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Thread: Help with Layout, Styles & Leather

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Chesterfield, MO
    Posts
    25

    Default Help with Layout, Styles & Leather

    Hello everyone,

    My husband and I are buying new furniture and are thinking of purchasing a leather sofa and two chairs. We’re up in the air about whether to buy regular chairs or loungers/recliners. I’m not a fan of any recliner that really looks like a recliner, but am open to chairs that don’t like they are. They will back up to a wall with 3 windows, so the backs won’t really be visible in the room. We like things with clean lines, but comfort is also very key.

    As for the sofa, we’re looking at the Campaign 1283, Savant 1736 and possibly the Bradley 5378 (from T&C). Does anyone have any recommendation or druthers between the three models?

    The chairs that we’re considering are the:
    Ritz Lounger 7054 or chair 4249
    Donovan chair 4693
    Westheimer Lounger 7077
    Carter Recliner 1043
    Luxe Recliner 1049

    How much room do you really need for a recliner? H&M says 17” or 17.5” to fully extend on some of those models but then they say “less for TV watching”. How far should they be from the wall? Can anyone attest to how comfortable these chairs are? I understand that it’s a matter of personal taste, but any indication of how they feel would be helpful. I can’t seem to find any of these in our area.

    I think we’re going to end up with a protected leather for a number of reasons although I’d prefer an unprotected hide since everyone says they feel better. We want something that doesn’t look too cheap or over processed, but that will hold up well over time and has a nice soft feel. We seem to have narrowed it down to Aspen Tobacco, Portfolio Tobacco, Dream Fawn and Columbia Butternut. Are any one of these better or worse than the other for what we’re looking for? I read somewhere on the forum that one person said they’re Columbia Butternut stretched relatively quickly and that’s not something I want to happen. I don’t want it to look like it’s all stretched out on the seat cushions.

    Our house is traditional in style built in MO in the mid 1970’s, and our taste is rooted in traditional styles, but with a younger feel. I’m attaching some photos of the room to see if anyone has any suggestions on styles or layout. The furniture is our first set from out of college and it’s about 7 or 8 years old and worn, and much too small for the room. Please pardon some of the random things as we bought my grandmother’s house and are slowly moving her things out and our things in. (That white recliner thing is definitely not our taste!) Basically all the furniture can change including the tables. We just moved our stuff from our old house about 2 weeks ago so we’re still disheveled and most things aren’t unpacked. There are columns in the room which are a bit of a challenge and to the left of the built ins next to the fireplace is the door to our master bedroom. Oh, and the rug is not permanent, just on loan from my in-laws. So it’s pretty much a clean slate. Please pardon the dust as we just finished construction on our kitchen so it's still everywhere.

    I would appreciate and advice or suggestions.

    Thanks,
    Krissy
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  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Chesterfield, MO
    Posts
    25

    Default Re: Help with Layout, Styles & Leather

    Here's a photo of the kitchen we just finished which we both love and is "our style". Sorry for the awful lighting, I had to take it early this morning and quickly before I ran out the door.

    And a copy of the layout of the room with dimensions in 3/8" scale .
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  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Lakewood Ranch, Florida
    Posts
    243

    Default Re: Help with Layout, Styles & Leather

    Krissy... Congratulations on the new house, now to make it a home....

    To start it might be helpful to understand how this room will be used and by whom. Do you intend to be casual and eat/drink while using the new furniture? What kind of budget and timetable are you using? Do you have any room layout preferences? Is their a TV or will the fireplace be the focal point? All these are important questions for you before any real layout/designing can be done.

    Regarding chairs, you might also consider the H&M tilt-back chairs with an ottoman or two. They serve well for getting the legs up for that comfortable TV show or great for an afternoon nap. The ottoman(s) can also provide additional seating for extra guests and if you get creative with the coverings they can really add to the custom designer look of a room. These tilt-back chairs are more roomy and comfortable than recliners and certainly more stylish in my opinion.

    The traditional placement of furniture on the wall is really changing. You should play with floating some of the pieces within the room to add interest.

    Remember leather will last for many years, so take the time to select the quality and look you will want. I would not be too focused on protected vs unprotected especially if the hand (feel) of the leather is important to you. Duane, our fearless leader can offer much advise and samples of leather for you selection process.

    Good luck and keep us informed about your progress. And did I say.... BEAUTIFUL kitchen.

    Larry

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Chesterfield, MO
    Posts
    25

    Default Re: Help with Layout, Styles & Leather

    Thank you! We've got our work cut out for us making it our own. It's always been Nana's house so hopefully we can make it "us" will still respecting her. We've been working on it for almost a year now and the kitchen is the biggest change by far. Kitchens are my specialty, furniture is not!

    The room is going to be where we spend the majority of our time in besides the kitchen. We are a younger couple (28 & 29) and we informally entertain on a somewhat regular basis with our friends and family. We hope to have children in the near future so we want something that will survive babies and toddlers as well as the 2 dogs and cat that we have now (cat is declawed in the front). We do eat occasionally on the sofa during the week, but when we entertain it's inevitable that people will be eating in there. As far as budget, I would like to stay in the Grade 2 or under pricing and I think we can find something suitable in there. We've played with several layouts in room planners and have found that if we move things off the wall that the room becomes very crowded. The columns and window placement seem to be the biggest obstacles, as well as the 6' doorway as you enter the room. There is a TV mounted over the mantle above the fireplace.

    I would be open to a tilt back chair, but wonder if there would be enough room for 2 ottomans. Would it be strange for the 2 chairs to share an ottoman? We seem to end up with the sofa where it is in the above photo and then 2 chairs in front of the windows with a small table in between. But if someone has any suggestions, I'm open to considering them for sure! We originally were going to go with 2 sofas in an "L" shape, but found that 2 chairs would probably be more flexible in the future. I'm attaching 2 layouts we did on La-z-boy's site because that's the planner we found.

