Country Living Prep & Bemz

{FYI this is a sponsored post by slipcover company BEMZ, I rarely do sponsored posts unless they are in conjunction with local shops I work with but this collaboration with Bemz has been really good and I am excited to share with you..so keep reading if interested}

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The month of May has been such a blur, I am sure it has been for many of you as well!  End of school activities, field trips and programs and “prepping for summer” with kids home (and work needing to continue yikes!) and planning vacation trips around work. And then I had the workshop/Creative Class! And Country Living came to town the SAME week as the workshop. I know, crazy. But it all worked out of course. If you follow me on Instagram you know our home was shot earlier in May by Country Living and will be in a spring or summer 2017 issue.  I am so grateful and excited.  And it honestly worked out well because the photo shoot caused me to get a lot of little things done that made me feel more prepared to host guest here during the Creative Class. Also my friend Becki Griffin was the stylist and she and her amazing assistant Allison Pinkerton HELPED me get so many little things done.  It takes a village y’all and just like with the class, I am always eager to share credit where credit is due.  So many creative people that help me pull things together otherwise so much would never happen.

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{Becki on the right and Allison on the left..what a team!}

So because I knew Becki would be the magazine stylist on my project (I am so proud of her, her styling for Country Living and other publications has just taken off, she is so talented!) like I said,  I wasn’t too worried about the house.  She kept telling me to stay calm and “we will take care of this and that” so I was pretty chill.  (OK I may have sent them tons of links to different sources for new pillows etc but they were patient) in the end very little was going to be changed or brought in so I was chill-ish. Except for one area-my IKEA loveseats.

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Yep we decorators both love and hate our IKEA…and my IKEA ektorp sofas LIVE HARD! I have two sons and a dog after all. So how did I send up with these loveseats (or two seater sofas as they are called sometimes) Well when we moved a year ago I had given up my custom gorgeous linen sofas to frankly help finance the move (and because I wasn’t sure they would fit through the door of the new place). I replaced them with IKEA ektorp loveseats. One for each boy.  So no  “Henry is touching me” or “Drew just hit me” could be heard during cartoon time. The sofas were cheap and easy and great also with the new dog in the house.  Hunter would have gone no where near the previous sofas.  Sorry Hunter.  So all worked out. Until I realized COUNTRY LIVING is doing a FULL STORY ON MY HOUSE and I have dinky IKEA sofas. I am usually not a snob about things like this but I was just insecure about how the loveseats were looking.  Just normal insecurity/magazine is coming type feelings. And yet I hated to have a custom high end slipcover constructed for IKEA loveseats I don’t plan on having forever… Also there are TWO of them so custom slips would have added up FAST!  The editor graciously told me it was fine but I still just wasn’t sure.  Finally,  I checked with BEMZ!

These beautiful photos above and below are not from Country Living or my home but from BEMZ.

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This is all IKEA furniture y’all with Bemz slipcovers (for the most part, shot in a gorgeous setting with great props but still IT IS IKEA)!

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Have y’all heard about Bemz? They are a Swedish company and their country fits slipcovers seemed just what I might need to get ready for Country Living!

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And they have so many samples, but of course I knew I wanted light or linen colored! And I knew I wanted COUNTRY FIT like shown here . . .

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So I began to work with the people at Bemz and ordered four samples (pics below are from me;;)

1.Belgian Linen Blend in the Soft White (whiter more cream still heavy almost canvas very durable)

2. “Designers Guild 100% linen” in natural (a thinner but still durable “flax” look and feel not too dark)

3.  Rosendal Pure Washed Linen in Silver Gray (100% pure white linen)

4. Rosendal Pure Washed Linen in Absolute White (white 100% pure white linen)

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Top left is the heavy Belgium Linen Blend in white, next to it is Designer’s Guild natural (flax) look then bottom row is the Rosendal Pure line in white and Silver gray. And they mix so well with my fave paint colors (this photo below shows the Rosensal White on right, Designs Guild 100% linen on top left and the bottom sample is the “Belgium Linen Blend” in Natural..it looks very similar to a RH fabric we see a lot here on their outdoor furniture. If you are confused read more here and order samples..it really is fast and easy!  I just washed mine for the first time so I am excited to see how they go back on…I will say I got the country fit so they are very generous and GO ON LIKE BUTTER..no tugging and fighting to get them on like with regular IKEA slipcovers.

