White Sofas | Review Of My Pottery Barn Slipcovered Sofas
White sofas often get a bad rap for being hard to care for with daily life. In this post I’m sharing an honest review of my Pottery Barn Slipcovered Sofas that we have had in our beach home for 4 years now. You can find the PB Sofa by clicking right > HERE <
I’m often asked about how I live with so much white in my home. I have to say that I keep a VERY clean home environment and by utilizing a few mantras it’s pretty easy. In our beach home, we aren’t here full time and from the get-go I decided that it would be easier to keep clean if it was clutter free. We have had this place for 16 years now and I’ve tried to stick by that and it does make sense. As for white…in both homes we have opted for white upholstered furniture and everything is either slipcovered or constructed with heavy duty fabrics that can be spot cleaned. In the bedrooms the sheets and blankets are always white, and I’ve talked about that more in THIS POST. If you stop and think about it, white shows us where the dirt is and that makes it a no-brainer for washing or spot treating. Darker colors get just as dirty, or possible more..since the dirt is hidden! My husband’s office at the house has a darker sofa and I try and stay far away!
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Pros Of White Slipcovered Sofas
- Easy to keep clean, just toss in the wash and dry until slightly damp. Then put on the cushions and they will be less wrinkled than if you dry completely.
- You can easily see where the dirt is. Spot treat if necessary and wash when they need more help. I find that the areas where your calves rest show the body oils and then I know that it’s time.
- White slipcovered sofas have a relaxed appeal, They are perfect for many decorating styles from a coastal theme, modern farmhouse or French country as well.
- I cannot find any cons for owning white slipcovered sofas to be honest, unless you don’t like a relaxed somewhat wrinkled vibe.
White sofas are in both of our homes and yes, these pups are allowed on the furniture. In THIS POST I shared a hack for protecting the seats and show how to make sofa covers easily. While my kids are grown and I don’t have to deal with grape juice spills and chocolate faces, we do have those three dogs and entertain and have guests. Couch slipcovers can go in the laundry and on my Pottery Barn slipcovers I wash them when they are looking dingy.
This is not sponsored and I purchased these Pottery Barn Slipcovered Sofas with my own money. In our living room at the Miami house my white sofa that is the button tufted French style piece has a slipcovered cushion. I knew that I wanted the same durability as that, and when we went looking for a new sofa and loveseat for our beach home it had to be white cotton twill. While it’s not one of today’s “performance fabrics”, it does perform and hold up beautifully and is very heavy duty. I suggest when you are looking for couch slipcovers you go for something like a twill or a white denim. These are the precursors to performance fabric and will stand the test of time from my experience.
PB White Slipcovered Sofas vs. IKEA (Ektorp)
We did go to both Ikea and Pottery Barn and try out the sofas in person. There is no comparison and I do love Ikea, but their furniture quality simply cannot compare to PB. My mom gave me the advice early in my marriage to buy the best quality sofas and beds that you can afford and I agree wholeheartedly. The rest she said…it doesn’t matter as much in terms of quality, since you won’t be depending on your nightly sleep or sitting when you want comfort and durability. My mom perhaps was a bit ahead of her time, as I recall slipcovers on our living room furniture growing up. One set was a velvet for cooler months and one set a twill. Pottery Barn slipcovered sofas are made to order in the U.S. and we selected down-blend-wrapped flame-retardant-free cushions for a softer feel. Quality often comes with a higher price, so we saved up for these and purchased them when we could. PB often has sales, so look for that and strike while the iron is hot!
We purchased the PB COMFORT ROLL ARM SLIPCOVERED SOFA in the Sofa Size and the Loveseat Size. As mentioned they are super comfortable and have a relaxed look. If you are looking for complete perfection and don’t care for wrinkles, then I would say to look for something more structured. These are relaxed and have that perfect beach house vibe that we love.
Suggested Care And Maintenance
- Rotate cushions and vacuum regularly.
- As with all fabrics, to prevent fading keep out of direct sunlight.
- Blot spills immediately with a clean white rag, towel or sponge.
- Spot treat with something like Oxyclean when necessary.
- When necessary, machine wash in cool water, tumble dry on low and put slipcovers back on when slightly damp.
