Sofa, So Very Not Good

The inlaws have booked their flights out to visit us this August and we are now panicking because our crummy thirteen-year-old sofa is in a state of severe delapidation and is hugely uncomfortable. I suspect rather too much of this is to blame.

So, a new sofa must be procured.

This Saturday we went along to Couch in Seattle, whose owner Ameer was really helpful and incredibly passionate about sofas (see also this write-up on Apartment Therapy ). He has a range of sofas which are eco-friendly, completely customisable and competitively priced, plus he can get sofas made 'inspired' by those at the big box stores, but again customised to your own requirements.

So here are some sofas I like. I find that I'm drawn to a sort of mid-century vibe (definitely want feet) but it needs to be incredibly comfortable and relaxing and not the sort of sofa that makes you sit bolt upright.  Any other ideas?  Are there any other aspects I should be taking into consideration? Anyone got any experience sitting on any of the below? I'm thinking of shapes at the moment rather than upholstery colours/fabrics/prices, though if anyone knows of any mid-century styled slipcover sofas I'd be all ears.

Jasper at Room & Board, $1,299 

Movie Sofa at CB2, $999 

 

Byward at Velocity, $1,800 

 

 

Petrie at Crate & Barrel, $1.499

 

 

Rae at Chiasso $1,598

Nina at Maine Cottage,  $1,700 - $2,590

 

Danner, at Jonathan Adler, $3,800

 

Finally, here are a couple of ideas they had a Couch, both of which can be made up in a gorgeous buttery soft ivory leather, which I'm very drawn too due to the practicality aspect. (Excuse the quality of these, they're scans of scans).  I'd get the feet changed on both of these though.

 

Oh and here's reminder of the room it's going in. An no, we still haven't painted the walls.

Comments

[Davina]

last two sofas look v comfortable and probably in neutral shade, but i am loving the hot pink color....must send u a pic of mine , v comfortable, german technology and reasonable price...but not shipped to the US and A

[Nicole M.]

I don't have any experience with the couches you've listed, but I recently bought a couch with a similar style. I got it from Haverty's (in the SE) and you can view it here http://www.havertys.com/Product_10581?curIndex=44&resultCount=74. It's made by Bauhaus, so if you really, really were interested, they may have it called something else somewhere in your area.

Anyway, it's incredibly comfortable and is holding up very well so far (it's a little over a year old).

[Liz]

On a small child/practical comfort I really like those last two in buttery leather, they'd work in that space perfectly. But if you're not going practical I *love* that Crate and Barrel one it reminds me of something out of 1950's Doris Day movie when she had a cool apartment next to Rock Hudson or someone.

We went for some with removable covers which while they have been practical - Lily throwing up on them and Paul dropping a whole glass of red wine on them in the first 72 hours they were in this house - 3 years later they look bloody awful. The pads have just swished down and they look rumpled no matter what you do with them.

[centerlightpop]

I peeped at the Couch site and I really like the English one they blog about:

Blog here

Image here

:)

[paola]

Thanks all. Please keep posting up pics and links - remember Ameer at Couch can be 'inspired' by other pieces ;) That Haverty's link does look good.

Liz, someone's just commented on Facebook that the Crate & Barrel Petrie one is very uncomfortable, which is a shame as it was one of my favourites.

[carrie]

My fave is the last one. I've been perusing new sofas as well...mostly ones with high side arms but that last one has really caught my eye. I may have to copy your sofa. I also like the Crate & Barrel one too :)

[Megan]

I find the C&B Petrie sofa to be one of the most comfortable ones I've sat in while we have been sofa shopping. It just the right depth and firmness for sitting a bit less formally. (Then again, I do not own it.) I dislike sofas that are overstuffed and too soft that you sink hopelessly into when you sit down. I've considered getting the Petrie clone from Couch but read that it had softer cushions than the Petrie, which I do not want. Also, the fabric on the Petrie is soft against my skin where I find so many fabrics to be scratchy. It is cotton though, and perhaps a bit difficult to clean stains out of.

[fert]

I'm liking the Movie sofa for the sheer minimalistic design of it... mostly because I'd be excited to see how you accessorize it. But I personally think that a lot of CB and Potterybarn stuff are not as well made as expected of the price. Have you looked at Restoration Hardware?

[paola]

Davina, our house is already full of pink chairs, so I think a pink couch is pushing it a bit, even for a husband as secure in his sexuality as mine.

Carrie, go and chat to Ameer at Couch. He is full of ideas. We tried the second from bottom one in his showroom and it was INCREDIBLY comfortable. The bottom one is made by the same company so that bodes well. You can also customize things like length and depth to make sure they're as comfortable as possible.

It sounds like I should go and try the Petrie. I'd was thinking of getting a leather version made..

[paola]

Oh and Fert, whatever I buy will be accessorised with a Babette blanket. I'm in the process of collecting the yarn...

[charlotte]

this is an area where you have so much more choice in the u.s. we've been looking around and aside from habitat - which has got so expensive, practically doubling its prices in the last year - there is so little choice of good design unless you go very high end. i think we're going to make do for now until i can summon up the energy to do one myself... i've always loved the jasper sofa but the two from couch look great and very comfortable.

[Tetrad Degas]

I completely agree with the above comment, the internet is with a doubt growing into the most important medium of communication across the globe and its due to sites like this that ideas are spreading so quickly.

[Cat Morris]

Which sofa did you get? And do you know how I can get more info on the last one pictured? I found your site b/c I'm researching the movie sofa from CB2 as an option for us to purchase.