I must first say I have no experience -- only an opinion.

#1 is far and away my favorite. I think it is simply gorgeuos.

I LOVE #6. It is so interesting and rich.. but not seeing it in this room and with this rug.

#1 Taupe Basketweave Chenille
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#2 French Blue Chenille
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#3 Salmon Soft Chenille
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#4 Heavy Chenille Stripe
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#5 Olive Chenille Stripe
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#6 Heavyweight Garnet Kilim Chenille
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COTTON DUCK:

#7 Khaki Cotton Duck
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#8 Pecan Cotton Duck
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squirrel: You are just such a sweetheart. What would we do without you???

funkyart: I love #1, too. I was just uncertain whether it was too formal for my room. And I know #6 doesn't really go, but I wanted everybody to see it, just because it's so beautiful. I'm such a textile freak. :)

What i love about #1 is that it is gorgeous and elegant.. but cozy and casual enough to invite you to curl up on it in your sweats and ragg wool socks.

I put them each next to your room photo/rug.. #1 just made me smile and think "ahhhhhhhhhh".

funkyart: My worry is that 12 yards won't be enough. :(

Ahh.. well, I can't help you there. At least there's no pattern or nap to match.. but you do have a skirt and the ottoman. Can your slipcover guy give you an estimate?

I'll be honest, none of the others got me excited. I think the sage stripe would be ok but nothing special. The other light colored chenille was the same for me. OK. Nothing special.

I have to crash-- I have to be back up at 5:30 am. I'll check back tomorrow night. (I am back to work also-- and not happy about it.)

The heavy chenille stripe, no question. (#3 in your original listing, #4 in the pix). It has a bit warmer tone to it, and more interest. Seems to be a better fit with the warmer colors in the rug and furniture.

I love the salmon, but would use that for accent pillows. The blue is pretty, but feels kind of modern and perhaps too cool and light for the room. The other fabrics just seem, well, flat to me. Oh, except for the kilim, of course. But that would make a great valance on the window, and a great cushion for the desk chair.

funkyart: Sleep well!

les: I like that, just not sure if I love it. I also keep thinking of the dogs, who love to sleep on this sofa. What do you think of these (this is the last set)?

1)
http://cgi.ebay.com/12-Y-FRENCH-BLUE-N-BROWN-BASKETWEAVE-UPHOLSTERY-Fabric_W0QQitemZ140258225164QQihZ004QQcategoryZ943QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

2)
http://cgi.ebay.com/20-y-ROBERT-ALLEN-SUPERB-MOSS-LINEN-UPHOLSTERY-Fabric_W0QQitemZ140257614866QQihZ004QQcategoryZ943QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

3)
http://cgi.ebay.com/25-y-ROBERT-ALLEN-CRIMSON-BOUCLE-UPHOLSTERY-FABRIC_W0QQitemZ140257607246QQihZ004QQcategoryZ943QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

4)
http://cgi.ebay.com/22-Y-QUAKER-LEMONGRASS-SOFT-CHENILLE-Upholstery-Fabric_W0QQitemZ140257625416QQihZ004QQcategoryZ943QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

5)
http://cgi.ebay.com/17-5-8y-CAMEL-HERRINGBONE-MICRO-FIBER-UPHOLSTERY-Fabric_W0QQitemZ140257609578QQihZ004QQcategoryZ943QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

http://www.designersketchbook.com/calculators/c_upholstery/#
I found this but Les is so good at this, who needs this calculator but let's think about it when she is working should we need it.

#1 was my favorite but not enough fabric, so why did you let me see it and imagine your rug with it and your lovely room done in that only to dash my hopes when I knew there was not enough fabric. :)

I think duck might be a good thing with dogs, but I love #6 so much. I would probably get #6 and wish I had gotten the duck cloth. That's just me.

OSH: If you're hearts set on #1 you can always use cotton in the same shade for underneath the seats. You won't be able to see it. Are the back cushions also removable? You can do the same there. I really like #1 and #4 from the pictures squirrelheaven posted. I've included a few pictures to show you what I mean about using another fabric. My sofa is all one fabric but with my next set of slipcovers I'm going to use a cheaper fabric underneath. It'll save me quite a bit of money in the long run.

