Easy and Creative Ways Fix an Old Sofa

Stuffing Back Cushions with Foam:

How to Stuff Your Sofa | Fresh Crush

Saggy cushions is a common problem in old sofas. One of the easiest way is to stuff your cushions with foam to make them firmer and newer-looking! This can be done for seat cushions with zippers.

Recover Back Cushions with Fresh Fabric:

Before and After | Field Stone Hill Design

An easy way to freshen up the look of a worn-out sofa is to buy or sew new pillow replacement in fun fabrics. If your old sofa came with boring matching pillows, reuse them and cover them with beautiful fabric!

Add Lumbar Pillows In Different Colors:

Layering Floral Pillows | Little Green Notebook (Link no longer available)

Long lumbar or bolster pillows in a gorgeous floral or patterned fabric can go a long way for a simple and neutral sofa!

Replace Back Cushions with Decorative Throw Pillows:

A DIY Sofa Makeover | This Sorta Old Life

You could replace the back cushions altogether, especially if they’re crumpled beyond repair, with new pillows that fit the space. And don’t overlook another great tip in the link below: remove or staple back the skirt on a sofa for a more modern look.

Painting, Reupholstering and Slipcovers Ideas for Sofas

Painting Instead of Reupholstering: 

Painted Sofa | Design Sponge

If you hate the fabric and want to change the color of your couch and reupholstering isn’t an option, consider painting your sofa with a mixture of textile medium and paint! No need for upholstery paint when adding the textile medium to the paint of your choice.

Stain or Dye the Fabric to change your Couch’s Color:

How to Paint Furniture Upholstery | Biblical Homemaking

You could stain it! Sounds a little strange, but on the right fabric, it can be an improvement of the overall couch’s look! It’s an easy fix idea but needs a lot of creativity.

Use Chalk Paint to Conceal Imperfections:

Leather Sofa | Shades of Amber

Chalk paint is a surprisingly excellent paint choice for old, scratched-up leather sofas. When applied to old leather sofas, chalk paint can provide a fresh, updated look while also helping to conceal imperfections and general ugliness.

Be sure to seal it after painting.

Have Your Old Couch Reupholstered by Professionals:

New Old Sofa | With Heart

If you love the bones of your sofa and plan to keep it for a while, it might be a good idea to have it reupholstered professionally. Did you know that you can buy fabric at stores like West Elm and Crate and Barrel to use on your old furniture?

DIY Couch Reupholster with Drop Cloth:

DIY Couch Reupholster | High Heels and Training Wheels

You could save a lot of money by reupholstering your sofa yourself, with drop cloth (great affordable option for a tough fabric)! The new cushion covers can make all the difference.

Reshape Your Sofa to a Modern Look Beauty:

My Reupholstered Retro Sofa | Everyday Grays

If you have reupholstering experience, consider subtly altering the sofa’s shape during the process to insert a more modern look and improve its overall aesthetic appeal.

Add Buttons on the Back Cushions and Add Sofa Legs:

How to Reupholster a Sofa | Do It Yourself Design

You could also add buttons on the back cushions after you reupholster your old sofa– check out this impressive before-and-after picture for inspiration. You could also consider updating the sofa legs for a transformative touch. Adding new legs can modernize the profile of the sofa and make it more comfortable.

DIY Sleeper Sofa Reupholster:

Mrs. N’s Sofa | Hello Yellow House

Here’s an inspiring makeover of an old sofa that was found free on the curb! A great tutorial to follow if you need to reupholster a sleeper sofa. You just save your time and money for Ikea trip. Lovely!

Alternatively, if Ikea still sells the sofa, you might be able to just buy an new Ikea sofa cover, so be sure to consider that option.

DIY No Sew Temp Sofa Cover:

DIY No Sew Temp Sofa Cover | MossyJojo

If you only need to replace the fabric on select cushions (for example, due to a sharpie “accident”), you could cover only a few cushions with a cool fabric for a fun look!

Cover Up your Sofa with Blanket or Sheet:

Casually Draped Sofas | Atlanta Barlett | via Desire to Inspire

Need to cover up your sofa immediately, with no fuss? Try draping a blanket or sheet over the sofa for a cozy, casual look.

Invest in a Good Slipcover for your Sofa:

Ten year Old Sofa Makeover | The Yellow Cape Cod

For a more tailored look, invest in a slipcover for your sofa. The trick is to find one that fits your sofa well and finding a seamstress (or doing it yourself) to give it a tailored look with custom back cushion covers and other modifications.

Customized Slipcover Tutorial:

Slipcover Instructions | Remodelaholic

Here’s another great custom slipcover tutorial, this time for a chair. You’ll still find some great tips from this tutorial!

Special Slipcovers for Different Seasons:

Turquoise Slipcover | Tatertots and Jello

Whether you decide to have a seamstress complete your slipcovers or DIY it yourself, consider getting a second set of slipcovers for certain seasons.

Check out this gorgeous and fun turquoise sofa slipcovers that are perfect for summer!

Match Your Sofa Slipcovers with the Furniture:

Using Custom Made Slipcovers | Remodelaholic

What if your old sofa isn’t the only style offender in your living room — maybe you’ve got a mismatched hodgepodge of furniture or outdated coffee table? Slipcovers and new throw pillow to the rescue!

Hardware and Decorative Sofa Updates

 Incorporate a Bullion Fringe Trim to your Old Sofa:

Upholstery Ideas | One Kings Lane

Take your couch from sad and tired to fabulous and exciting with the addition of bullion fringe trim! Definitely a fun look that can be easily done with some fabric glue and pins.

Use Wooden Columns to Make a Beautiful Sofa Legs:

Custom Couch Legs | Make it & Love It 

Wooden columns, cut down and stained, also make beautiful legs for your old sofa that will transform the look of your entire couch.

Turn your Old Sofa into an Outdoor Sofa:

Here’s a crazy but awesome idea – grab that tack puller and pliers, strip down your old sofa to its wood frame, build it up a bit with plywood, and then move it outside!

Yes, you can turn your old sofa into a outdoor sofa to catch some fresh air outside the comfort of your home.

With all these various ways fix an ugly sofa, or bring new life to an old sofa, you might be able to put off a new sofa purchase for a long while! That’ll allow you to save up for the most expensive sofa out there… or maybe you’ll fall in love with your old sofa all over again.

Have fun giving your sofa a makeover!