If you (along with the rest of the nation) have fallen in love with Johanna Gaines and the Fixer Upper Style, you might be in love with the idea of a white sofa. A white sofa is a classic element of the cottage or farmhouse style. They are bright and airy and so darn pretty. But, how does it work in the real world?
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This is my review of how my white sofa has held up over TEN years, with three kids and three dogs!
Back when we were B.C. (Before Children), I worked at Pottery Barn while I was in design school. It made for a great part time job. Yes, it was fun and I liked the people I worked with. The big draw though was the coveted POTTERY BARN DISCOUNT. Even with our meager newlywed budget, there were some great steals to be had. One of my favorites was the Pottery Barn PB Square Grand Sofa in a White Twill slipcover. It was a floor model so double the discount. But it was…white. Gulp. But my 6’-4” husband zeroed in on the “Grand” part…it is 7’ long! So we took the plunge and I am really glad we did. Here is our sofa:
We have had it over a decade and it has done its job. I know what you are thinking…that was BEFORE kids. What about raising three kids and three dogs with this sofa?
Now, I would personally NEVER go white if it wasn’t a slipcover.
Slipcover is the key word here. Also, Pottery Barn can be a little pricey, but it is a fantastic quality sofa. I haven’t compared it with less expensive fabrics, but if you are thinking about it, I would splurge for the thickest, best quality slipcover you can afford. And just a quick side note, the frame and the cushions have held up perfectly. Pottery Barn offers slipcovers in a multitude of fabrics, so we will eventually buy a new slipcover. Here is a real life shot of it…this is what it looks like before it needs to be washed:
There are other white sofas in the sea! Ikea offers a comparable sofa called the “Ektorp” that is about a third of the price. And I have read really great things about it! In fact, just a month ago we went ahead and purchased the sectional version of it! For the sofa AND a slipcover, the sectional was a mere $799, which I think was a steal. I bought it in the light oatmeal color AND the white color. Since I have only had it a few weeks, I can’t comment on the long term. But so far, so good. It is beautiful, comfortable, and I’m thrilled so far.
It hasn’t been perfect, but if you are thinking of going white…
PROS
- It lightens up the room and gives it a great cottage feel
- It is the perfect neutral for any color palette
- If you like to switch out décor with the seasons, a white sofa makes it easy breezy
- You really can bleach it to get out the stains
- It cleans up well: I have gotten out everything from marker to blood to mud to bodily fluids (you can guess with raising three children)
- It is easy to clean, just pop it off and throw it in the wash
- Every couch gets dirty, at least when you have a white one you KNOW its time to clean it, instead of pretending to sit on an “I’m-dirty-but-you-just-can’t-see-it” couch
- I’ve never been able to master the task of cleaning a spot on an upholstered piece
- It isn’t trendy, white never goes out of style
CONS
- It shows everything, there is no denying it. When we first had our babies I felt like every time I turned around I could see a spit up stain or grubby fingerprints. My eyes just zeroed in on it. I learned to live with it and flip over the cushion if a guest was coming. If that would drive you crazy, then white isn’t going to be for you!
- Over the years, there are some spots that never completely came out. If you came and looked closely at our sofa, you will see these areas
- If you are a perfectionist, this isn’t the couch for you.
- It is a pain to wash a slipcover and put it back on if you are going to do this frequently (however I still think it is better than not being able to remove it)
- With the years of removing, washing, and putting back on, I have had to replace 5 of the 6 zippers on my slipcovers. Again though, this is over a ten year period.
- TIPS
- Spot treat when you see it, even if you aren’t going to wash it right away
- It really is best to wash with a front loader
- Wash in hot water and bleach when they are really dirty. However, I wouldn’t bleach mine every time. Bleach does break down fabrics and weaken them. OxyClean works for a great freshen up.
- I NEVER dry them in the dryer. Not ever. It shrinks them and sets in stains. I air dry mine. This is the ONE piece of anything I own that I don’t throw in the dryer. I’m typically the “if you can’t throw it in the dryer, I don’t need it” kind of girl. This is my exception.
- In the summer, you can put them outside and let the sun bleach them out.
- In our old house, this was the main sofa and got a LOT of use. In our new home its our secondary sofa and I can go much further in between washings.
So, with this said, I’m really glad I have a white slipcovered sofa. My slipcover is on its last leg so when we replace it, I’m going to try to convince hubby to go white again. And yes, this is even after the dog ran across the entire thing sofa with muddy paws this week. Good thing I have a great washing machine.
Want a white sofa but don’t know what to put with it? This is a Coastal Casual Living Room I created for my friends over at Remodelaholic! See the whole thing, along with where to buy each item HERE!
And this is the 3D perspective I created for the same room. These white sofas really lighten up the space and give it that cottage vibe:
Do YOU have a white sofa? What do you think?
My philosophy is that I design each room for YOU. A white sofa may not work right for your house, but I’ll be sure to find the perfect piece for you instead. If you want to know more about how Postbox Designs works and how I custom design each space just for you, email me and we can chat some more:
Until then,
Jo says
I’ve read many posts from the blogs I read that a white slip covered couch is the way to go. You just have to know what you’re getting into. I’m curious why you said that you have to have a front loader to wash the covers? I’m a dedicated toploader fan and I have washed my down comforter blankets and even our feather bed in it and no problem. I did learn a trick from Brooklyn Blonde re whites and oxy you have to soak for 24 hours then wash with additional oxy. Check out her post re white shirts getting them white again, really helpful.
Love your blog, you have great style and their is a special place in heaven for Moms with dogs and white couches!
PostboxDesigns says
Ha! I love it…there IS a special place in heaven for Moms with dogs and white couches…my dogs can do more damage than the kiddos! That is a great question…I found that to wash the large part of the slipcover (not the individual cushions, but the one that stretches over the body of the sofa), that it didn’t fit in my top loader-it was too big. I tried washing it in a different top loader and the center agitator actually tore into the slipcover. Also, when I bought the sofa from Pottery Barn, they recommended only doing front loaders. BUT if you have tried washing a large slipcover in a top loader and it worked, then I stand corrected!!! 🙂 I’m still a fan of top loaders for everything else! So glad you found my blog…and thanks for the tip-I’m going to check that out! Cheers! 🙂