Sagging Sofa? Refresh Rather Than Replace.

There’s a time in every day when you want to kick off your shoes and sink into the welcome embrace of your favorite seat in the house. Over time, however, the well-loved and much used couch can show its age. If your once plump and lush sofa is looking more squished and sagging, follow these six steps to bring new life into your favorite seat. 

1. Snap a photo of your sofa.

While it’s always fun to admire your work with a good before/after visual, that’s not our goal here. Having a picture will help you reassemble the couch properly when you’re done. And if you’re going to spice things up with a few new throw pillows, having that snapshot for your designer or with you in the stores will come in handy, too!

2. Remove the seat cushions from the sofa.

The cushions likely have a zipper on the side that faces into the couch. Remove the covers. This is a good time to wash those! Just make sure you follow the directions on the tag. Go the eco-friendly route and air dry the covers outside. While you’ve got everything taken apart, vacuum the foam cushions and the base of your sofa. 

3. Inspect the frame of your sofa.

Is it in good shape? Are the springs looking worse for the wear? You may find the bones of your favorite coach are beyond your abilities to repair. If that’s the case, it might be time to find a new love. However, if the frame just needs a little TLC, one option is to place a sheet of plywood over the base of your seat. This will create a new platform for the cushions to sit on. Cut the platform to fit the base properly. Once you put your cushions back into place, you’ll never know the wood is there. 

4. Plump your back cushions up. 

Use Poly-fil batting and/or quilt batting to plump up the back cushions of your sofa. If the back cushions don’t come off the frame of your couch, they may still have a zipper at their base. That’s when you reach for the Poly-fil. Tuck generous handfuls of fill behind the existing pillow or foam. If you need help, use a ruler to get the stuffing into the corners and edges. Fill each cushion until you achieve your desired level of plump and comfy. 

If you can remove the cushions, wrap the foam with layers of quilt batting. Use spray adhesive to help hold each layer of batting in place. How many layers? That depends on how plush you want your seat and how much space you have between the existing cushion and the seat cover. You want your revitalized cushion to have a tight fit, but it still needs to get in the cover. 

5. Reassemble your sofa. 

Place the now clean and plumped cushions back into place. If you have any extra Poly-fil, freshen up your throw pillows before you place them back into place. Or take your sofa photo shopping, and pick up new throw pillows or fabric to make your own covers for the existing pillows.

6. Kick off your shoes and sink into your renewed, refreshed, favorite seat!

by Anjie Cho

The Sticky Secret to Painting Straight, Even Edges

You’ve spent time looking at paint swatches. You’ve hung your homemade poster board-sized samples on the wall, and then moved them to check your hue from various angles. You’ve spackled, sanded, and repaired. You’re armed with rollers and brushes and you’re ready to give your room new life with a fresh coat of paint. Right? Wait. There’s one more thing you need to do to paint like a pro: Tape. 

Let’s talk about this painter’s staple for a moment. A bit of magic, tape will ensure you get paint where you want it and not where you don’t. If you want clean, straight lines, you need to tape off your borders before you get started. 

The right stuff

Don’t rack your brain trying to figure out what you have at home already that might sub for the roll of tape in the paint department. If you don’t have a roll of this specific stuff, you’re going to need to buy one (or more). Painter’s tape is low-tack, which means it will go on and peel off without leaving sticky residue on your walls and trim. It also won’t pull away the finish you wish to keep. There are different tapes suited for specific surfaces. Read the label or ask the paint shop staff for help in selecting the right roll for your job. For example, you’ll find tape designed for multi-purpose use, as well as tape specifically designed with delicate walls in mind (think fresh dry wall or newly painted). To get off on the right foot, pick the tape that’s best suited for your job. 

Prep the wall

Before you stick the tape anywhere, take a damp sponge and wipe down the wall and trim. Let the surface dry before you proceed. The best painted walls start off clean, dry, and dust-free. 

Go long

You may think it’s more manageable to pull off several inches of tape and apply it to the surface you wish to protect. Not necessarily. Every juncture point is an open invitation for paint to seep through. On the other hand, you don’t want to peel off a huge swath of tape all at once. Work with 1 to 2 foot sections at a time. Be sure to overlap your tape segments to limit the aforementioned invite to seep. Don’t go too long, however. Pulling off large sheets can create sticky tangles and ineffective, overstretched tape that won’t lie properly. This would invite paint to bleed past your tape border as well.

Smooth it out

The goal of taping is a clean, sharp line. Make sure the tape lies flat at your border line. Press it down with your fingertip or a putty knife to secure the edges. 

Base coat it

To really seal the deal, use your brush to lightly paint a thin strip of your primer or wall color along the edge of your tape. 

Take it off

If you wait for your paint to fully dry to remove your tape, the paint may chip and create uneven lines. Start pulling your tape off when you put your brush down from the last swipe of color. Pull down and away gently at a 45- degree angle. If the tape isn’t peeling back cleanly, adjust your angle to 90 degrees and enlist the help of a sharp tool to cut (or score) the layer of paint between the finished wall and the tape you’re pulling away.

by Anjie Cho

One Day Refresh: Breathe New Life into Your Space

When was the last time your space got a makeover? Perhaps you’re longing for a new look, but lack the time to create and implement a complete overhaul of your room(s). Take a deep breath and listen to this. You can update any room in your home in a single day with these tips. 

Paint an accent wall.

Painting a full room takes time. There’s identifying a color you can live with, taping off the trim, coat one, coat two. You get the idea. Painting an accent wall, however, can be relatively quick and painless. Pick one wall you want to highlight. Look at your existing décor for the right pop of color to complement your primary wall hue. What colors show up often in your accessories? Use your favorite as a guide for your accent wall color. 

Add a rug.

Another easy update lies just beneath your feet: your floor. Whether you’ve got hardwood floors or wall to wall carpet, adding an area rug can update the look and feel of your space. Even changing out a rug that’s already there for something new will refresh the room. Here’s a hint: placing an area rug down and arranging your furniture around it can delineate a seating space. Or you can define a cozy reading nook in a corner of your room. Remember, the rug’s texture, color, and pattern can also help create a mood for the space.

Update your lighting.

How about a simple, often overlooked change that can yield dramatic results? Updating your light fixtures can be impactful! Something as simple as changing the light bulb to one with a soft, warmer glow can influence the ambiance of your room. Swapping out the lampshades on your existing fixtures can change the entire look and feel, too. If you really want to step things up, invest in a can of spray paint to bring a new look to your old lamp base. Or shop for a brand new, fabulous fixture that can be the centerpiece of the room.

Change up your accessories.

Odds are you’ve already thought about trading out your throw pillows and other accent pieces. You may even have considered updating your window treatments (great ideas, by the way!). Don’t overlook the difference that updating smaller accessories can make too. Pick up new drawer pulls to change up your dresser and end tables. Swap out door knobs and light switch/outlet plates for something new. In the bathroom, a new soap tray and toothbrush holder can be a good start. Changing up the towel rack (and the towels that hang on it!) can alter the room.

Pay attention to the details of your space and change what you can. All those little bits add up to dramatic impact!

by Anjie Cho