velvet sofa – The Interiors Addict

Get excited about staying in with OZ Design’s new collections!

Even if you prefer sunnier weather, if there’s one really good thing about winter drawing in, it’s the chance to layer up and get cosy at home, changing your look for the new season. As if interiors addicts need a reason to change their décor though?!

OZ Design Furniture have some beautiful new furniture in store this week to take winter interiors to the next level! As our thoughts turn to hibernation weather, our homes become our favourite place to stay in and have friends over. OZ Design Furniture have created their new collections for living and dining spaces inspired by the latest interior trends so whether you’re curling up and reading a good book or entertaining, home is the most inviting place to be. As usual, the brand has its four key looks to choose from: abode, global, coastal and arthouse.

This season, OZ Abode showcases how to create a relaxed feel which is also sophisticated and functional. It’s all about warmth and layered texture. Muddied hues of on-trend blush and deep blues create the perfect backdrop to allow the layering of multiple finishes and colours. Moody pastels are showcased through matt accessorising, thick weaved cushions and a hint of a luxe with velvet touches (my favourite!). Metallic and marble accents (these trends aren’t going anywhere any time soon!) and floral and abstract patterns in textiles, keep the look fresh and playful.

The ever popular OZ Global collection reflects cultural inspiration from around the world, where the combination of soft brown leathers, raw timbers and tribal colours is key. The sleek lines and soft tan leather of the Boulevard sofa combined with the rustic finishes of the new Penfold range are reflective of this look. Natural hides thrown over surfaces heighten the warmth and depth, and slimline silhouettes are given volume with throws, graphic cushions and a hint of leather. Gold and copper accent homewares and botanicals add to the raw, earthy and organic vibe.

PENFOLD COFFEE AND SIDE — Penfold coffee and side tables in clear lacquer and Boulevard sofa

Don’t expect any cliches from the OZ Coast collection! This is the beach vibe reinvented! With natural textures and whitewash timbers still being at the heart of every coastal setting, this season OZ Design Furniture show a different take by styling neutral tones with hues of grey, complemented by muted pastels. The use of basket weaves, linen and thick knit wool throws creates a sense of warmth. Another distinct look comes from the use of rustic brown timbers with muted greens and over-scaled botanicals to create a tropical room setting. We love the light and bright Darby dining setting (pictured below).

DARBY DINING SETTING — Darby dining table, chairs, bench and buffet in white/chocolate and Darby bookcase in white

OZ Arthouse is an eclectic blend of mid-century style with a contemporary edge. This season, the collection is about the balance of sleek lines and light timbers, complemented with accents of monochrome and pastel to create a modern and refined room. Check out the new Violet dining setting, Marilyn buffet and Porto desk. The Scandi influence is very obvious, and works perfectly with geometric, faceted, copper and organic finishes in accessories.

VIOLET DINING — The Violet dining setting

Find out more and/or shop online

If you haven’t already, you need to know about Comfort Works. They sell slip covers in a huge variety of textiles, colours and patterns, to get your tired sofa looking like new again for a fraction of the cost of replacing it. It’s not only cheap, but great for the environment. And it all happens online (you can order up to eight free swatches).

They supply handmade covers for almost all the IKEA sofas and armchairs as well as a few Pottery Barn ones. Before too long, they promise to offer a custom service too, to suit pretty much any sofa. This appeals to me for so many reasons. I’m fickle, so I love the idea of being able to change up my couch for a few hundreds dollars every couple of years (yes, I know you should buy big items like sofas in neutrals, but we don’t always make the wise decisions). I’m currently loving the trend for velvet lounges and Comfort Works offer a variety of velvets as an option.

It’s also a great solution for those on a budget who might pick up a pre-loved couch on eBay and want to give it an easy makeover before they put it in their home. If you have kids and want to protect your sofa from spills and burp-ups for the next 12 months, here’s your answer! And then there’s the people with a ridiculously lived-in couch that has seen better days but they can’t bear to part with it because it is so comfy, even if it does look sorry for itself.

Last year, I partnered with Comfort Works, which is an Aussie business, to help my friend Amanda make over her sofa (I like to be able to vouch for quality before writing about things like this). She hated the colour of her IKEA lounge but, in the middle of saving for her wedding to Scott (incidentally, I was the MC and it was a stunning day!), couldn’t justify a new one. They were really happy with the result (shown below).

You can see many other people’s transformations on their flickr.

Amanda's new look lounge — Amanda’s new look lounge

“We had bought the IKEA couch during a short period overseas with the intention of selling before we left. We ended up leaving earlier than planned for Scott’s work purposes so the company helped ship everything back to Sydney,” Amanda said. “The blue wasn’t a colour that was going to work with what I planned for the room, and the couch itself was absolutely fine so it seemed a waste to buy a new one when all I had wanted was to change the colour to grey!

“The option to have a cover which was going to fit perfectly was a winner. I was so happy when we got it. The material was strong and durable and the pieces fit each part of the couch like a glove! I couldn’t believe how they had worked out exactly the best way to have the piece fit; elastic in the right spot, velcro here and there. It looked like a professional upholstery job when we were done with it.

“I got to keep the couch but upgrade it. When this one wears out down the track or we change colour schemes, we have the option to replace it again! Brilliant.”

If you’re feeling brave, you might want to try their new addition, a DIY tufting kit which also works on upholstered headboards. You could use this on an existing sofa or in conjunction with a new slip cover.

You probably want to know what the catch is? Hard to say, as international shipping is free (well, refunded in full when you post a photo of your sofa transformation on their Facebook Page, which is smart marketing!), they recently won a Houzz award for great customer service, and you can expect to wait just four to six weeks for your sofa covers (a lot quicker than waiting for a brand new sofa these days!).

Discover Comfort Works for yourself.

Disclosure: Comfort Works provided Amanda’s slip cover free of charge for review purposes. Positive coverage was not guaranteed.