Once upon a time, I went to Ikea to find a slipcover for our sofa that was quickly resembling a Jackson Pollock. I had a budget in mind, and was opting for one of their basic canvas options. $50 for a decent slipcover is a good deal! I had it all figured out in my head, but when I got to the store, the total neutral-color freak that I am, I could not for the LIFE of me decide between the white and light khaki option. I was breaking out in a sweat, calling everyone, taking photos, and just couldn't commit.
So like anyone with commitment issues, I walked away. I didn't leave the store, but ventured to the as-is section, that mystical realm of Ikea products that are usually more beat up than their price tag is worth. I started digging through the linen bins and found two whole slipcover sets, one in the light khaki that had been giving me an aneurism, the other a wonderful linen with accented stitching and buttons. The latter was the slipcover I first discovered on Cyprus, fell in love with, then walked away because the slipcover cost more than the Ektorp sofa. It was the slipcover I hadn't even considered because it was $250. Still cheaper than replacing our really nice quality couch, but not in the budget plan.
What was in the budget? $14. The total cost of said as-is bin slipcover of my dreams! Here in Atlanta there's this magical thing at Ikea called Textile Tuesday. I usually forget about it until Wednesday, then curse myself for missing out on potential deals. This week, my errand running and Textile Tuesday coincided in a wonderful, serendipitous twist of fate. One Textile Tuesday, each piece in the bin is $2. That's it. $2. I still have dreams of finding a new summer weight comforter in there, but momma ain't complaining about finding a pretty much new sofa in there instead! Since I had to buy each piece of the slipcover individually, my final total was $14 ($2 each for seven slipcover components).
Then I came home, dressed up our green sofa like a girl going to the prom, and may or may not have shed a few tears of giddy delight. And danced. And called everyone. And danced some more.
I am loving how much brighter our little living room is reading now. I came out of our bedroom this morning to find the early eastern glow bouncing off of the recovered cushions, lightening our surroundings, and cheesily enough (I know that's not a word...), my heart.
I have a few more projects in the mix right now, for both our home and for work, but I'm hoping to snap some better photos of the apartment before too long. Why? Because I really want to remember this stage of our life. When we're living on a tiny budget and making a home that feels so cozy, and eclectic, and collected. I want to savor that for as long as I can.
So anyway, happy hump day! Hope your week is going just as well as my sofa's! (:
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