Custom vs Ready-Made Slipcovers: Which Is Right for You?

Thinking about slipcovers for your sofa, chairs or dining set but not sure whether to choose custom-made or ready-made? Both options can transform tired furniture, but they suit different budgets, timelines and room styles. This guide walks you through the key differences so you can decide what works best for your home – with plenty of help from Shiny Sofas.

Custom vs ready-made slipcovers – what’s the difference?

What are custom-made slipcovers?

Custom slipcovers are designed specifically for your furniture. A maker will work from exact measurements or templates of your sofa or chair to create a cover that fits like a glove.

• Made to measure: Cut and sewn to your furniture’s exact size and shape.
• Highly personalised: You choose fabric, colour, pattern, skirt length and details.
• Premium look: Often closest to the look of fixed upholstery.

The trade-off is that custom slipcovers are usually more expensive and involve a longer waiting time for measuring, sewing and delivery.

What are ready-made slipcovers?

Ready-made slipcovers are pre-manufactured to fit a range of standard furniture sizes. They’re designed with stretch fabrics and clever shaping so they look neat on many different pieces.

• Off-the-shelf sizing: Fits common sofa, chair and dining chair dimensions.
• Fast and convenient: Order today, fit them as soon as they arrive.
• Budget-friendly: Usually much cheaper than fully custom work.
• Plenty of choice: At Shiny Sofas you can pick from a wide range of colours, prints and textures.

How to decide: 5 key questions

1. What is your budget?

If you’re working with a tighter budget, ready-made slipcovers are usually the smarter option. You still get a fresh, stylish look without the price tag of bespoke upholstery.

Shiny Sofas offers ready-made slipcovers at different price points across:

• sofa slipcovers
• arm and accent chair slipcovers
• dining chair slipcovers

2. How quickly do you need a change?

Ready-made slipcovers are ideal if you want an instant refresh for:

• Guests arriving at the weekend
• A rental or home staging project
• Seasonal updates (for example, cosy winter colours)

Custom slipcovers, in contrast, often require weeks from measuring to delivery, so they’re better for planned, long-term projects.

3. How standard is your furniture?

If your furniture is a fairly standard shape – a typical 2–4 seater sofa, a classic armchair, or straight-back dining chairs – a ready-made cover in the correct size range will usually fit very well.

You might lean towards custom-made slipcovers if you have:

• Very unusual or vintage furniture shapes
• Built-in benches or bespoke corner seating
• Extra-deep or extra-wide pieces well outside standard measurements

4. How important is personalisation?

Love the idea of choosing every detail – exact fabric, piping, skirts and pleats? Custom-made slipcovers give you that full freedom.

Ready-made slipcovers still offer a huge amount of choice at Shiny Sofas:

• Solid colours and bold patterns
• Modern geometrics, florals and nature-inspired prints
• Different textures – from smooth stretch to cosy jacquard styles

For most homes, this level of choice is more than enough to create a look that feels personal without the custom price.

5. How much convenience do you want?

With ready-made covers you simply measure, pick a size range, order and fit – no fittings, no workshops, no long wait. They’re also:

• Easy to remove and wash (many are machine-washable).
• Simple to swap if you want a new colour or pattern later.
• Less risky – if you don’t like the look, you haven’t invested custom prices.

When ready-made slipcovers are the best choice

Ready-made slipcovers from Shiny Sofas are usually the ideal option if:

• You want a fast, affordable update.
• Your furniture is a fairly standard size and shape.
• You like the flexibility of changing colours or patterns over time.
• You need covers that are practical for kids, pets and everyday life.

With a wide range of sofa, chair and dining chair slipcovers, you can mix and match designs to refresh your whole living or dining area in one go.

When custom slipcovers make sense

Custom slipcovers are worth considering if:

• You have a unique or awkwardly shaped piece that ready-made covers won’t fit.
• You’re looking for a very specific fabric or high-end finish.
• You see the cover as a long-term investment for a much-loved piece.

For most everyday family sofas and chairs, though, a high-quality ready-made slipcover will tick the key boxes: protection, style, comfort and value.

How Shiny Sofas helps you choose

Shiny Sofas specialises in ready-made slipcovers designed to work in real homes:

• Size ranges that cover most standard sofas and chairs.
• Stretch fabrics for a neat, flexible fit.
• Patterns and colours to suit modern, classic, boho and family spaces.
• Easy-care materials that can be washed and refitted with minimal effort.

By measuring your furniture and checking the sizing guides on each product page, you can confidently choose a ready-made slipcover that feels almost custom – without the custom price or wait.

Conclusion

The choice between custom and ready-made slipcovers comes down to three things: budget, timeframe and how unique your furniture is. Custom covers can be perfect for unusual pieces and highly tailored looks. For most households, though, ready-made slipcovers offer the best balance of fit, style, flexibility and value.

Explore the collections at Shiny Sofas, measure your furniture, and you’ll be well on your way to giving your sofas and chairs a fresh new life – quickly, affordably and in a style that feels like you.

Links To Product Pages

Shiny Sofas Webstore: https://shinysofas.co.uk/

Sofa Slipcovers: https://shinysofas.co.uk/collections/sofas

Chair Slipcovers: https://shinysofas.co.uk/collections/chairs

Dining Chair Slipcovers: https://shinysofas.co.uk/collections/dinning-chairs

Throw Pillow Covers: https://shinysofas.co.uk/collections/pillow-covers