Time for a reality check…we all have creatures creating messes in our humble abodes….dogs, husbands, cats, husbands, children, husbands, clumsy guests, husbands. (Did we mention husbands???) Although we belles strive to keep a fairly neat and tidy home, despite our best efforts, accidents and spills happen…usually on the most expensive fabric we own. Well, belles to the rescue!!!

Recently, one of us was forced out of her home and into a rental for 9 very long months. (Someday we may bore you with the saga if you show interest). Among the many tasks involved in getting the old homestead back in working order were repairing, replacing and recovering a substantial number of pieces of furniture. One such piece was the living room sofa.

This belle’s house contains two dogs, two daughters, and one spill-prone husband. So with a mandatory change on the forefront, we decided to make practical, yet belle-worthy choices.

This is where the idea of using high-end outdoor fabric came in…durable, stain resistant, and surprisingly luxurious, it just seemed to make sense. And although some of our suggestions might be a bit more expensive than other options, it is totally worth it knowing that a temper tantrum won’t ensue the moment a dog hops on the sofa, a child decides to eat Cheetos in the living room sans napkin, or the husband tells his best knee-slapper while serving red wine to guests who talk with their hands!!!

With outdoor fabric, cleaning is a piece of cake: mild detergent, club soda, or our particular fave, hydrogen peroxide, will remove most stains, spots and spills with ease.

Enter Perrennials…our favorite upscale outdoor fabric line. The website is open to the public and one can even order samples to decide which styles and colors suit your decor best. Once you know what you want, you will need a decorator to order. But…since you will have already made your choice(s), it should be a minimal cost outlay.

They have a terrific array of colors and fabrics…including velvet!!!

And pattern galore:

And what belle doesn’t like a little accessorizing??? They have trimmings aplenty:

So our first step into the perennials pool was both timid and daring at the same time. We wanted to keep it neutral (timid) in pattern so that we could add or change color when the mood arose. We picked a velvet because it is in the living room after all. And we picked white (daring) to lighten up the joint and because we wanted white…so there.

We chose “Between The Lines”…an elegant classic velvet which will stand the test of time and taste.

In the color way Blanca

Divine isn’t it?? Couldn’t you just eat it with a spoon?!? So far we are loving our foray into the Perrennials ocean of fabulous options.

Here is how it all turned out…several months in mind you….

First, a close up:

Gorgeous and still holding up like a champ!!

And now the panoramic view:

And there you have it!! So far we are most pleased. It has more than met our expectations. We know it will meet yours as well! One more peek just because we can…

Cheers!!
a&a