Just a couple of weeks ago, I embarked on my annual fall decorating ritual. This typically involves a rather dramatic spectacle: a complete overhaul of my living room, starting with unceremoniously emptying all my fall decor bins onto the floor. This chaotic, yet exhilarating, process allows me to visually assess my collection and strategize how to reinvent my home’s aesthetic for the approaching season.
However, this year’s seasonal refresh presented an immediate challenge. My primary goal was to update the white slipcover on my living room ottoman. I envisioned a rich, earthy brown fabric – a perfect choice, given that warm browns and deeper, moodier hues are currently trending in the home decor landscape and are intrinsically linked to autumn’s palette.
Decorating with fabric has always been my secret weapon, especially when I can find budget-friendly options that don’t command exorbitant prices. Fabric offers an unparalleled versatility, transforming the entire look and feel of a space or an individual piece of furniture with remarkable speed and ease. It’s a dynamic tool for any home decorator.
My journey into budget-conscious home decoration began decades ago, shortly after my husband, Ed, and I moved into our first home at the age of 24. From the outset, fabric and paint became my trusted companions in crafting a personalized and inviting environment without breaking the bank. This philosophy has remained a cornerstone of my decorating style ever since.
In those days, the hunt for the perfect fabric was an adventure in itself. I’d walk into a fabric store with a clear vision in my mind, a mental image of the texture, pattern, and color I desired. And more often than not, I would find it! Across the numerous towns we’ve lived in over the past 42 years, stores like Hancock Fabrics, Calico Corners, and JoAnn Fabrics were treasure troves. My first stop was always the clearance or remnant section, and an impressive 90% of the time, I’d discover precisely what I needed at an unbeatable price. This hands-on, tactile shopping experience was incredibly fulfilling and inspiring.
Regrettably, that delightful scenario of “shopping around town” for decorative fabric is now largely a thing of the past, and I deeply miss it. While online fabric shopping is an option, my experiences have often been disappointing. The fabric that arrives in the mail rarely matches the look, feel, or drape of the small sample swatch I ordered. The tactile quality and true color can be incredibly difficult to assess digitally, leading to frustration and wasted time.
Locally, there are a few upscale interior design shops, but they typically require appointments and feature fabrics with price tags far beyond a budget decorator’s reach. My single remaining resource for affordable fabric in western South Carolina is a warehouse called All About Fabrics. This sprawling space is filled with rolls of fabric and a dedicated room brimming with folded remnant yardage, promising a bounty of choices.
However, accessing this resource comes with its own set of challenges. It’s a two-hour drive away and only open three days a month, requiring meticulous advance planning. When inspiration strikes for a decorating project, I prefer to act on it immediately, making this limited access a considerable hurdle.
Over the last decade, I’ve made the four-hour round trip to this warehouse a few times, often returning home empty-handed. Many of the fabrics are older, with patterns and colorways that no longer align with my evolving aesthetic. The time investment simply hasn’t always been worth the outcome.
Beyond specific projects, I deeply miss the simple pleasure of browsing a local fabric store within a 30-minute drive. These casual outings were a constant source of creative inspiration, sparking countless decorating ideas even when I had no particular project in mind. The loss of these vibrant, accessible hubs for textiles has left a significant void in my decorating process, and I yearn for those inspiring moments.
This past summer, I planned two significant decorating projects: new window shades for my bedroom and a headboard for the blue guest room. Unfortunately, neither project came to fruition because I couldn’t find suitable fabric. This highlights the profound impact that limited access to quality, inspiring materials has on even seasoned DIY enthusiasts.
Indeed, decorating with fabric remains one of my primary tools for achieving a desired style on a budget. Its transformative power is simply unmatched.
My home is a testament to fabric’s versatility, showcasing numerous projects where I’ve leveraged its charm and adaptability. From crafting an elegant upholstered headboard to sewing custom curtains and drapes, making stylish pillow covers, creating various cushion covers, or even covering picture frames and boxes for chic storage solutions, fabric has been central to my creative endeavors. I’ve even ventured into covering furniture pieces with fabric. Not to mention the dozens of smaller no-sew decor projects that demonstrate fabric’s effortless charm.
As I mentioned, alongside fabric, paint is another go-to medium for quickly and effectively updating furniture or decorative accessories. Together, fabric and paint form an indispensable duo, allowing me to refresh my furnishings repeatedly, often transforming pieces I’ve owned for years, like the beloved ottomans in my living room.
Adding the First Layer of Fall Decor Using Fabric
Given the limited decorator fabric selection at my local Hobby Lobby and Walmart – the only real options in my area – finding the exact style and color I envisioned for the ottoman’s fall slipcover was proving difficult. However, I stumbled upon this plaid fabric at Hobby Lobby, which ended up being a serendipitous discovery.
I decided to embrace it for two key reasons. Firstly, it was the best option available that offered a hint of the warmth I sought. Secondly, and more interestingly, it resonated with a decorating trend I had recently read about: “Eclectic Grandpa” or “Grandpa Chic.” This concept allowed me to frame the living room decor with my husband Ed’s comfort and preferences in mind. He has always graciously allowed me full creative control over our home’s decor, as long as the space remains comfortable. In our 42 years of marriage, his only specific request was about six years ago when he expressed a desire for recliners in the living room. Though I initially resisted, I now can’t imagine our home without them – a true testament to prioritizing comfort.