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I chose the Pure white 100% linen and I love well I have so far…about to see how they fit after a wash..I will let you know. I will also try to get some wider shots!

So I have showed you some beautifully styled photos of their products above  and now you can see what they look like on my sofa..now granted my cushions are beat down a little.. And this was before Becki and Allison puffed them up with a little batting for the shoot;;; But here you can see what a Bemz 100% linen slip looks like (sofa on right) compared to the regular $39 Ikea canvas slip. Now the Country Fit is loose but I like that, the IKEA slip’s skirt doesn’t even touch the floor.

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I just love the feel of the linen fabric and the long skirts and as Becki said “they steamed to perfection” for the shoot..though I doubt I will do that after every wash; She and Allison prepped them to perfection.

Oh and they are Hunter approved for their softness!  After the shoot he didn’t go near them for days it was like he knew but soon he was back curled up between the pillows!

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So there you go, thank you Bemz for helping me get ready for the Country Living shoot. This box came just in time! I love these fabric and the fit and this was a great solution.  They have 20% off today on their website !  Code is SUMMER20

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Be sure and follow them on social media @bemzdesign on Instagram and on facebook here. They have so many more gorgeous photos like the ones I showed here on their website and social media and their Pinterest boards and you can also get alerts on sales!

And watch my Instagram to find out more about the magazine article!

{Again, Post sponsored by Bemz!}

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Comments

  1. This was the first time I had styled Bemz slipcovers. I’m impressed! As you know, I’ve got Ikea furniture with their slips plus sofas with custom slips on them in my own home. The Bemz were fantastic and I thought they had a very high end feel to them. I’d love to see some of their print fabrics!

  2. You are too cute! I have never heard of Bemz so I truly appreciate the information! Your couches look great!

  3. I am so happy that you shared these covers! I have a pair of Ikea chairs, but they will look so much better in our home with linen covers!

  4. your home is beyond gorgeous Holly and the slipcovers on the sofas were beautiful in person! hard to believe they were IKEA! i wouldn’t have known if you hadn’t said. perfect timing on this post! we just got our first ikea sofa for the boys “game room” last weekend. while i won’t be getting the four hours it took for us to put it together i will be getting a new bemz cover 🙂 just sent off for samples 🙂

  5. Alison Connors says

    Thank you for sharing the info on the Bemz slipcovers. Could you tell me the name of the wall color in your living room where Hunter is sitting?
    Thank you so much! I so look forward to your posts and following you on pinterest. I love so many styles and designers, but every time I see your designs, I know that is where my heart truly belongs. Simple, classic and fresh, all wrapped up into one! I hope you are doing well!

  6. Congrats again on the magazine shoot! I can’t wait to see the finished piece!! Seems like I remember Tessa using one of these slips on her desk chair. When I need to replace the cover on our ektorp sofa in the playroom, I will definitely look at getting a slipcover from them. I hope Hunter made it into some shots. He is a beautiful pup. 🙂

  7. Thanks for the information!! I am about to buy two Ikea loveseats for our new empty nest house!! And I’m sure the Bemz info will come in handy! Also~ Congrats to you for the Country Living shoot! I can’t even imagine how exciting it must be. In our little area of the world, it ‘s common for the community to have holiday weekend events and sometimes House Tours are part of it. We’ve had two homes on tour over the years and OMG is that ever motivation to get things done on that ever present to do list! So for a magazine shoot, well I just cant even imagine the excitement!!!!! So happy for you! Mary
    ps Your True Blue Home reminds me of One Fish Two Fish in Savannah!! Wish we were closer I would love to visit!

  8. Marianne says

    Our two Ektorp chairs would be much improved with some Bemz linen slips. One day. Love the area rug and color of the walls. Could you share some pics of your home?

  9. this is a life changing solution! Ikea can be a necessary evil with young kids, but this totally elevates the look! Found you through Emily a. Clark. You are a true talent and I love your blog. Very happy for you for all that you have accomplished. After reading your blog and Becki Griffin’s, my mom and I are planing a trip to TX for antique hunting for my 40th bday. Any suggestions for shipping large shipments back to Virginia affordably?

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