Chair covers: description by types, materials, cover design

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Gabardine

This material also stretches well, but differs from the previous one in being thinner and having a completely matte surface without shine. These stylish chair covers are suitable for many modern interior styles.

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Crepe satin

Elegant, “ceremonial” fabric with a noble surface shine. Its structure allows you to create beautiful folds and gathers. A chair in such a cover will look very elegant, so it is better to use it in classic luxurious interiors.

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Brocade

Dense silk fabric, the main feature of which is the presence of complex elegant patterns on the outside. This fabric for chair covers will help create a rich and solemn atmosphere in your home.

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Cotton

An economical natural material, which is often used in conjunction with synthetic polyester. The main advantage of such cases is their low cost compared to other types. They can be selected in many different colors and shades.

What are chair covers

Chair covers are nothing more than clothing for furniture. Their importance is very difficult to underestimate. They will help hide minor defects and decorate even the oldest ordinary chair.

It is impossible to say for sure what the covers were originally intended for. They were decorations or served a protective function. However, even in the times of kings and dukes one can notice the use of this attribute.

At that distant time, it was believed that the combination of burgundy and gold was the height of beauty and solemnity. Often in palaces one could see velvet curtains in tandem with the same capes. They decorated ceremonial halls and no one even thought of considering them impractical.

Times have changed, and so has the material. Expensive natural materials were replaced by budget artificial analogues. But this did not detract from the advantages or affect the beauty and functions of the products.

Currently, you can find a huge variety of chair covers (photo below), made in different styles and using both simple and complex techniques.

Tools

To sew covers, you need regular tools. To create a pattern you will need tracing paper, newspaper, non-woven fabric or wrapping paper. You will also need tape, scissors, a pencil or marker, chalk, a ruler or a centimeter. To place the finished pattern on the fabric, it is recommended to attach it with tailor’s pins or special clothespins. Scissors are best for fabric. To avoid processing seams, you can use zigzag ones.

To make a cape or cover, you will need fabric, threads of different colors, preferably reinforced ones. To make the product soft, you can use padding polyester, holofiber or other filler. Sometimes an old blanket is placed in the middle.

A sewing machine is used for work. Nowadays different models are produced both for craftswomen and for beginners. Some have a seam processing function. If it is not there, the products can be overcast by hand or tucked and stitched. Otherwise, the threads will fray, which will affect the durability of the covers.

Characteristic

Chairs are an integral part of any interior. It is no secret that over time their surface may wear out, scratches will appear on it, and the appearance will not be so presentable. What to do in this case? I don’t want to leave the chair in this state, but it’s a shame to throw it away. In this case, covers will come to the rescue.

Functions

They perform the following functions:

Decorative;
Protective.

Sometimes it is extremely important to create a certain color scheme in a room or stick to one style. This is necessary, for example, for weddings, banquets and celebrations. It is not economically profitable to buy chairs made in different techniques, and standard ones will be too simple and inconspicuous. It is for such situations that chair covers were invented. They are like jewelry for a person, which can make even the most banal turtleneck festive and memorable. To do this, you need a basic thing (in this case, a chair or armchair) and a little imagination.

The protective function of these products is no less relevant and important. A well-chosen fabric will help extend the life of your furniture. The cape will protect the surface from animals, direct sunlight and other factors that negatively affect the condition of the piece of furniture.

Decorative elements

Decor is an important component of any product. It helps to fit it into the overall interior or create an accent. Most often, the following “highlights” are used in the manufacture of furniture covers:

Combination of diverse fabrics;
Braid;
Lace;
Embroidery;
shuttlecocks,
Decorative buttons and locks;
Buttons;
Bows.

The combination of different fabrics, as well as the color scheme, even without any additional elements, allows you to create a bright image. Its texture is of great importance.

What material to choose for chair covers

Sometimes it is important to choose similar ones, and in other cases it is the incompatibility that gives the “zest”. Of course, you need to know the measure, and also evaluate not only the external compatibility, but also the thickness of the fabric. For example, chiffon in combination with felt or even corduroy is unacceptable. The first one in this case can be “carried out” with the second layer, but not with the main one. Due to the characteristics of the connection, density and tension, such a product will not have a long service life. Such an experiment will most likely fail!

