Sofa Search Continues. Bradley,Campaign, Anderson, Journey, City, Martini Info Needed

Hi All:
I recently posted in the Leather Upholstery forum that we are looking for a sofa and a loveseat to replace our 24-year-old bustle back leather sofa/loveseat in our TV room, but I am posting more info here thinking it may be a better forum for my sofa style/comfort questions. Thanks to those who responded. Since my original post, I have done some more shopping and sitting and further research as to what models might work for our situation, and the more I look the more I am attracted to different styles and leathers--totally different than when I started this venture. I now have some more specific questions that I am hoping some of you can answer to help fill in the gaps regarding the ones I haven't seen or sat in.

I would prefer the sofa to be around 80-86 inches long, but will consider those up to about 89 inches. Overall depth shouldn't be over about 42 inches ideally. We also need a love seat, but I understand that Hancock and Moore can modify sofas and create loveseats even if the style isn't shown in their catalog (for an upcharge), so I don't want to limit my options to only those with loveseats offered. I am 5'3" and my husband is 5'9", though we have 6-ft tall sons who don't live with us, but visit occasionally. Our style is generally traditional but can go towards transitional in this room. This is for an upstairs TV area, not the main living areas downstairs, so it doesn't have to be showy, but I prefer the style to be something we could conceivably use in other areas of our home should we move later, i.e. either classic or trendy, but not overly poufy or pub-looking. However, comfort is still very important as we use this daily.

Our current sofa, which we find very comfortable, is very similar to the #8134NB Austin. Although it's very comfortable, we were hoping to get something with a different look this time around. We were able to sit in the #1724 Journey Sofa, and although the specs suggest it might be too deep of a seat for my small frame, I thought I had died and gone to heaven it was so comfy! The problem is that I really don't like the loose, wrinkly leather arms that are big and puffy and sag down the side of the sofa. Just looks too bulky and old-fashioned for my house. (I will post more questions on these in a separate thread.)

I love the classic style of the Bradley, and we are currently waiting to hear back on an estimate from Duane and H&M for the modification charge for the Bradley loveseat. However, I have not had the opportunity to sit in it and I'm also afraid the cost to modify the sofa into a loveseat size will be a gigantic sticker shock. So, just in case we find that model won't work for us, in the meantime we've added some other options to the list. I'm looking for feedback on these sofas, primarily in terms of comfort and head support. Duane, you commented somewhere on the forum a long while back that the Bradley was a nice-sitting sofa--do you think it would be a good fit option for us?

I was initially considering the Your Way sofa, the #9840 City Sofa, and the #1944 Bradley sofa, mainly based on size, seat depth, and sofa style. To be honest, I was concentrating so much on seat height and depth that I didn't pay enough attention to the back height. After sitting in the standard depth Your Way sofa over the weekend, I found it lacking in styling, head support and back cushion height. The specs say it is 36 inches tall, but the actual frame back was only about 30" and the cushions on the one I saw were probably 33-34 inches high at most. That's why I'm trying to find out more info on these other models I'm considering as I can't count on the specs in the catalog. I know there's no way to factor in pitch and back comfort from a photo, but unfortunately we just don't have that many sofas around here to sit it and we already made a 360-mile round trip to a store trying to sit in as many as we could. By head support, I mean that the cushions don't have to come up all the way behind our head, but I want something that doesn't leave our head totally unsupported if we lean back.

Here are the other sofas we are considering:

1) #9840 Small City Sofa. I am not as wild about this style as some of the models, but don't want to rule it out. Does this model provide enough height in the back cushions for head support when leaning back to watch TV or do they feel short? Could someone please provide the actual height of the back frame, not just the cushion height, so I can compare it to the Your Way, which is one of the few sofas I saw?

2) #5635 Anderson Sofa--The back frame is taller than the cushions suggesting it would provide more support--anyone know how this one sits and does it have a comfortable pitch and head support for TV viewing? Would have to get a loveseat modification bid.

3) #5736-3 Martini Sofa--Looks interesting to me, and would look great in the Hyde Park leathers we are considering. Several on the forum said it's comfortable. The specs on the seat look fine, but I'm wondering about head and back support. Would have to get a loveseat modification bid out

4) #1283 Campaign Sofa and #1282 Loveseat. Same question--does this model provide enough height in the back cushions for head support when leaning back to watch TV? Could someone please provide the actual height of the back frame, not just the cushion height?

5) The #9503 Kodiak looks comfy and has a higher back, but at it's getting a little long for our space. I suspect it may be too massive of a sofa for our size. Any feedback on this one?

Thanks everyone for your input! We are convinced Hancock and Moore is the way to go so we are trying diligently to find the right selection with a balance of style and comfort, preferably before the August sale runs out :)

You know, if every sofa fit everyone the same way in fit, comfort, etc, then they would only have a few models! Instead there are dozens of them, because everyone likes something different. There is no way either I or anyone else can tell you that you will like the way Sofa A sits better than Sofa B.

