Autumn is a beautiful time of year. The air is crisp, the trees are changing, and there are tons of fun activities to explore. One thing this time of year indicates, however, is that winter is just around the corner. Soon the days of bonfires, hikes, and apple picking will come to a close and the frost and chill of winter will set in. If you have an outdoor space you need to care for during the winter, there is a lot to prepare for before the cold season hits. Discover how to store outdoor furniture for the winter season.

Bring in Cushions and Other Non-Winterized Items

If possible, you should bring in items that can’t withstand snow, rain, ice, frost, or cold temperatures. Potted plants should be sprayed for bugs and be brought inside until the spring. Cushions on patio or other outdoor furniture should come in as well. These items can easily become stiffened or mold-ridden if left outside and unprotected. Winterizing your outdoor space is also a great opportunity to remove your outdoor cushion covers and wash them. With slipcovers on your outdoor cushions, washing them is a breeze. Bonus Tip: If you don’t have room to store your non-winterized items inside, consider a garage, storage unit, or even a quality deck box to store and protect your items from frost and moisture.

Rearrange Your Outdoor Setup for Impending Weather Changes

Winter can get windy. During the warmer months, it makes sense to have your outdoor area set up for conversation, play, and even bonfires or cookouts; however, in the winter, you most likely won’t be using your space that much. Stack chairs and move your tables and other outdoor furniture items to a central location, such as the corner of a patio or balcony. This helps keep all the items together and reduces the chance of them being blown around in a storm.

Cover the Items You Leave Outside

The items that will remain outdoors for the duration of the winter should be covered by a water-resistant covering such as a tarp or special patio furniture cover. This will help prevent moisture from getting on the items. Moisture can freeze to the furniture and cause rust over time, so it’s best to avoid unnecessary exposure to moisture when possible. There are many options when it comes to storing your outdoor furniture for the winter. Find what works best for you and be sure to winterize before the first frost!

Every house has at least a few pieces of upholstered furniture sitting in the bedroom, living room, dining room, and more. This furniture is comfortable, cozy, and super stylish—but poses issues when damaged. Upholstered furniture may become damaged from pets, children, regular wear and tear, and even damage during a moving process. If you have an upholstered furniture piece that is damaged, faded, or no longer matches your interior décor, discover the differences between reupholstery versus slipcovers to decide which option to choose for your furniture.

Reupholstery

Reupholstery is the process of removing the current upholstery on an item and replacing it with new fabric. This process is an intense remodel of a piece of furniture that takes time and a skilled hand to complete. This process is recommended for highly damaged pieces of furniture with large tears or rips that a slipcover could not successfully hide.

Reupholstery Pros

• Repairs extreme damage to original upholstery
• Completely customizable
• Gives old furniture a more modern look

Reupholstery Cons

• Costly
• Takes a long time to complete
• Potential of disliking the new fabric or the fabric becoming quickly damaged again

Slipcovers

Slipcovers are pieces of fabric that are fitted to cover certain pieces of upholstered furniture. These are simply placed over the furniture item. They can be easily applied and removed, made custom to fit perfectly, and available in any fabric or color. The process is quick and simple, and it covers up old patterns, colors, and minor damage to the original upholstery on a piece.

Slipcover Pros

• Quick turnaround and affordable
• Can be made custom in any color, shape, size, pattern, etc.
• Easy to apply and remove
• Protects upholstery from damage, spills, stains, etc.
• Washable

Slipcover Cons

• Can’t cover major rips
• Non-custom options may fit slightly looser or tighter than intended

There are strong arguments for either side, but only you will know best between whether reupholstery or a slipcover will work best for your home. Many people will choose to invest in reupholstery to fix severely damaged pieces, and choose custom slipcovers to protect their new upholstery and to match their décor perfectly.

Everyone wants to have a modern and stylish home, but there are many costs involved with updating furniture and décor every few years. Here are a few easy ways to achieve a modern look in your home without breaking the bank.

Bring Old Metals into the New Age

If your home is still plagued with the ghosts of decades past, consider a quick and easy replacement or color change to help bring in the modern era for a low cost. One of the common telltale signs of an outdated house is its metal accents such as fireplace covers, lighting fixtures, and door handles. These items are all simple to replace through DIY projects. Back in the old days, shiny gold fixtures were the talk of the town, but now a muted silver or attractive copper is the way to go. This can be achieved in one of two ways:

• Remove and spray paint the items with a metallic finish spray paint
• Purchase new items and replace the old ones with them

Cover Up Old Patterns

Older furniture may be lasting and comfortable, but old, bold patterns are out. Modern looks favor those of minimalism, monoaromatics, and mid-century styles. If your upholstered furniture is outdated, consider investing in a custom slipcover to bring it back into the modern age. For example, there is currently a big emphasis on upholstered dining room chairs, but many are covered in old patterns that date a dining room greatly. Investing in dining chair slipcovers can ensure your chairs are an attractive color that compliment your décor and boasts a minimalist, yet farmhouse style that currently reigns in the modern home.

Clear Out the Clutter

While this may seem more like a tip for creating space than a home style tip, it helps with both. The modern home isn’t bursting at the seam with furniture like how it used to. Today’s stylish home has enough seating and enough furniture without crowding a room. The look of today is space and open concept. Even if your home doesn’t have an open concept floorplan, minimizing unnecessary furniture pieces opens up a room and makes it look more spacious. There are tons of easy ways to achieve a modern look in your home. Check out our selection of high-quality custom slipcovers to get a jump start on making your home the most up-to-date and stylish on the block.

Every child is different and holds different interests, and those interests can come and go with the blink of an eye. This makes designing a kid’s bedroom much more difficult. Every parent is plagued by similar questions: will my child still be interested in space two weeks from now? Should I really make everything blue, or will their favorite color be red tomorrow? These rapid changes all stem from the rapid learning your child does every day. This can make decorating their room more difficult for parents, though. Discover how to design and decorate kids’ rooms in a fun and functional way.

Pick a Color Scheme

One of the best ways to avoid favorite color fatigue is by choosing a color scheme with a main neutral color, a main pop of color, and a few supporting colors to break up the monochromatic feel. Talk to your child about what their favorite colors are. A fun way to discuss colors with a child who may not know shades and hues very well is by bringing home a few color swatches from the paint store. They can point to the swatches they like and tell you what they do or don’t like about some of the other shades. This can be a fun bonding experience that helps your child choose their room color and learn more about different shades.

Be Realistic and Stylish

If you have a young child, fitted mattress covers are a must. These are something stylish and practical that give the room a little fun and function. High-quality mattress covers will protect the mattress from the stains and spills that children are so prone to. It also makes the bed more fun for your child, as they can get a mattress cover in fun colors and patterns to make bedtime a little more exciting.

Consider Wall Decals

Wall decals are fun, easy to put up, and, most importantly, easy to take down. These are perfect for the child that likes to change their mind. If your child is extremely interested in zoo animals, you can put up fun zoo decals on their walls. In a few months, when they tire of zoos and get more into sports or science, you can easily remove the zoo animals and put up new decals in their place. This is a super fun and interactive way to let your child take ownership of their bedroom. There are many ways to design and decorate kids’ rooms. One of the most important things you can do is include your child. This helps them take responsibility and connect with their space. When they get to make a few decisions, they will find it easier to take ownership of their space and feel truly at home there.