Playing with color can also replace additional decor. You can choose a solution for individual parts or create a combination at the stage of painting the finished product. Colored spots will be appropriate in a relaxed home environment. For special occasions, such a design would not be entirely appropriate. The exception is cases where such design decisions are dictated by the specifics and theme of the celebration.
The braid can be either discreet and matching the color scheme of the main fabric, or stand out against its background. Back in the Middle Ages in Italy, this accessory was actively used to decorate the backs of chairs and curtains. Braid helps instantly transform things. It can be made in gold and silver shades from coarse fibers. Light and weightless strips are often used. They will easily fit into the delicate image of a cover or add softness to a rough canvas.
Lace in the design of capes for chairs and armchairs is best used as an additional layer. You can use it in the form of a canvas or add small “islands”. Lace can be made from both natural and synthetic materials. This is not a very practical material, so it is better to use it on the side that is not in direct contact with the person. You can make lush flowers or flounces from lace.
Embroidery always stands out effectively among other decorative elements. Such products are imbued with the warmth of the hearth. It is important to remember that if you embroider a pattern on covers yourself, you need to check the threads to see if they are fading or not. If you neglect such a test before work, you can get unpleasant consequences when washing the product.

A “skirt” made of flounces on covers for armchairs and chairs looks very impressive. It may match the color and texture of the main fabric, but it may also differ from it. The flounces can be sewn onto the back of the product or placed along the edges. Depending on the overall concept, they can be made of either light or rigid fabric.
You can often see panels of buttons, snaps and clasps on decorative pillows. The same principle applies to the design of the outside of the back of the covers. You can use any type of button for this. They can be plastic and metal, large and small. You can make unique paths or flowers from castles. Rivets can also serve both for their intended purpose and as decoration.
Bows are frequent companions in the design of chairs for a living room or a celebration hall. With their help you can secure the product or give it a unique charm. They can be made of satin ribbons or ordinary fabric, and can be simple or complex. By using different colors for one base, you will achieve different moods and effects.

To create a voluminous cape, fillers are used. In most cases, they are made of artificial fibers. It can be holofiber or padding polyester. With their help you can make a soft seat or backrest. This thin insulation also makes the stitching stand out.

Constructing a pattern

It’s easy to sew a chair cover yourself, the main thing is to choose a model and form the pattern correctly. There are no universal samples for this, since furniture designs are different. It is better to make blanks according to individual measurements. What is needed to make a pattern for a chair cover is a question that should be considered in more detail. Basic recommendations:

First, measurements are taken. You need to measure not only the width, but also the depth of the seat, as well as the height of the backrest. It is important to know that for some models these parameters may be different at the front and rear. If you are sewing a cape with a skirt, you need to measure the height of the chair itself and take into account the inclination of its legs.
You need to pay special attention to the shape of the corners of the furniture. They can be straight or round.
If the chair has an unusual shape, for example, with a round seat or a curved back, the pattern can be made directly on it. Sometimes it is necessary to make individual parts so that the product accurately follows the curves, for example, side inserts.
When cutting fabric, be sure to allow seam allowances. It is also important to take into account that the material can shrink when washed, so it is better to sew a cover for the chair that is a little larger in size or wash the piece in advance.

It is recommended to make complex patterns for chairs with backs from paper. It is applied to the furniture, secured with tape, and then cut. Such a pattern turns out to be accurate, it is easy to adjust it to size, change it, and improve it. Then the paper parts are applied to the selected material and cut out.

You can do the same with fabric. To do this, take cheap material or an old sheet. The fabric is applied to the chair, cut and sewn. At the same time, you can see what the finished product will look like, remove its shortcomings, and redo it if necessary. After this, the seams are ripped out, and the trial version is used as a pattern.

Manufacturing

Read about: covers for a corner sofa - a universal cover for furniture

Furniture covers have gained unprecedented popularity in recent years. However, there are not many companies engaged in streaming production in the textile market. In this regard, enterprising housewives independently come up with and implement their ideas for improving the space. Let's talk about what fabrics are best to use to create furniture covers.