Now, if you were to ask me what sofa I would buy for myself today in the current lineup, it would be one of the French Curve models - because that sofa does it all for me - and it very may well not do it for you. Also, don't buy a sofa only on specs, its about style as much as it is comfort. Truth be told, they are all comfortable and that varies a little from one to another -but style plays and important part in the process as does the leather type. A classic example is the people that come in looking for a recliner. I currently have (22) different recliners on my floor from three makers. People sit in all of them and say to me "None of them are comfortable, what else you got?" I'm sorry, but if you sit in nearly two dozen recliners from the best makers in the country and don't find one that is suitable, then you aren't going to find anything you like paging though a catalog. End of Story.

Thanks Duane. This is so true--what works for one may not work for another and I understand why you're hesitant to make recommendations. Unfortunately, most dealers don't carry many of the Hancock and Moore pieces, so I would venture to say that the majority of us will not have the opportunity to view and sit in the Hancock and Moore sofas we are considering. Unless we want to limit ourselves to the very few models we've sat in, which may or may not even be a style we really like, then the only option we have is to read, research, and ask questions of those who are more familiar with some of these sofas in an effort to determine whether those models will suit us. Like many of the posters before me, I'm really just asking for opinions of what you or other readers have found comfortable and why, knowing in the end I'll have to decide for myself what will probably work for me. I realize that there are no guarantees but it's better than no information at all :) Since you have seen more of these styles than most and are very knowledgeable about Hancock and Moore, I truly appreciate your input.

I am so glad you said that style is as important as comfort. I've been struggling with this decision of whether I'm crazy not to go with something I know is comfortable, even though I'm not wild about the style, or to take a leap of faith and get something that is more attractive to me and fits my style and décor. I do think due diligence is important however, because at the end of the day, comfort is critical. This is a sofa we will sit in for several hours every day, not one to just look pretty in the living room. Some on the forum say they don't recommend buying anything you didn't sit in, and I agree that would be ideal, but since none of the stores carry these, it's not practical to fly to NC every time H&M has a sofa coming off production that we want to check out. Consequently, the only way I know how to gauge whether the styles I like have a good chance of being comfortable is to start with objective specs such as seat height, depth, and back and compare those to what I've already tried and either liked or disliked. At least it's a starting point and helps to rule out a lot of options that are totally the wrong look or fit.

The more time I spend on this forum (and I've spent hours and days since we first decided we need a new sofa), the more I learn. I love seeing photos of the finished products and leathers, and I find reading about everyone's experiences with their furniture extremely valuable and gives me more info to go on. The more I look at, the more I like, and my list of what I'm interested in keeps growing! I really appreciate your comments and the posts from your readers. Thanks to all!

Hi SJGTx,

I do remember sitting in the Anderson - very comfortable for me (6') , but can't remember my wife's reaction (5'1"). Small city was comfortable for her, but I thought it was a little too small for me. I haven't sat in the others.

Another thought, but maybe too formal for what you are trying to do is the Arrington.

My friend has an Arrington sectional in Capri with firmer cushions, and it's not only comfortable, but the leather is to die for....

http://www.hancockandmoore.com/Produ...Arrington-Sofa

And, as Duane says, the French Curve, particularly with the tufted back is amazingly comfortable, but the style needs to work for you. We chose it after sitting in one for about an hour while looking for some wood furniture...after an hour we looked at each customer and said, wow, this is really comfortable, what model is it... ;-)

Here is a link to ours:

http://www.myfurnitureforum.com/show...t=french+curve

Good luck

Dave

I think if you can sample a few items from a particular maker, it will show you pretty much across the line how that manufacture makes them sit. It's not really necessary (again, my opinion) to try every model. They may sit different from one another within a maker's line, but it would be pretty rare to find one that is truly uncomfortable. Now, when I go to the Marriott Vacation Clubs for a week - THAT is truly uncomfortable furniture - because I am used to working and owning better makers in my home and business. There's a pretty wide jump from Made-In-China Hotel Contract Furniture to Hancock & Moore, but not so much within the maker's line. So my advice is get the style you like, don't go too low-end on the leather (it tends to be slick if you do) and get a style and size you like. It should sit just fine.

Thanks Dave! I checked out your suggestions. We actually had the opportunity to sit in the Channel Back French Curve sofa and it was an interesting style and pretty comfortable, though I didn't think the tight back would give us the cushy feeling we like for hours of TV viewing. Also, the back of the arm curves down by the back cushion and, for me, it left my elbow hanging at an awkward angle and wanting more support.