    Anyone have any recommendations on leathers that are soft and have a nice hand, but are still serviceable in the Grade 2 price point? I don't ask for much, eh? I would love to get this order placed before Duane's sale is over so I can save a little money and hopefully what's left of my sanity. It feels like there are just so many variables and like I'll never be able to figure out the solution. This will be our main furniture for hopefully a long time so hopefully I can get it right. As far as budget goes, we've been saving for this for a while so we can pay for it up front. Quality and getting what we want is important, so if we find that perfect thing, we'd probably go ahead with it, but value is definitely a factor.

    This forum has been a great tool and benefit to this entire process. You guys have been great to learn from and Duane has been absolutely wonderful in his assistance and patience with me. So hopefully I can get the layout and model selected and get my order placed in the next week or so.

    Thanks again,
    Krissy
    Attached Files Attached Files

  5. #5
    Nancy Guest

    Default Re: Help with Layout, Styles & Leather

    What a pleasing space to plan furniture arrangements in. I can recommend a book which enlightened me on room planning and furniture placement. 'Rooms' by Mariette Himes Gomez (copyright 2003) has a chapter called 'The Big Picture'. Gomez explains the architectural arrangement of furniture based on how a room is used. Her suggestions when planning a living space are easy to understand and apply no matter what one's style is, and her book is a gem.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Chesterfield, MO
    Posts
    25

    Default Re: Help with Layout, Styles & Leather

    Thanks Nancy. I might try to stop by the library tonight to see if they have it!

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Alexandria VA
    Posts
    15,887

    Default Re: Help with Layout, Styles & Leather

    OK, you ready for this ?

    I don't like the way you have the room laid out and the large flat panel over the fireplace looks terrible and always will. The ceilings are not high enough to pull that of -having it mounted there. Its awkward and too high for comfortable viewing. If there were my house, I'd take the TV and mount it on the wall to the left of the fireplace, where you now have a small sofa table. Perfect spot for it and you get your fireplace mantle back for a nice piece of art over it.

    Then, use a sectional and float it in the room. Have the sectional start in front of the windows where the white recliner now is located and wrap around so it ends near where the green sofa now is, and keep the return a couple feet off the wall. Get a 42" square leather ottoman to place in the middle of the 'L" on the sectional and you're in business. Shop carefully for a larger rug after the sectional is in position and possibly add a chair in the room AFTER you have it all set up afterwards - but truthfully I don't think you would need another chair in there from what I can see. Get a nice sectional, once that shows nicely and I really think you'd find that would be perfect for the room. Something like this:

    http://www.myfurnitureforum.com/show...Kipling-Cognac

    Sorry to re-boot your decorating ideas, but I think that getting the TV off the mantle is job 1. Once you do that, you're limited to where you can use it and still have good visual access to the fireplace!
    Duane Collie
    Straight answers from thirty-six years in the business.
    My Private Messages are Disabled - Please ask questions here in the forum.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Alexandria VA
    Posts
    15,887

    Default Re: Help with Layout, Styles & Leather

    Let's spend some more of K's money <G>

    For the kitchen, around that marvelous granite countertop:

    http://www.hancockandmoore.com/produ...productid=1895
    Duane Collie
    Straight answers from thirty-six years in the business.
    My Private Messages are Disabled - Please ask questions here in the forum.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Chesterfield, MO
    Posts
    25

    Default Re: Help with Layout, Styles & Leather

    Duane!

    You just totally shook up my entire brain! Oh my. I am not sure that I can convince my husband to move the TV from over the mantle. . . that was his thing all along, but it sure might be worth a try. Do you think that would look okay given the columns and arched ceiling. (The master bedroom and bathroom on the first floor were an addition about 10 years ago and the columns and arched ceiling mark where the old exterior ended)

    I am not sure about a sectional, but what about a sofa on the window wall and a chair on each end of the sofa that face each other that's still comfortable for TV viewing and conversation. Would make a U-shape around the coffee table.

    And the bar stools. . . Swoon! We're shopping to replace those ones from the photo, but I'm guessing these are out of my budget. Anything with a seat height of 24"? Our counters are 36" so we'd need something around 24".

    I went to a local H&M dealer today and checked out some samples. . . narrowing it down slowly. They had bigger samples. Columbia Butternut really surprised me. I keep going back to it. Also on the list are Kipling Java, Kipling Saddle, Dream Fawn and Ryan Chestnut. Any recommendations? Will any of those feel "stiff" when on a piece? Almost everything they had on the floor was T&C in Document or Cavalier. Some Randall Allen pieces on the floor too.

    Okay. . off to the room planner to play with your idea!!

    Thanks!
    Krissy

  10. #10
    dustinh Guest

    Default Re: Help with Layout, Styles & Leather

    The 1736 Savant is very comfortable but my wife and I (also 28 and 29, also just finished a new kitchen, also starting from scratch with furniture) have not tried the other sofas you list. We'll be ordering the Savant from Duane as soon as we can pick out the leather. Columbia is soft, but once you look at Capri, Quintessence, Old English, Garfield, and even the new aniline grade 2's, you'll have a hard time loving Columbia. But Columbia is great for the price.

    We like the style of the chairs you list, but were sold from day 1 on the tiltback/ottoman combo. Unfortunately, HM does not have a huge selection of these and the most comfortable is the least attractive (austin high back) IOO. Our favorite looking TB/Otto is the Mcintire (2052), but I was very bummed this past Friday when I finally got to try it out firsthand and discovered it doesn't hold a candle to the Austin in comfort. Not uncomfortable, just not the Austin.

    Good luck with your choices.

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