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Too many choices, too many great choices. I love mossy gree but I am a fool about herringbone in most any color. The last one looks perfect.

I liked #1 in the fist batch. I really liked the crimson - but it didn't seem as peaceful to me.

I like # 4 in the first set, and # 3 Robert Allen crimson in the second set.

I like 1,4,and 5 in the pictures Squirrel posted. I know you really can't see the texture of #5 from the picture. But after using Robert Allen fabrics in my home, I know it's most likely far richer in person. The Olive will make the rug POP more.

I love slipcovers but I prefer them in a flat weave like a cotton duck, so that the piping and the slipcovers are the stars not the fabric. I also have to put in a disclaimer that I am not a fan of chenille.
I pick the khaki cotton duck # 7.

#1 is my favorite. #3 could turn on you with the rug - that's what happened with my terracotta chairs.

fwiw, also consider using a fabric that is machine washable.

I really love #6. But I'm sort of surprised no one else has mentioned this -- looking at a computer monitor/pic is one thing, seeing it in person is something else. I'd be worried about ordering so much fabric without seeing it IRL first.

I guess that the color on most of those last ones just doesn't do anything for me. The crimson is likely to read pretty red, given the name, so I would hesitate on that one. Love herringbone, but I wouldn't want it railroaded as it is.

I wouldn't buy anything, tho, until the upholsterer had told you the yardage he wants. Also, I am wondering if there isn't a local source for you, so that you can choose the color in real life? I would be hesitant, frankly, to choose fabric on line for such a major piece, unless I had already seen it and just was trying to find it at a better price elsewhere. But then that might be just me being too cautious.

I am wondering about this one. Perhaps a bit lighter in feel than some of the colors you have chosen, but it has the nutmeg in it. Wonder if it would be worth getting a sample?

You might try the housefabric.com site and just type 'chenille' into the search. Some very interesting fabrics. Would love to see you get something with some texture, rather than a flat duck or cotton.
calistoga nutmeg

Les, that is what I told her in an email. My sofa has to put up with three dogs and it's done in a cotton chenille. It's patterned, but reads as neutral from a few feet away.

I also agree that this is a purchase that should be researched in person. I do that, and when I find a fabric I like and know the name of, I try to find it cheaper online, if possible.

OSH, I know that you said the Fabric Center near you wasn't all that helpful, but if you can go there and just walk the aisles and get swatches of possibilities, seeing them in your light with your rug is really best. Don't buy any til you know how much you need, and that'll depend on the fabric repeat, if any. Check fabricguru, too, they have lots of chenilles, too.

Number 7 is my favorite.

I'm partial to salmon because I've had a salmon sofa I love for 18 years. However, I think I prefer a fabric with more woven texture like #1 or #4.

Thanks a million to all of you for taking the time to respond to this post. I heard back from the seller, who informed me that #1 and #4 are too heavy for a slipcover, and that I should stick with one of the other chenilles. I love chenille, but am hesitant because the sofa is currently upholstered in a chenille that has not held up well. I'm wondering how to tell a good chenille from a not-so-good chenille. Is there a certain type of fabric/fabric blend I should be looking for? I agree that the cotton duck is probably not the best choice. I will order samples from this seller and go to the fabric store, as sue, les, and my3dogs suggested, even though I quickly get overwhelmed in such places. There is a fabric store near my house that I will visit today.

mldao: Thank you for going to the trouble to post pics of your lovely sofa. The back cushions of my sofa are attached. Which makes me think that a slipcover might look weird? I don't know. It will all depend on how much it will cost, and what the upholsterer thinks. If it turns out to be too expensive to slipcover, I'll just wait until I can purchase a new slipcovered sofa to replace this one.

happytobehome: I love the salmon chenille, too. :) And there is definitely salmon in the rug.

OS, I don't know if you've seen this post from the furniture side.

Look at Dcollie's response. It's too bad that he had to leave GW again but he's started his own forum because of all the hassles here.

