Carol Glasser needed a change. A dozen years ago, Glasser—one of Houston’s preeminent interior designers—traded the heat and humidity of Texas summers for the cool ocean breezes of Montecito. She and her husband, Mark, both native Texans, have developed a strong affinity for California’s central coast, and the second home they purchased there offers a refreshing seasonal respite they like to share with family and friends. “We enjoy being here every chance we get,” says Glasser, “but especially in summer when the weather can be just brutal at home. I love color, I love entertaining, and I love changing things with the seasons and this house allows for all that.”

As summer turns to fall, the furniture in Glasser’s home gets a change, too, when she replaces the white slipcovers on her sofas and chairs with colorful, patterned ones. “That’s how I think slipcovers are best used,” says Glasser, who, along with business partner Becky Cooper, operates the Houston-based design firm Glasser Cooper Interiors.

Slipcovers are one of the easiest, most cost-effective ways to totally change the look and feel of a room. Well-made custom slipcovers are virtually indistinguishable from upholstery—and classic white slipcovers never go out of style. They can be laundered or dry-cleaned, and the expense of a custom cover is a fraction of the cost to reupholster a piece. “Making a slipcover is much easier than upholstery,” Glasser says. “It’s sort of like a dress fitting, where someone comes to your house to measure and pin, then a few weeks later installs your finished covers. And you don’t have to deal with furniture movers.”

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INTERIOR DESIGN BY CAROL GLASSER

PRODUCED BY KATRIN CARGILL

PHOTOGRAPHY BY SIMON BROWN

WRITTEN BY EDWARD MCCANN

This story appeared in the Fall 2022 issue of MILIEU.