Those are my suggested care instructions and I don’t claim to be an expert, therefore can’t be held accountable if this doesn’t work for you. It has worked for me and the sofas have been holding up great for the four years that we have owned them! I also love white sofa for the ease of adding in any decorating accents and styling for the seasons. Simply add seasonal flowers (peonies and hydrangeas in this case), a soft cozy throw, perhaps a tray and some books on your coffee table and you are good to go.
Would I recommend the PB COMFORT ROLL ARM SLIPCOVERED SOFAS? Definitely a YES on that and if you have a chance to get into one of the Pottery Barn stores, I would recommend testing out the comfort on your own. I’m here to answer any questions that you may have from my experience as well!
I absolutely agree! I have loved my PB white sofa for over 10 years. So easy to care for and i appreciate the versatility.
Good to hear this because I love the quality of Pottery Barn.
Hi! I have had Four Seasons brand slipcover sofa and loveseat now for 7 years, also white. I have the rolled arms too and wash them even though they say dry cleaner and air dry them, they still look great. If it is just us at home I might throw a quilt on the one I lay on because my tan rubs off where my feet are. Don’t be afraid of white, I get so many compliments on them.
Thanks for the advice Janet on how to clean the slipcovers. I have an Ektorp chair in our bedroom and was thinking of getting the sectional sofa for our living room next time around. I just might with your tips!
So glad you enjoyed the post and found the tips helpful Catherine. I do love a clean home!
My husband and I like white cars. My sister and others are always saying “They show the dirt too much.” I had white cabinets for about 15 yrs in my kitchen and people would say, “They’ll show the dirt.” I repeated, as you do, “You can see the dirt and therefore keep them clean!” If you see a dirty white car, it doesn’t look as dirty as a dirty black one! Cleaning strategies do help keep me on my toes!
I hadn’t thought about cars but you are so right!
LOVE the freedom of white. After months of viewing The wonderful site of Shabbyfufu, I knew that was the direction I had to go when redecorating my LR.
After choosing subtle varying shades of white, I have a white slip covered sofa, a white French settee and a pair of white, patterned French chairs….along with oatmeal color carpet. Love it, love it. Now I am free to change my color palette at any time with pillows, a small throw rug on the carpet and a lot of chosen accessories in whatever color I choose for that time.
Since I am a real bargain hunter, it is an adventure to shop the consignment and thrift stores to gather accessories for my chosen ‘color of the month.’
My advice is, don’t be afraid to decorate white.
Thank you for the great comment Cassandra! It’s so true…white can be complemented by any color.
Hi Janet,
We have just bought a 3 bdrm/3bthrm, direct oceanfront, condo. I am looking at decorating it in an elegant, but coastal way. I love pottery Barn sofas, but would like the slipcovered sections to be a little more structured. Would you be able to recommend other sofas to me?
Also, we have a 5lb Yorkie… he is not the problem… my husband is?… are these slipcovers husband proof? Ie: spaghetti sauce….the question being, can you also bleach these covers?
Thank you for your time, and your very helpful blog!
Caroline
That sounds dreamy Caroline! I have worked with this brand and it is a more structured slipcovered sofa that is truly beautiful: https://rstyle.me/+9bCq6Bht5QJDPYhLcECMpQ
Something that I do on mine is to use white blankets on the seats that help keep it husband proof. Check out this post for more info: https://shabbyfufu.com/quick-weekend-projects/
Can you please tell me where you purchased your blue rugs and their names? Thank you! Terry
You can conveniently shop all sources at my beach home through the links on this page Terry!
https://shabbyfufu.com/shop-our-beach-home/
When we retired to Florida, my husband and I sold all of our dark furniture before we even left CT. We purchased a white sofa with Sunbrella fabric slip covers and two Pottery Barn Kid recliners (not slip-covered) once we moved here. I just love the look.
I think that a lot of people who retire down here want a fresh start, so that makes perfect sense!
I also have a PB white slipcovered sofa (the York deep seat), which has been great. I do iron the covers after washing, but they need washing very infrequently, which surprised me. I’m planning to order a set of velvet covers for the holidays, but I love the white!
I don’t mind the more rumply look (and hate to iron, lol) and love your idea of velvet for the holiday season!
