FAIL: Couch Slip Cover

I'll repeat my interior decorating disclaimer that I shared in my FAIL: Pillow Shams entry: "I'll be honest, interior decorating is really not my thing. I have no concept of what goes together, what's in, what looks good, why we have certain items, etc." This is why 2 of my 3 FAIL entries are about interior decorating (and I could add to the Pillow Sham entry with yet another failed attempt at pillow shams. I might just have to spend the money and get an actual bedding set instead of trying to piece things together).

Anyway, my couch & slip cover story: the first piece of furniture I ever purchased myself was Dave the Couch.

Dave came from Goodwill and was a great couch for two years (well, except the fact that Dave was ridiculously heavy and the hide-a-bed fell out every time he was moved). I loved Dave because he had lots of CHARACTER and wasn't boring.

3 1/2 years ago, I moved into my current place and took with me a couch from my parents. This couch is circa 1994 and thus represents the decorating style of the early 90's. This couch doesn't have a name since it doesn't have a whole lot of uniqueness and character, but it is quite comfortable and is a fantastic nap couch. Unfortunately, the texture is such that when my Jack Russell decided to harness her inner feline and treat the couch like a scratching post, she began ripping out certain spots in the upholstery. Since the Jack Russell is no longer with me, I decided I could try a couch upgrade, but without buying a whole new couch. Let's try a slip cover!

In my brief furniture experience, I have seen some good slip covers and some not so good slip covers, so during my trip to the store today, I tried to channel every bit of my interior decorating memory and pick something that would feel comfortable, fit my couch and look good. I ended up choosing a brown one that had a checked texture, although by-passing the only interesting one in the aisle, a "red" suede cover (their "red" is deep magenta. seriously people. if you need a definition of "red", live in Nebraska for 4 years, then you'll know what "red" actually looks like.) So I purchased the brown one and tried it on my couch.
Here are my thoughts,

• Eh. I guess it's not horrible.
• It looks to me more like a 1970's couch than a 2010 neutral piece.
• It's really kinda boring.
• This has no CHARACTER!
  
• Hmm, I don't think I like this enough to keep it, especially since I'd have to drop a wad on blankets & throw pillows to spice up this blah.
  
• Maybe my other couch wasn't so bad.

So I'm planning on returning the slip cover (an easy task since I'm returning the failed pillow shams too). I did a little clean-up work on the couch which greatly helped the doggy-ripped portions look better. It's not going to make any sort of Good Housekeeping statement, but it's a seriously comfortable couch that works quite well for my living room, a room of fun, relaxation, chips & salsa, card games, movie nights, greasy popcorn fingers and naps.
I wish I could share a dramatic Before and After set of pictures that showed a slip cover changing my living room and bringing me into the next level of neutral-happy interior decorating. However, this experience did teach me that I appreciate this couch for it's semi-outdated print more than I realized. It does have some CHARACTER! I probably will get a neutral couch eventually since nice neutral couches tend to look much better than neutral slip covers, but until then, I will enjoy this couch for what it is- a couch I don't have to freak out about!

(and the alligator's name is Lary, yes with one R. he was a souvenir from my high school band's trip to the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans and is named after a bus driver)