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Post by Jockscrap on Apr 30, 2016 15:14:08 GMT
I've just finished watching The Cobbler and the mother in the film had a clear, thick plastic cover over her settee. The only time I have seen this before was on a programme about traveller families, and the settees in their caravans were plastic covered. I've never seen this in real life. I don't think it has ever been a thing in the UK. Is it common in the US, and a generational thing? It seems such a shame to have something beautiful but never enjoy it as it is meant to be enjoyed. But then I'm not really a great believer in keeping things for best anyway, whether it's craft supplies or clothes.
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oldcrow
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,828 
Location: Ontario,Canada
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Post by oldcrow on Apr 30, 2016 15:17:51 GMT
This was common starting in the 1950's. Whenever shown on tv it was done as a put down.
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Deleted
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Sept 29, 2024 6:27:44 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Apr 30, 2016 15:20:06 GMT
I remember them as far back as in the early 70's. My parents had them and your skin would stick to the plastic when you got up. They also gave off this nasty plastic smell.  |
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Post by just PEAchy on Apr 30, 2016 15:50:46 GMT
I remember my grandma having them back in the 70's.
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gsquaredmom
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Jun 26, 2014 17:43:22 GMT
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Post by gsquaredmom on Apr 30, 2016 17:02:00 GMT
I've just finished watching The Cobbler and the mother in the film had a clear, thick plastic cover over her settee. The only time I have seen this before was on a programme about traveller families, and the settees in their caravans were plastic covered. I've never seen this in real life. I don't think it has ever been a thing in the UK. Is it common in the US, and a generational thing? It seems such a shame to have something beautiful but never enjoy it as it is meant to be enjoyed. But then I'm not really a great believer in keeping things for best anyway, whether it's craft supplies or clothes. My grandma had them on her 1940s couch and chair. When she died, no one wanted them so they were donated. Someone got them in perfect shape! My mom had them when we were little. It helped keep the new couch clean until they split at the seams. Five kids and plastic covers do not go together well. Then it was covered with sheets and blankets. |
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Post by gar on Apr 30, 2016 17:14:05 GMT
Do you mean the sort of plastic it would be delivered in? I can't recall seeing that but I did see someone driving their car the other day with the plastic still on the front seats. It wasn't brand new so they were just trying to keep it pristine I assume!
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Post by Linda on Apr 30, 2016 17:18:11 GMT
I remember those - old people's houses tended to have them in the early 80s (and they looked like they had been there for a LONG time)
Probably the same sort of reason why I bought a new couch/loveseat about a year ago and immediately put slipcovers on them - in our case the cats don't scratch the slipcovers the way they do the couches and hopefully the couches will last longer
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Post by rainangel on Apr 30, 2016 17:19:12 GMT
I could see Hyacinth Bouquet having this  |
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MsKnit
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Jun 26, 2014 19:06:42 GMT
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Post by MsKnit on Apr 30, 2016 17:21:18 GMT
My aunt had these on her furniture when I was a kid. I always wondered if she ever felt comfortable in her home. She was so obsessed with keeping everything spotless and pristine.
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Post by cmpeter on Apr 30, 2016 17:38:27 GMT
My 90 year old grandma still has them, she's Canadian.
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gsquaredmom
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Jun 26, 2014 17:43:22 GMT
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Post by gsquaredmom on Apr 30, 2016 18:10:28 GMT
Do you mean the sort of plastic it would be delivered in? I can't recall seeing that but I did see someone driving their car the other day with the plastic still on the front seats. It wasn't brand new so they were just trying to keep it pristine I assume! No. These were custom-made. I remember the man came and measured all over the couch and about two or three weeks later he came back and installed them on the couch. |
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oldcrow
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Posts: 3,828
Location: Ontario,Canada
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Post by oldcrow on Apr 30, 2016 18:17:30 GMT
Do you mean the sort of plastic it would be delivered in? I can't recall seeing that but I did see someone driving their car the other day with the plastic still on the front seats. It wasn't brand new so they were just trying to keep it pristine I assume! No these were constructed like slip covers. |
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Post by Jockscrap on Apr 30, 2016 18:18:08 GMT
Do you mean the sort of plastic it would be delivered in? I can't recall seeing that but I did see someone driving their car the other day with the plastic still on the front seats. It wasn't brand new so they were just trying to keep it pristine I assume!Gar, the plastic looks more like the type the bags you might buy heated blankets in or packs of felt pens Gar, the plastic looks more like the stuff used for the bags you might buy heated blankets in or packs of felt pens. They are fitted to the shape of the settee. They don't look very comfortable to sit on. From the replies, it looks like it is more of an older generation thing, probably dying out now. |
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Deleted
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Sept 29, 2024 6:27:44 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Apr 30, 2016 18:22:24 GMT
Do you mean the sort of plastic it would be delivered in? I can't recall seeing that but I did see someone driving their car the other day with the plastic still on the front seats. It wasn't brand new so they were just trying to keep it pristine I assume! No, I think it's more of a thick vinyl covering...the kind of vinyl that sticks to itself. |
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Post by Dori~Mama~Bear on Apr 30, 2016 18:22:57 GMT
When I was a kid we knew a family that had those thick plastic covers over their furniture. When we went over there nobody wanted to sit in the living room. All us kids went into another room to play because we hated the plastic chairs. I do remember sitting on a chair once. I was wearing shorts and my legs stuck to the plastic so bad that when I got up It felt like my skin stuck and peeled off. Well a few hours later the back of my leg hurt, my mom looked at it and sure as shit I had tore some skin off when I got out of the chair. I think I was about 9 when this happened. Never again did I sit in those chairs again.