I don’t own a PotteryBarn sofa but I have had my sofa and white, custom made slipcovers for 14 years now and I love it! I wash and care for them as you suggested. The good news is that I wash them maybe twice a year and they always come beautifully clean, looking like new. I had the fabric pre-washed/shrunk prior to having the slipcovers made and it really cut down on the shrinkage you can get from some fabrics. Mine is white twill and it has been so durable!
My Pottery Barn slipcovers are twill as well. Such a great fabric for long term wear!
I’m looking to buy an affordable white slipcovered couch for our new weekend home. Loved reading your review on this sofa! I’m going to go check it out! Thanks for all the tips!
Thanks Lauren! This our weekend home, and for major pieces we always choose quality. We tried them all and are so happy with our selection.
Hi, Janet! We’re redecorating our home in a coastal chinoiserie style. How do you think the class twill compares with the performance twill? Also, would you now order the down cushions or the memory foam? Thanks!
Hi Kelley! That style sounds amazing and I’d love to see it when you’re finished! I’m not sure that performance fabric was available when I purchased my Pottery Barn pieces, but I’m all for it. Love our twill though and have washed many times. Just be sure to dry on low and put back on when still damp because they tend to shrink if you dry too much. Our cushions are wrapped down, which I always prefer for comfort and “spring back”. Hope this helps
I am looking at the Warm White Denim, White Twill, or Performance Warm White; suggestions? Pottery Barn associates tell me the Performance is the best….Do you think there is much difference in the fabrics. It will be the main seating area for the family.
Sorry for my delay Michelle. I prefer a true white and that would be the white twill. Looks like and wears like a pair of jeans and is very sturdy. That being said, if you don’t want to wash slipcovers which can be a pain…performance fabric might suit your needs best.
Hi. Is the white twill a bright white? I bought the slip covered dining chairs from crate and barrel. They are advertised as white but they are not a true white. Lots of yellow in them. Thank you.
They are a true white twill.
I’ve saved this Janet as we will be replacing our downstairs sectional soon. I had already ordered some sample fabrics knowing the PB sofa was going to be my way to go and agree the white twill is a clean true white. The tip on removing from the dryer before fully dry is a huge help as I worried about the wrinkles and some saying they can shrink. White blankets to cover the seats for protection will look less messy than my blue ones thrown around.
I’m all in for the all white too:0) and my dogs are always welcome on the furniture…cause that’s where I am!
I own several piece of slipcovered Pottery Barn furniture. Both the PB Basic and the PB Comfort. The trick is to not buy so many pieces. Washing day can be long and arduous if you are washing much more than one piece. Also PB sofas are EXTREMELY comfortable. I love them all, but honestly, they’re being used by my kids now. I have two big messy dogs (NEVER BUY TWO BIG MESSY DOGS) and eight grandkids. So it’s leather for me right now. When the dogs get old and sleep all the time and the grandkids stop coming over, I’ll get my gorgeous, comfortable white sofas back.
I’m sorry but I will never recommend Pottery Barn. I heard so many wonderful things about washing the covers of the white sofa. I had to have one for myself. I made that purchase 10 years ago. When the sofa arrived, the slipcovers did not fit. They weren’t a little too small, they were a LOT too small. I immediately called PB and was told those were custom ordered and could not be returned. After speaking with supervisors and calling multiple times, I was stuck with a sofa that I couldn’t use. I’ve never shopped at Pottery Barn again.
I worked as a designer at Pottery Barn. One day a young boy came in with his mom and somehow got his hands on a bright pink highlighter. He then proceeded to draw on one of our sample white sofa slipcovers!! Happily, a little dawn liquid detergent and water took that stain right out. I’d confidently say PB’s slipcovers are husband proof. 🙂
I’m currently looking at purchasing the PB Comfort roll arm grand sofa and two matching chairs. We’re trying to decide between the memory foam cushions and the feather/down wrapped cushions. What type do you have, and how well do you feel they’ve worn over the years? I’m concerned about having to continually fluff the feather/down but also afraid the memory foam may lost its shape and get that rumpled look. Thank you for your help!
Hi Jenny! I can’t speak to the memory foam since I never tried that in sofas or chairs. I do know that the feather and down wrapped do not have to be fluffed since the feathers are wrapped and it holds the shape nicely. I’m very pleased with ours.