How To Make A Slipcover For An Ottoman Or Coffee Table {Ikea Style}


What to hear a shocker? I want my living room to be more white. I know, I know. Right now, it just seems to be all the same creamy color. My walls are the same color as my couch which is the same color as my ottoman, rug, and carpet. My own fault for picking cream things. I'm really going to paint my walls...eventually. But until then, I'm in the process of trying to get my furniture not so creamy and little more white. I am in love with Ikea's white slipcover furniture, and would love it more to buy the sectional. But right now, it doesn't make any sense to do that. I have a perfect couch that I love. I can't slipcover my couch (I could try, but it wouldn't look pretty) so instead, I'm made a slipcover for the ottoman. Here's the ottoman before:
How to make a slipcover for an ottoman or coffee table. Great way to get that cute Ikea slipcover look!
 I got it for around $30 a few years back (score! I know) and it has seen better days after having a toddler and my husband not care about what they put on it or where they wipe their hands...mainly the toddler on that last one :) So, now with a slipcover, I can wash it when it gets too dirty...or just keep it stashed away until company comes over and throw it on to pretty things up.
How to make a slipcover for an ottoman or coffee table. Great way to get that cute Ikea slipcover look!

 I'm not a seamstress or an upholsterer...so, trust me, if I can do this, anyone can. It's all about straight lines and two important concepts. Measure twice, cut once. And doing everything inside out.

Since my ottoman is a perfect square, it made things really easy. The top measured 33x33 and the sides 17x33. So, I made one cut of fabric for the top at 35x35 and the sides at 24x35. I then laid the top on the ottoman first and secured the sides to the top with some pins.
How to make a slipcover for an ottoman or coffee table. Great way to get that cute Ikea slipcover look!
 I took the empty shell off and sewed a half inch seam where all the pins were.
How to make a slipcover for an ottoman or coffee table. Great way to get that cute Ikea slipcover look!
 Next were the sides. No need to pin them down on the ottoman (you can if you want). I just lined them up sewed a half inch seam 12 inches down and stopped.
How to make a slipcover for an ottoman or coffee table. Great way to get that cute Ikea slipcover look!
 At that 12 inch mark, I then folded the fabric and pinned it in place on the side that is going to be outside not inside.
How to make a slipcover for an ottoman or coffee table. Great way to get that cute Ikea slipcover look!
 I then sewed it in place, creating an 1/8th seam. It ended up looking like this when it was done. It creates a cute little permanent pleat.
How to make a slipcover for an ottoman or coffee table. Great way to get that cute Ikea slipcover look!
Next was to hem everything below the pleat. I just folded the seams over and hemmed it about half an inch once again.
How to make a slipcover for an ottoman or coffee table. Great way to get that cute Ikea slipcover look!
 I then folded the bottom half all the way up to the pleat creating a pocket fold and sewed it in place. I like the way the hem is big and you can see it in the flaps.
How to make a slipcover for an ottoman or coffee table. Great way to get that cute Ikea slipcover look!
 I then went an extra step and pinched the top seam and sewed an 1/8th inch line around it. It creates a more 'done' look than just leaving the seam as is.
How to make a slipcover for an ottoman or coffee table. Great way to get that cute Ikea slipcover look!
 I love how it turned out! If I were to do it again, I would raise the bottom pleat a little higher. But all in all, I'm happy with how this turned out!
How to make a slipcover for an ottoman or coffee table. Great way to get that cute Ikea slipcover look!
 It only took an evening to finish, and that was with dinner, riding bikes, playing, etc. So, making the cover could totally have been done in like 2 hours.
How to make a slipcover for an ottoman or coffee table. Great way to get that cute Ikea slipcover look!

 The best thing about this, is that if you crave that cute Ikea white slipcover look, and you have a coffee table, you can still just as easily make a cover for it :) Because....why not?

I love how this brightened up the space just that much more! And how it's completely breaking up the creamy yellow that I hate. Now, eventually, instead of everything being cream, it will probably be all white :) lol
How to make a slipcover for an ottoman or coffee table. Great way to get that cute Ikea slipcover look!
I got this fabric from Hobby Lobby. I think it's like white denim. Cost was $6 a yard. I used about 3 yards to make it. So, $24 for the cover! As you can see, I also added some white pillows to my couch that I made out of the same fabric to unify things.

Pin Later:
How to make a slipcover for an ottoman or coffee table. Great way to get that cute Ikea slipcover look!

4 comments

  1. wow i am impressed, i have a sewing machine, had it for years still looks brand new and is in box with the original styrofoam lol i really need to learn how to sew xx

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  2. It looks great! I'm always so envious of people with white living rooms and white couches... I live with 3 dogs and a man who's probably the clumsiest man on earth. I'm way too scared to go white!

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  3. This is super cute. I am also obsessed with white, but would even be happy with vanilla. I have a 38x38 leather ottoman and I am going to try this. I just ordered a new down sofa and love seat from birch lane and really wanted a white/cream color but with two teens and two dogs, I just couldn't do it. Ended up going with a charcoal color but want to brighten up the room with a white ottoman. Thank you for posting this. I am going to try it out.

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  4. Looks great - when you sewed the extra 1/8th seem at the top, did you do that on the underside of the seem? I would like to do the same thing.

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happy DIYing! Alicia