The Eclectic Grandpa or Grandpa Chic style is characterized by a focus on comfort, a lived-in feel, and a sense of personal history, moving away from overly curated or minimalist aesthetics. It celebrates nostalgia through mismatched, vintage-inspired pieces and a delightful mix of patterns. This realization clicked perfectly; why not design the room with this inviting and personal style at its heart?
Further leaning into this charming aesthetic, I even found some fun football-themed dishtowels for the kitchen at Hobby Lobby. While not entirely my personal style, I knew Ed would absolutely love them. They are also readily available online – these Football Dishtowels were a perfect, playful nod to the “Grandpa Chic” theme.
After successfully crafting the plaid slipcover for the ottoman, I was delighted to find I had just enough leftover fabric to create a matching throw pillow cover for the sofa. This small but significant detail helped to tie the new elements together, creating a cohesive and inviting look.
With this initial layer of fall decor now complete in the living room, I’m excitedly anticipating the next steps. As we draw closer to peak autumn and the first true chill fills the air, I’ll begin to introduce more cozy layers, diverse textures, and thoughtful pops of color. My aim is to build a truly inviting and multi-dimensional fall sanctuary.
My planned color palette will incorporate deep blues, echoing a vintage chambray Ralph Lauren aesthetic, alongside elegant silver accents. This journey will involve considerable experimentation and a joyful “playing” with existing decor items, ultimately aiming to achieve that perfect, snug blend that both Ed and I will thoroughly enjoy. It’s all about creating a space that feels uniquely “us.”
And, should I find that the “Eclectic Grandpa” vibe doesn’t quite hit the mark for long-term comfort, I always have the option to gracefully transition back to the “Cozy Grandma Chic” style that I know and love, a style that unfailingly brings a sense of well-being to my home. After all, decorating should always be about what truly makes you feel good.
The Many Fabrics on My Ottomans: A History of Transformation
These two rattan ottomans, proudly gracing my living room, are truly cherished pieces, having been with me for approximately 30 years. At this point, they can certainly be considered vintage treasures! Their enduring quality and timeless design have made them perfect candidates for countless makeovers.
The ability to simply create new slipcovers for these comfortable and well-made ottomans has been an incredible cost-saver over the decades. A few yards of fabric is infinitely more affordable than investing in brand new furniture whenever I desire a refresh – a desire that, I confess, strikes quite often. This approach allows for frequent aesthetic updates without significant financial outlay.
Through the years, I’ve leveraged a variety of inexpensive fabrics to create numerous different slipcovers, each one breathing new life into the ottoman cushions. Initially, I had both ottomans in the living room, following the design principle I learned in school: a pair of matching ottomans can be a wonderful addition to a living or family room. A few years ago, I relocated one of them to my multi-purpose room, which was formerly my studio/office, where it continues to serve a practical and stylish purpose.
For context, this image shows what the ottomans look like without a slipcover – revealing their classic rattan base. When I first purchased them for the living room in my previous home, the space was adorned in a vibrant color scheme of purple, green, and magenta. It was only when I decided to completely change the room’s aesthetic that I began the tradition of covering the cushions, a habit that has continued to this day.
My very first set of cushion slipcovers for these ottomans was fashioned from a robust white canvas, a true bargain at just $1 a yard from Jomar, my all-time favorite fabric store in Norristown, PA. Sadly, like many independent fabric retailers, Jomar is no longer in business, a loss still felt by many DIY enthusiasts. For these initial white canvas covers, I even added a charming ruffle trim, showcasing an early foray into custom details.
The second iteration of slipcovers featured a vibrant green and teal Waverly fabric, accented with playful small pom-pom trim. This colorful choice brought a completely different energy to the space, highlighting how a simple fabric change can dramatically alter a room’s mood.
Following that, I created a charming purple buffalo plaid slipcover, complete with whimsical corner tassels fashioned from yarn. I still cherish these and have kept them, knowing they might resurface in a future decorating scheme. Their cozy appeal makes them a timeless option.
For quite a few years leading up to this recent change, the ottomans sported a delightful white slipcover adorned with large snowball pom-pom trim. This particular style added a touch of playful sophistication that I adored and kept for an extended period, proving its enduring charm.
And now, these enduring ottomans have embarked on yet another stylistic journey, embracing the distinctive charm of Eclectic Grandpa style. Knowing their history of transformation, I am absolutely certain that this current look will not be their last. They are truly the chameleons of my living room!
How to Make an Ottoman Cover When You Don’t Sew
For those who may not possess sewing skills, the good news is that creating a stylish slipcover is still entirely achievable! You can easily craft a durable and attractive slipcover by using fabric glue in place of traditional stitches. Alternatively, for an even simpler approach, you can opt for a no-sew method to cover the cushion itself. Discover the ease of a no-sew cushion cover and transform your space without a needle and thread.
Do you find joy in decorating with fabric? Is there still a beloved local fabric store thriving near you? If not, I’m certain you share my sentiment and dearly miss the vibrant fabric stores that once graced every town, serving as endless sources of inspiration and creativity.
More Cushion Covering Ideas
- No-Sew Stool Cover Made Using a Dishtowel
- How to Cover a Piano Bench
- No-Sew Chair Back Covers