Ribbon Trim & Upholstery

01 Feb Ribbon Trim & Upholstery

Quatrine

I love ribbon trim.  On just about anything.  However, I especially love it on sofas and loveseats.  It just adds that extra sense of “I’m special!”  A white sofa is instantly transformed with a touch of grosgrain in your favorite hue.

By the way, grosgrain is pronounced gro-grain.  I want you to be in-the-know!  You’re welcome.

I am crazy over this green velvet number.  I think a green velvet sofa is in my future.

Palmer Weiss

Classic black and white is lovely, too.

House Pretty

I really like the pattern of this trim.

Midwest Home

A simple band around the bottom can add extra interest to an otherwise plain sofa.

Source Unknown

Tobi Fairley’s designs are stunning.  This entire room is gorgeous – you can check it out on her blog here.

Tobi Fairley

Tobi Fairley

This designer’s living room especially made me smile.  I found three different versions of it.  Hmmm…reminds me of someone I know.  Glad I’m not the only one with a “rearrange the living room” problem!

Version A

Irene Langlois

Version B

Irene Langlois

Version C

Irene Langlois

Irene Langlois

I have to tell you, if I had a sofa that was a little older and maybe on its way out, I would totally grab some Fabri-tac and some grosgrain (I would prefer at least two inch, maybe three) in a shade that coordinated with my room, and go to town.  You would have to be careful about the corners, but I definitely think it is doable.  I am a firm believer in making little changes in a room you are not happy about.  Little improvements here and there can really give you a new appreciation of a space you don’t have the money to make over.  My husband and I used to have cardboard boxes for coffee tables!  I would simply change out the fabric or paper on them as I so desired.  It really helped distract me from the awful saggy couch we had and brightened the room!

Of course, ideally, one would have an upholsterer perform this task, but I do think it would be a fairly simple DIY with some planning and patience.

What do you think of ribbon trim on upholstery?  Love it or leave it?

P.S.  If you need a good laugh today, you should head over to this post on Emily Henderson’s blog (you may recognize her from HGTV where she hosts her own show, “Secrets from a Stylist”), and read her BFF (also on the show) Orlando Soria’s male perspective on Alt.  Hilarious!

from left to right: Gabrielle Blair (blogs at DesignMom.com), Emily Henderson (HGTV’s Secrets from a Stylist, blogs at StylebyEmilyHenderson.com), me, Jenny Komenda (blogs at LittleGreenNotebook.blogspot.com)