At Wine Down on 4, an event presented by the Boston Design Center’s 4th floor showrooms this week, my Lowell business neighbors from Weissbach Slipcovers held center stage. The showrooms hosted after-hours demonstrations for designers, who also enjoyed wine, music and hors d’oeuvres.
Joe and Paul Weissbach expertly demonstrated how a custom slipcover is made. During their presentation, they tailored a chair using a gray polyester fabric provided by the Duralee Fabrics showroom. Paul Weissbach noted that the linen-look fabric is one of the best to use in the construction of a slipcover.
Slipcovers are an easy way to change the look and style of a piece of furniture, depending on the pattern design of the fabric selected. Old and worn pieces of furniture can be given a new look simply by choosing a fabric to complement or accent a new room design at less cost than purchasing new furniture or reupholstering.
If the furniture is in good condition and you love the way the piece sits, slipcovering is the way to go. If cushions on a chair are a bit “oversat,” they can also be replaced or wrapped. A sofa or loveseat will have a zipper in the back of the slipcover, which will allow for a tight fit when it’s slipped over the piece, allowing the slipcover fabric to be molded to the furniture.
Individual cushions are covered separately and then placed on the furniture’s deck on top of the body of the slipcover. This also helps the slipcover to stay in place, providing a custom look, unlike slipcovers that are purchased off the shelf in home and department stores.
An off-the-shelf slipcover is generally throw-style that is placed over the piece of furniture. This style slipcover usually has ties at the arms to tighten the fabric to the piece. This method of slipcovering becomes a nuisance to keep in place as the fabric slips and moves once the piece of furniture is sat in.
A throw-style slipcover often leads to a sloppy or messy look that needs constant adjusting. By contrast, custom slipcovering requires less fuss once when the fabric is in place and provides a custom look on furniture without jeopardizing the comfort of the piece you love.
The Weissbach family has mastered the craft of tailoring custom-fitted slipcovers for 3 generations dating back to the 1920s. In 1949, Joe Weissbach Sr. established Weissbach Slipcovers. All four of his children are currently partners in the business. See more at their website, www.weissbachslipcovers.com.
Debbe Daley, owner of Debbe Daley Designs and RAW Furnishings, is an interior designer with more than 25 years of experience as a professional interior redesigner, stylist, stager, trainer and project manager. Follow her blog at blogs.lowellsun.com/daleydecor. She also blogs at debbedaleydesignsllc.blogspot.com. It’s all about the fit
* Cutting a fabric pattern is done in your home without removing the furniture
* Cushion foam can be replaced if needed
* All types of furniture can be covered with the exception of a recliner
* Custom slipcovers can be easily removed for cleaning
![Earlier this week the newspaper gave a written and visual update on the status of the Monument Square improvement project in downtown Leominster.It’s encouraging to see that upgrades to that city landmark remain on track to be completed by the end of June.Funding for its renovation came courtesy of a $400,000 state Parkland Acquisitions and […]](https://www.lowellsun.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/sen-l-monumentsquare04292024-01.jpg?w=620 "Earlier this week the newspaper gave a written and visual update on the status of the Monument Square improvement project in downtown Leominster.It’s encouraging to see that upgrades to that city landmark remain on track to be completed by the end of June.Funding for its renovation came courtesy of a $400,000 state Parkland Acquisitions and […]")
