My new Kivik slipcover and a Comfort Works Giveaway!

Happy Sunday—this post is coming to you from a cozy spot on my new living room couch! Well, the couch isn't new but the look sure is. Here's the back story:

Shortly after we first moved in nearly a few years ago, we purchased this Ikea Kivik sectional in Teno Grey:

It was perfect and we loved it. But then I started updating the room, and my style began to evolve...

Still loved the couch, but the amount of greige in the room and lack of pattern was becoming a bit too plain for me. I was bored—ready to step out of my comfort zone and spice things up a bit. That and, well, there were a couple stubborn stains I couldn't get out. It was time for a facelift.

Luckily, a nice lady named Rachel from Comfort Works came to my rescue and offered to let me choose one of their fabulous slipcovers. Normally I decline these offers, but I couldn't pass this one up. I was like a kid in a candy store browsing through all the fabric options on their website...

My perfect dream couch is made of fluffy white cozy linen goodness... like this:

But I just... can't. I don't understand the logistics of this couch. In what world would it not be stained and ruined forever in one day? I mean, we're clean people and we don't even have children and it still would never work. Someone with a white couch please explain how you do it (without spending 3 hours a day on stain removal/laundry duty).

So anyway, after I let go of my white couch dream, I started thinking of ways to liven things up in there. I found some Pinspiration...

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Get the idea yet? STRIPES! I've always loved stripes, and what better way to take a risk than on a slipcover I can switch up when I need to?

So I requested my fabric samples—a mix of stripes plus some neutrals thrown in there, just in case:

In the end, I decided on 'Somerset Mint', which is the far right swatch with the blue & tan stripes.

I showed a closeup of my cover next to my new rug last time...

Meant for each other <3.

The other night I invited a friend over to help me swap out the covers. With my couch it required a little disassembling, and the extra set of hands helped on some of the tighter fitting areas (these covers fit nice and snug, exactly like the factory!)

And a couple hours later the room was transformed:

Can you spot the kitty?

I also switched out the pillow covers, and I'm really happy with the final results after everything came together:

I'll admit, I was slightly nervous at first about the change. Going from something that blends into the background to something a bit more in-your-face can take some getting used to. But the more I see it, the happier I am with my decision.

I think it feels homier. The room has more character.

The fitment is spot on, and I am so pleased with the quality. You'd never know the couch didn't come this way from the factory.

My new grain sack pillows feel right at home here...

I'm glad I took a personal risk—I think it paid off. I'm still scared of stains so I made sure to Scotch Guard it. Hopefully that will keep it nice and new looking so we can enjoy it for years to come.

What do you think of the new look? Does your couch need updating as well? Well, here comes the fun part. Rachel wanted to give one of my readers a new slipcover, too! And before you say you don't have any Ikea furniture that needs a new look... good news: they can make slipcovers for anything! Dining chairs, pillows, bench cushions, ottomans, etc. Any piece of furniture you have, just give them the dimensions and they'll work with you to make something  custom and perfect.

Check out these Pottery Barn dining chair slipcovers they made for Jami at Freckled Laundry...

Drool.

You can check out what else they've done in their Gallery or Facebook page. I'm so glad I found them, because custom slipcovers with super personalized service isn't easy to come by. I predict more of their slipcovers in my future.

Want to win a slipcover of your choice worth $150? Here's how:

First, visit the Comfort Works Facebook page and post a photo on their wall of a sofa/slipcover you love. It can be your own or an inspiration photo... just anything that shows your style.

Then, leave a comment here saying why you'd like to win—what would you want slipcovered?

That's it! The winner will be chosen next week and announced here on the blog. Competition is open worldwide (yay!)

I'm off to enjoy the rest of my afternoon and this warm summer day. Good luck all!

Brick fence decisions - please help!!!

We are getting our first brick fence quote next week, so this might, just might, be happening in the near future... Yet, I am still undecided if we should go with a 1.6m or 1.8m high fence, and 300mm or 600mm tall plinth/wall in between the brick pillars. What do you think looks better?

TOP: 1.8m pillars with 600mm plinth
BOTTOM: 1.6m pillars with 300mm plinth

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You probably need this tablet.

Being a blogger has its perks. One of them is reviewing awesome products from time to time, like this Samsung Galaxy Note 8 tablet that the kind folks at Staples sent me to fiddle around with. And fiddle around with it I did. After I received it in the mail a few weeks ago, I then proceeded to plant myself on the couch and play on it for three straight hours when I definitely should have been doing other things. But it has so many uses! Web browsing! Email writing! Book downloading! MOVIE downloading! (We have Netflix, so I've been watching my favorite shows and movies before bed at night, or reading e-books!) 

There's also a pen tool, which certain *ahem* Apple products do not yet have, and which I found very useful. There's a really fun Note application that has about a zillion uses - you can doodle all over photos or electronic notepad paper, send people memos or birthday cards... there are even templates for recipes or diary entries! I seriously got lost in all of the awesomeness for a while there, and I've found having the tablet handy is helpful for my photography business, as well. For example, during boudoir sessions I play Pandora radio from it and keep an inspiration gallery of images up for us to flip through for posing ideas if I run out. I also take the tablet to client meetings, to go over my contracts, portfolio, or to browse Pinterest ideas during brainstorming sessions. Pretty snazzy. 

Overall, I was super impressed with this tablet, and couldn't be more pleased with it. Coming from a Mac junkie, that's saying something. If you're in the market for a tablet, don't pass this one up! :)

*This product was provided to me by Staples for review, but all opinions are 100% honest and completely my own.* 

Tablet case from Nordstrom, also provided by Staples.


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