Currently we have a sofa and loveseat combo (very similar to the Austin) and that seems to fit our room layout. However, loveseats are hard to find and I gather it might be more expensive for Hancock and Moore to create one than to purchase a full-size sofa. We dragged an armchair and ottoman into the room to see if that would work with the sofa in lieu of the loveseat, but once again concluded the layout doesn't allow for the chair and ottoman to have the right TV viewing angle without looking awkward and crowded. However, I played with the measurements and my latest thought is that I think we could actually fit two small sofas (about 80 inches), perpendicular to each other like we have the sofa/loveseat now. I think two 3-seaters would look more balanced in the room than two 2-seaters (like the #1944 Bradley)even if the dimensions are similar (80 vs 76). Size-wise the #5635 Anderson could work, and with that picture-frame back and nailhead trim I think it would look nice with an unfinished leather like the Hyde Park Merlot we're considering. Not overly formal yet it retains the traditional features with that arm. Also, the Ashmore would work--it's quite similar to the Anderson but a little less expensive and has a more casual arm, though the seat is 1" deeper. The photo of the Ashmore on this website looks awesome! The Redford might also work. It's a beautiful sofa with a nice back, but might be too dressy for that room. Not ruling anything out just yet though.


Thanks again for your suggestions and valuable input. I greatly appreciate it!

Thanks Duane. This reassurance helps a lot. I only sat in one H&M so far that I didn't like (Your Way Sofa), but that could have been due to the slippery leather as you say. Also, if I'm going to spend a lot of money (two sofas), I think there are more interesting styles out there for a similar price.

That Ashmore does look quite nice. I found the Ashmore comfortable, but my wife would not even sit it in, because the model on the floor had the most atrocious fabric I have ever seen...so, I can't tell you how it sits from shorter folks.

If you don't get dizzy easily...here is a link to the fabric... http://www.hancockandmoore.com/Fabri...y-Spice---Gr-F

I think the Ashmore, the Anderson and the Arrington would all look fabulous in Hyde Park Merlot. By the way, Hyde Park is a very supple leather with a soft hand. It reminds me of lambskin glove leather. It was my first choice in the grade 3's but the Merlot and Cognac had a more reddish cast than the Cameo Brown Burnished that we ended up choosing for our recliners.

If you want to make the Anderson look more casual, ask Duane if it would work on that design to use larger nail heads with space between them on the back and bottom trim (like the Ashmore). I think the combination of small and large nail head 'casuals' things up a bit. Or, do them all the same sized but spaced like on this one (Duke sofa).

http://www.hancockandmoore.com/Produ...(2-Recliners)#

One thing on burnishing, heavy burnishing can be a bit much for some people, so I would suggest seeing if there are any pictures of the Patina variants that you are considering in your other thread

On the Redford, check with Duane, that looks like a slightly curved sofa and two curved sofas perpendicular to each other might look a bit off.

As you already know, there is a lot to absorb in order to make a decision...Good luck, Dave

Dave, thanks for the suggestions and observations. I hadn’t even thought about the curves on the new Redford sofa. I know it is subtle but it is certainly something to keep in mind. The other thing that occurred to me from your comment on the Redford is that I need to take a look at the curve at the back of the sofa. One of the sofas will have part of its back to a curved stair railing and the rest of the back will be set off from the wall by about 10-12inches. Since the deepest part of the sofa back curve would be in the center of the sofa, my feeling from looking at where the sofa would be placed in relation to the rail is that the curves would pass comfortably and look OK. There is going to be a gap behind the sofa no matter which style I get, though if the back of the sofa is slightly curved it might actually allow me to snug it a little closer to that wall (since the distance from the wall is dictated by where the back of the sofa would almost touch the curve of the railing.) Interestingly, my current sofa that is like the Austin has a slightly curved front and it looks fine in the room. I just don’t know if the curve would be more pronounced in the Redford than the Sundance since it is a shorter sofa.

As for the nail heads, those are great suggestions. Part of the whole decision is whether to go with a more traditional look and purchase sofas that might be more versatile in other rooms down the road (as in when we eventually decide to downsize) or to go with the totally different look. Our decor is fairly traditional/transitional. The Redford sofa would be the dressiest of all and could eventually work in more formal spaces. The Ashmore sofa definitely has a more casual look and as much as I like the look and think it could work in this room, it might be hard to fit in to other places later. The Anderson falls in between – it reminds me more of a traditional piece but with a more casual leather such as Hyde Park and variations in the nail heads, like you say it could be dressed down a little bit. Don’t laugh, but we even talked about which sofas would be most likely to appeal to our sons should we ever need to part with them (i.e. no room for them if we move.) no wonder we’re confused! If it was the type of furniture that didn’t have such a long lifespan and wasn’t so expensive, then of course we would get something only for the current room and not worry about keeping it down the road. That’s not the case with Hancock and Moore however. :)


Unfortunately I haven’t found any pictures of the Hyde Park patinas but the impression I got from Duane is that it highlights certain areas and makes the effect more dramatic, which seems contrary to what I might want.

I can’t wait to get our leather samples – I think once we see what we like and what works in the room, all these decisions will fall into place. Thanks again for your input!

Just thought I’d post an update if anyone is interested. After much consideration,we settled on two Anderson sofas with Hyde Park Merlot leather. Seemed to offer the best combination of size and versatility of style for our situation. I appreciate all the input and photos on this website which helped me sort all this through. I’ll post photos once they arrive��

These will make up fantastic, that's a great hide on a good frame. Please post photos when they arrive at your home.