Vintage French Monogram Linen Sofa Slipcover

 

Pieced together to showcase the lovely handwork with a decorative stitch for some flare.

Pieced together to showcase the lovely handwork with a decorative stitch for some flare.

When I go to the Round Top Antiques Show, one way I treat myself is to pick up some vintage french sheets.  The trick is figuring out a way to use them wisely and showcase the lovely hand embroidered initials.  Last year, I did a monogram headboard slipcover using my special vintage finds.

One of my other projects is a love seat slip cover, along with a side table slipcover.  In the case of the love seat, I had to cut and sew the fabric and piece it together in order to keep the embroidery front and center.  The side table is a simple IKEA side table that I slip covered with leftover fabric from the sofa project.  Some piping and antique lace helped to upgrade this unremarkable modern table.

Since this is a transitional time between Winter and Spring (spring if you go by our weather for the last couple of days) the rest of my decor is refined and edited as we look ahead to warmer weather.  In the living room with the slipcovered sofa, I styled the fireplace mantle by using vintage mercury ornaments as vase filler along with the (now) dried pepperberry branches leftover from the holidays, I feel like I am keeping a nod to winter, but looking ahead to a crisp clean spring time.

I hope you find some inspiration.

Always,

Cindy

Vintage all the way around.

Vintage all the way around.

White 1750's cabinet set against the contemporary IKEA table.

White 1750’s cabinet set against the contemporary IKEA table.

 

Piping detail and vintage lace make this slipcover very special.

Piping detail and vintage lace make this slipcover very special and turns a run-of-the-mill table into something with great vintage styling.

Matte White Potter, Ironstone Pitcher and candles wrapped with velvet ribbon.

Matte White Potter, Ironstone Pitcher and candles wrapped with velvet ribbon.

 

Old linen runner that is a family heirloom along with an antique alabaster lamp.

Old linen runner that is a family heirloom along with an antique alabaster lamp.

Old onion skin typewriter paper with a german glass glitter starfish for a paper weight.

Old onion skin typewriter paper with a german glass glitter starfish for a paper weight.

 

She is a big, silly sweet girl.

She is a big, silly sweet girl.

Simple and edited.  Rustic against the refined.

Simple and edited. Rustic against the refined.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The French Monogram

 

DIY Upholstered Headboard

 

I love french monogrammed sheets.   I generally find them when I go to the Round Top Antique Show.  There is a particular dealer, Touch of Europe, who always has quality, vintage linens and I always make it a point to stop by and pick up something.  The question, for me, is always “what do I do with it?”  They are so lovely, but they mostly sit on a shelf which isn’t a great showcase for the beautiful monograms.

One day, I got brave and decided that I was going to use one of my antique sheets to sew a slip cover for a homemade upholstered head board in my guest room.  I have to admit, I was a bit nervous cutting into that sheet.  But I finally just bit the bullet and did it and fashioned a slipcover for the headboard. I used inexpensive white denim for the back and the piping, and the monogram sheet for the front.  If I ever want a slightly different look, I can just turn the headboard around and showcase the plain, white denim side.

The headboard itself was fairly elementary to make.  I just used a piece of plywood, a 2 x 6 and some metal “L” brackets to hold it together.  The foam I purchased online.  I was able to get it custom cut, in one sheet wrapped in Dacron.  The company I used vacuum packs it so shipping is very reasonable.  I found it is much cheaper and produces a better product than trying to buy the foam at the hobby store which is expensive and has to be pieced together.  Click here to go directly to the foam website.

Touch of Europe and Foam For You can also be found on my Resources and Buying Guide page.

Here is a quick tutorial in the DIY headboard and the result.  More pictures of my guest room can be found on the My Home Tour page.

Thanks for stopping by!

Always,

Cindy

It is a freestanding headboard.

The foam, custom wrapped in Dacron attached to the plywood backing with spray adhesive.

Simple "L" brackets attach the plywood back to the 2x6 base.

A slipcover made from painters drop cloth used to help hold the foam against the plywood back.

The trick is to make the painters’ drop cloth slipcover slighty smaller than the finished measurement.  It is a bit of a tug getting it over the headboard, but doable.  This helps the headboard always maintain a full, stuffed look.  Another tip: wash both the painters drop cloth and the denim BEFORE you sew.  This also helps keep that fuller look.

The regular slipcover pulled on.

DIY Upholstered Headboard.

Delicate work makes this headboard special and a great showcase for The French Monogram.