Popping in with a quick home decor update for you this Wednesday!

At my new place, I have a kitchen island that has a hanging counter on the far side to create the perfect little bar. I knew as soon as I saw it, I wanted to get three bar stools to create extra seating in my apartment for entertaining, eating, and, often in my case, blogging. I also knew I wanted whatever stools I bought to bring a pop of color into my space. Since my couch is a neutral color, I also knew it’d drive me crazy if the couch fabric gray and barstool fabric gray didn’t match exactly, so going with a colorful pattern was also a safe way to ensure there’d be no clashing neutrals.

Y’all—I did not realize how hard it is to find affordable, colorful barstools.

While I loved the look of the Serena & Lily bistro bar stools, the cost of one was my budget for all three. And, since I am a renter, there’s no guarantee I will have a bar in my next place, meaning the splurge definitely was not justifiable. After searching the heck out of One Kings Lane, Wayfair, Target, and All Modern, I was getting ready to settle on these fabric bar stools in the color Candid Moment Black, which while pretty, just weren’t 100% what I was envisioning.

Luckily, I discovered Rockin’ Cushions on Etsy. It’s a shop that makes affordable, custom slipcovers for IKEA furniture—including the IKEA Henriksdal bar stools I loved the shape of (!). Once I discovered this shop, my decision was a no-brainer. 

The process could not have been easier. I reached out to Michelle, the shopkeeper, and she let me know I could pick any fabric from fabric.com or find my own from somewhere else. I spent an evening searching on Pinterest for fabrics I liked—I had a lot of luck looking through DIY upholstery projects. That’s when I discovered the Palm Beach Fan fabric from Tonic Living. I knew it was perfect for my space from the moment I saw it!

Once I had the fabric selected, Michelle made me a custom listing on Etsy and purchased the fabric for me. Within two weeks—seriously way faster than I had anticipated—I had perfectly-fitting slipcovers for my new bar stools. I was so impressed with the quality of the sewing on the slipcovers and how quickly they arrived! They make such a big impact in my space, and I could not be happier with them. (PS—you can buy these covers for yourself here!)

PS—this post is not sponsored in any way, I just wanted to share Rockin’ Cushions with you in case you are looking for an affordable way to customize the furniture in your home.

PPS—one day, I’ll have an all-white kitchen ;].