I know that the 'rub count' is very important but don't know if you can find that out when you buy fabric. If you can't, there's supposed to be a short cut that involves holding it up to the light and seeing how dense it is.

Here is a link that might be useful: dcollie

parma: Thank you for the link: good info. Do you have a link to his new forum, as well?

www.myfurnitureforum.com

This was listed as his new place. It's just starting out.

parma: Thank you!

OSH, re your reservations about chenille: we have a Flexsteel sofa in chenille, supposedly one of their hardiest fabrics, which is starting to pill and wear. No dogs, even, just kids! Yuck.

Have you thought about a velvet? Not the greatest with dog hair, I know, but some are better than others. Goes with your classic/timeless style. Relatively easy to find gorgeous mohair velvets on super-sale on the Internet, last I checked. And nice and warm during the Boston winter. Just a thought.

OS, I suppose you've already thought about this, but in case you haven't. Don't forget about the pooch fur facture. I see there were cotton duck fabrics in the mix. If I'm not mistaken that fabric loves to hold on to pet hair or am I'm thinking of another cotton? Just wanted to mention that being we live around our pets. LOL

You might want to think in terms of micro or velvet types that let go of the fur.

I'm actually considering Sumbrella fabric, if I can find one that's stylish enough. LOL

I bought a H&M chair from Duane and found him to be extremely helpful, and even when I bought some Sherill furniture from my local store he still answered my questions over on the old Gmail group forum before this new one was started by him. I bet he will be a great resource, even though he deals more in leather than fabric.

If it gives you any idea, I had another sofa reupholstered recently and it took 14 yards for the Lawson 3 cushion sofa, skirt and 2 pillows. I'm not sure how that would relate to slipcovers, though.

The chenille fabrics can be casual or formal, depending on the pile, and other fabrics and accessories you have in the room. I have a low pile medallion design chenille on the sofa in my formal living room. Chenilles definitely come in different qualities, as you've already noted. Many times you can't get rub count in residential fabrics, but you can take a piece and hold it up to the light while tugging on it to see how densely it's woven. Also, some information can be listed on the sample piece or they can call the manufacturer if you go with a local upholsterer.

Like the others, I really would encourage you to look at any fabric in person first, even if you end upi buying it online later. I just recently bought some gorgeous Richloom fabric from ebay, and while it's beautiful; it just didn't coordinate like I thought it would in my guest room. Fortunately it will work in our gathering room for valances and pillows. Even though I've once again ordered more without seeing it first,(I'm a nut for fabric too!) it's only 3 yards, not a large purchase like yours.

One thing I've learned (as I'm sure you know too) that even if you miss something online today, it's going to show up again fairly regularly.

Like Val's rug, good things come to those who wait and get exactly what they want.

Good luck on finding just the right fabric at a fabulous price!

Susan

I notice Les mentioned housefabric.com. They have great customer service and I received the fabric within 3 days of my order.

Susan

I just had my sofa and love seat slipcovered in a Waverly coffee colored linen look although it's cotton and poly, which I was told is the most indestructible. I have the same couch as yours and it required 18 yards of fabric and 14 yards for the love seat. There was no matching to be done as it was a solid. Check your measurements first. I got mine at Joannes fabrics when they had their 50% off sale so I only paid 22 per yard. We love them!!!!

Update: I won't be having the sofa slipcovered, after all. I just spoke with the upholstery guy and he said, basically, "Save your money." He said that sofas with attached back cushions look the worst with a slipcover. That I should forget even about buying a new sofa, hunt consignment shops for an old well-made sofa and have it reupholstered. Unless I'm willing to spend $3000-4,000 on a new sofa. Which, clearly, I"m not. So I guess I'll just try to make the one I have look decent with some new pillows. *sigh*

Thanks to you all for your caring and creative responses. xo

You certainly don't have to spend that much on a new sofa.

Smith Bros of Berne, Indiana, still make all of their furniture in the States. Kiln dried hardwood frames that are guaranteed for life.

