I’m writing this post for Nathalie, who asked me:

Well, since you welcome questions….  I am thinking of having slipcovers made for my leather sofa (mainit kase). Do you know anyone? Thanks!!

Why, yes of course Nathalie and I am happy to share the info to a new Jakartan!

When I first saw my couch in Dunia Yogyakarta, I was ecstatic about the amazing quality of the teakwood and the clever L-shaped but modular design. However the color of the cushions were hideous! It was the worst shade of khaki I’ve ever seen in my life. A cross between molds and stagnant canal water. Ew right?

The upside was it was on sale because it was a display item (Did I tell you I am a fierce bargain shopper?) and the cushion covers were removable. I got a recommendation from a fellow pinay with amazing taste (That’s you Ange!), who had been living in Jakarta for a few years, while I on the other hand was FOB (fresh of the boat).  Below is the contact for Nicks Interior & Decoration.

Tips for shopping at Nicks:

• Look for Nining, she is the owner and she can speak a little english (it will be good to have a friend who speaks Bahasa to help you out or have what you want written down in Bahasa already)
• Bring a picture of your couch on your phone/iPad and have the dimensions so she can give you an estimate.
• I think they have 2 stores in Mayestic, one has expensive fabrics and the other has more affordable fabrics. Ask to be shown to the other store.
• You will be presented with expensive fabrics, but be honest about your budget and really look around the store and ask questions, so that you will unearth some cheap but nice finds.
• For couches they like to keep their standards high. If they know it’s not going to look good, or it will tear, they will tell you it’s not advisable – usually this is for couches that don’t have removable cushions.
• They really make slip covers that are so snug, that it isn’t obvious that it’s a slip cover. To do this high quality work, they have to work with your couch. They can pick up your couch from your home. I am not sure though if this is a free service because I brought my small-ish couch cushions with me when I went to their store since it fit in my car.
• Bargain, but don’t expect much. I notice that here in Indonesia, even in the market (where I would usually ask for a 10-20% discount in the Philippines) they only give like IDR 5.000-10.000 off.
• My couch covers were quite expensive because I really wanted this heavy duty white fabric that is water repellent & washable, while most of the heavy duty fabrics they have are dry clean only. I figured the cost of dry cleaning would end up making cheaper fabrics much more expensive than my onetime splurge.
• I cannot tell you how happy I am I got a water repellent cover, when someone has spilled a drink. I just have to quickly grab tissue and white it off, before it soaks – et voilà! Disaster avoided!

I am super happy with my couch covers and it was worth every rupiah I spent. (Fine, those darn pillow covers are pretty good too compared to the dark, opulent designs that were available in the malls – that cost USD 100 each! #WTH)

Hope you find this post useful Nathalie! And thanks for getting in touch with me. =)

Other product’s Nicks can make for you

• I’ve also had my throw pillow covers done here (the zippers aren’t that nice and their button holes are hideous) and they also sell throw pillows (not so great quality)
• They did the table clothes for someone I know and they were really happy with the results and the price.
• My friends get their beddings done here and compared to commercial brands in the malls, these are much cheaper depending on the fabric you choose.

Other Jakarta Shops that might interest you:

• Get clothes English-speaking service for alterations, maid’s uniforms and other custom textile needs here.
• Have folding mattresses and other custom textile needs here.

Nick Interior & Decoration

725 5341/1787 | Mobile: (081) 694 5509
Jl. Tebah VI No.77, Pasar Majestic, Jakarta Selatan, Indonesia (Beside Toko Maju)