The main criteria by which sewing material is selected:

The fabric should not have a high degree of shrinkage. To prevent this, it is better to always follow the rules for caring for this type of fabric;
Choose a material that is easy to wash and iron. Of course, you always want your home to be perfect and the interior luxurious. However, you should not choose options that wrinkle a lot (for example, pure linen and viscose) or capricious fabrics (for example, silk). They require appropriate care, but are you able and financially able to afford it? Always soberly assess your abilities. It is better to choose a similar option made from artificial fibers than to worry that the product will quickly lose its “marketable” appearance;
Do not use fabrics that are poorly breathable. In this case, the body will sweat excessively. Therefore, 100% polyester is excluded.
If you want to make thick and practical capes, then you can choose flock. This thick fabric for chair covers can imitate many textures: leather, suede, velvet, chenille. In this case, you get a noble-looking material, while not paying so much money for it. Flock is created using a non-woven method. Particles are applied to the surface electrostatically, which form a certain “pattern”. Depending on the technology, different surface textures are obtained. Flock consists of cotton and polyester. Moreover, the base is usually natural fiber, and the pile is artificial.

However, covers are often matched to curtains. In this case, they can be sewn from the same material. It could be:

Linen with the addition of synthetic fibers. This combination allows you to increase the performance characteristics of the product, including reducing the degree of creasing;
Atlas. Thanks to the shine, such products turn out to be very bright and solemn. Using only color combinations or adding decorative braid, you will already have an interesting option;
Bamboo. Bamboo fiber is easy to care for and has bactericidal properties. It has a pleasant greenish tint in its “virgin” state and is easy to paint. You can't go wrong with any of these options;
Jacquard. Since it is better to use dense materials for sewing, this option is perfect. In addition, it is also distinguished by its elegant design. It may be a complex ornament or curls, but in any case they will make the design luxurious.

Whatever material you choose, if the product is made with soul, it will take its rightful place in your interior and will give only positive emotions.

Advantages and disadvantages

The disadvantages of covers will relate only to the characteristics of the fabrics and their difficulty in care. In this case, it’s better to focus on the advantages:

Perfectly refreshes the atmosphere;
Give a second life to old furniture;
Protect from animals and negative external factors;
By changing the covers you can “adjust” the mood in the room.

By making covers and capes yourself, you adjust the “rhythm of the house” to a positive wave. When modified, it will give you health and good mood.

Product care

The rules for caring for products primarily depend on the fabric from which it is made. Here are some general points that will help keep the covers in a “fresh” condition for a long time:

If there are decorative elements that can be removed before washing, it is better to do so;
It is better to wash such products by hand. If it is not replete with complex decor, delicate machine wash is also applicable;
Products with embroidery are ironed only on the inside;
If a stain appears on the surface, it should be removed as quickly as possible. This will help prevent damage to the product;
You should periodically knock out the covers and take them out into the fresh air;
Do not allow direct rays to constantly hit the surface. This may cause the fabric to turn yellow or fade.

Everyone wants to make the interior of their home unique and memorable. Style is always created by details. Don't be afraid to show your imagination and bring your ideas to life.

And a few more photos of chair covers, ideas for making which you can use in decorating your furniture.

Interesting cover ideas

In order to enliven a boring and monotonous home interior, it is best to use interesting models for sewing covers.

Original and stylish design solutions can be created in various forms.

For example, to decorate chairs in a children's room, you can create models with fairy tale characters. Covers in the shape of animals and interesting landscapes will also complement the interior in an original way.

You can also decorate chairs in a special way for any holiday. The case embodies the whole holiday atmosphere.

Note!

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For example, in the New Year you can make covers in the form of Santa Claus hats, Christmas trees and much more that corresponds to the holiday.

For a wedding, many decorate chairs in the form of costumes for the bride and groom.

And another original idea is knitted covers that will not only be beautiful, but also soft. The most popular model of this format is a DIY chair seat cover.