We were looking at one because I've always liked our old sofa by them and I wish we had bought it.

With a basic chenille you'd be at a price point more like $1,500 or less.

Here is a link that might be useful: Smithbros

I couldn't agree with Parma more-- I am clapping wildly hahah. I was looking at a smith bros sofa when I bought my leathercraft sofa. I am so sorry that I didn't buy the smith bros. I swear it was the most comfy thing my bum had ever touched! It's all about how they make their cushions--the "sit" is firm but sooo soft and comfy. I didn't need the sales pitch or cut-away cushion to sell me... I knew I loved it the minute I sat in it.

I can't really give you a price range since I was looking at a leather sectional.. but do check them out.

I have seen SO many deals on high quality sofas since I bought my sofa in April. Furniture stores are struggling and offering good deals-- maybe it is different in your area but it would not be difficult to get something really nice for under 2000.

There aren't any deals on high quality sofas in my area.

parma: Where can I find a retailer who sells Smith sofas? There's no store locater on their site.

OSH, why can the upholsterer detach the back pillows? They are usually held on to the back with some heavy stitching. Granted, the backs of the back pillows are then not covered in fabric, just the lining, but once they are slipcovered, who knows?

Did you check out todoes.com? Lots of good words out there about them. Check out some of the great fabrics, and all the info about measuring, etc. Listen to the annoying robo-voiced chick, as she does offer some information (in her own oh-so-natural, computer-generated dulcet tones! LOL)

les: Thank you for the encouragement. The problem is that the pillows are attached to material that wraps around the back of the sofa: it's hard to describe. Another problem is that any slipcover would look strange, because there would be a variation of depressions between the pillows, depending on which dog is sitting where. :) It's okay, I don't have to have a slipcover. And anyway, now that I've had time to think about it, I'm not sure I want to spend $600--minimum (labor and fabric)--to slipcover a sofa I don't absolutely love. Maybe I'll just throw a colored fleece on the seat and be done with it. :)

I don't see the wear on the sofa.. but, ya know, a gently worn sofa, comfy pillows, a nice throw and a beautiful rug make for a perfect professor's haven. Some old classics and some new treasures.

And hang in there.. if anyone is going to hit big with a sofa on CL, it will be you. :)

I like the blue material in the first batch, but the colours on my monitor are not sharp enough to determine if they complement your rug. This may be a reaction to my "tired of taupe" malady of late!

Organic, my sofa had attached cushions just like yours and my tailor came and cut them off and covered them separately. They came out fantastic. If your sofa is a good one, I'd go ahead and cover it. What Les said is right. I didn't use Todos because I had already told the tailor that she would be doing them. I could have cut off the cushions myself, it was so easy to do. Your sofa looks like it's worth covering to me. I did mine because I don't like the looks of brand new sofas, I like the relaxed look of them broken in.

OSH: I just got in from a late b-day party here on the West Coast and I couldn't go to bed w/o knowing what you've decided. Please don't give up. I was in your exact situation a couple of years back and I know where you're coming from!?!? It's such a bummer and not to mention a complete let down. Please email me privately; I can give you my upholstererÂs email address (only if you want it). She is phenomenal, extremely reasonable (VERY) and more importantly, honest!!

She lives in another state but I can vouch for, she does quality work. I had to send my fabric and dimensions to her but it was so worth it!

Please don't feel presured. I love this forum and would never want to push anything down anyone's thoat.

OMG, I am such a night owl!!!

damje@cox.net
Ann

OS, I did some digging and found out that Smith Bros only has 350 retailers in 15 states that are within a 700 mile radius of their factory.

They prefer to keep their operational small as they do all their own delivery.

Sorry for the bum steer. :(

I can't believe it would cost $3-4K for a new sofa. Sheesh.... My LR one I bought with fabric for just over $1.5K at Calico Corners last year and even many of Ethan Allans sofas came in under $2K with similar fabrics to what you have shown above. Unless you are considering some designer fabric with a repeat that needs quadrouple yardage. What about the matalasse slipcover option--which would be less expensive (and so comfy esp. for you furry companions)?