Art deco cushion covers

Changing cushion covers is an easy way to not only breathe new life into your décor through accessories, but also keep up to date the with the latest style trends. They might be a small part of your room, but they have a big impact and you certainly notice the difference when you change the design of your covers. Drawing inspiration from the 1920s, Art deco is all about bold colours, geometric patterns and rich fabrics, so you ideally want to be aiming to go as decadent and as grand as possible with your design.

When it comes to how you want your custom cushion covers to look, it’s all about finding the right fabric. You ideally want something that sits in-line with the overall aesthetic of the space but stands out from the chair or sofa that it’s sitting on. If you want to stick to the art deco style, then the cushion covers are commonly made of soft fabrics like silk, velvet, and linen. They often feature geometric shapes and colours that are typical of art deco, such as mirrors, chevrons, and squares in shades of black, white, beige, and gold.

Start by giving your fabric a wash and an iron to avoid it shrinking or being damaged when you wash it further down the line. Then measure out a square on your fabric that’s two-inches bigger than your cushion pad, before cutting it out. Cut a rectangle that’s half the width of the square you just cut, but the same height. Then cut another rectangle that’s two-thirds the width of the square but still the same height. These two edges will form the back of an envelope cushion. Hem one long edge on each rectangle. Then lay the fabric right-side down and fold one long edge over 5mm. You can secure the fold using an iron, then fold over 5mm again. Press it again and backstitch 2mm from the edge.

Lay the front square on a flat surface with the right side facing up. Place the smallest of the back rectangles on top, with its right side facing down. Line up the un-hemmed long edge with the top edge of your square. Add the other rectangle right side down, lining up the un-hemmed long edge with the bottom edge of the square. Pin them together at the corners and once on each edge. Use a backstitch all the way around the cushion cover, staying 10mm from the edge. Give yourself a guideline with a pencil if you need help keeping your stitching straight.

Once you’re done with the stitching, turn the cover inside out using the envelope slit at the back. If everything is looking neat and tidy as it should, flip it back inside out again. Snip each corner off, around 2mm from the stitches. Now turn it back the right way round again and carefully push out each corner into 90-degree angles. It’s best to use a pencil or a chopstick to do this. All that’s left to do now is stuff your cushion pad in and you’re good to go.