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Post by Scrappyhappy on Apr 30, 2016 18:23:46 GMT
I think of the plastic covers that Marie had on her couch on the TV show Everyone Loves Raymond. I like the episode where they convince Marie to take off the covers, then everyone was paranoid to sit on the couch. Great episode.
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iowgirl
Pearl Clutcher
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Post by iowgirl on Apr 30, 2016 18:25:56 GMT
Didn't George Costanza's parents have them? (Seinfeld)
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Post by cath4k on Apr 30, 2016 18:29:43 GMT
I remember seeing them in the 70's and people would also keep the plastic on their lampshades. It was usually in a formal living room. I have been thrilled with our IKEA couches because the fabric is completely removable and washable. When the fabric started to look too worn we just bought new covers. Yet, they aren't loose like slipcovers. You would never know you could change out the fabric. These couches will last forever, no plastic necessary! Haha.
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Post by anniefb on Apr 30, 2016 18:53:07 GMT
I've never seen them in real life - just on some tv show  |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 30, 2016 18:55:13 GMT
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Post by gar on Apr 30, 2016 19:28:58 GMT
They sound hideous!
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Post by Jockscrap on Apr 30, 2016 19:31:40 GMT
That photo is fabulous!
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Post by Jockscrap on Apr 30, 2016 19:32:29 GMT
I think of the plastic covers that Marie had on her couch on the TV show Everyone Loves Raymond. I like the episode where they convince Marie to take off the covers, then everyone was paranoid to sit on the couch. Great episode. I love that show but haven't seen that episode. I'll need to try and find it. |
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Post by bc2ca on Apr 30, 2016 19:38:21 GMT
My Greek MIL has them in the formal living room which is used only for entertaining a couple of times a year or when the priest visits. The plastic covers are removed before the visit. All the lampshades are also plastic wrapped unless the room is being used. She is really using them more as dust covers I guess.
Growing up, our Chevy Malibu had dimpled plastic slip covers on the seats. Lots of fun on hot, sticky days when we would walk around with imprints from the seats on our legs.
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Post by crazy4scraps on Apr 30, 2016 19:39:50 GMT
We never had them on our furniture growing up but we knew people who did. In our house the kids were never allowed to sit on the upholstered furniture anyway. We sat on the floor. The furniture was reserved for the grownups!
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Post by refugeepea on Apr 30, 2016 23:01:00 GMT
I hadn't seen them until I saw Now and Then. I love that movie  It's set in the 70's. |
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pridemom
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Post by pridemom on Apr 30, 2016 23:53:06 GMT
I remember them as far back as in the early 70's. My parents had them and your skin would stick to the plastic when you got up. They also gave off this nasty plastic smell. My grandma had them in the 70's. It was murder when wearing shorts in the summer. |
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kate
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Post by kate on May 1, 2016 1:33:17 GMT
Yeah, I've seen some - most recently in a Puerto Rican grandma's house. Actually, in a Dominican grandma's house, too. It's definitely a grandma-type thing IMHO.
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Post by mikklynn on May 1, 2016 1:53:19 GMT
My aunt had these on her furniture when I was a kid. I always wondered if she ever felt comfortable in her home. She was so obsessed with keeping everything spotless and pristine. I had an aunt like that, too. She had plastic runners on her stairs, plastic slipcovers on her furniture, and plastic on her lampshades. Even as a child I knew it was a little nutty. OP - No, this is not typical of any American family! |
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Post by katlady on May 1, 2016 1:54:48 GMT
In the 80's, my girlfriend's mother had those on their couch. Even with the covers, no one was allowed to sit on the sofa.
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It's set in the 70's.
