Great Room Layout and Picture

[aluebcke]

Thanks so much for your input, Monique. I like the #1 option too, but I've always had a sofa/loveseat combo....so it makes me a bit nervous. I want to do something a bit different....but I'm afraid I won't like it.

If I do #1, I'd probably do the large chair in leather to match the sofa, and the two small chairs in something like this:

http://www.jessicacharles.com/product.asp?productid=423

or a swivel chair like this (but not that material/color):

http://www.jessicacharles.com/product.asp?productid=577

I love the color on the first chair, especially since my rug is a red/rust color (and red is my favorite color). But I want something comfortable, too...so maybe the swivels.

We tend to watch TV from the sofa, but my kids will sometimes sit on the loveseat to watch. Their preferred place is the sofa....you get a better view since we have a Plasma TV. We have friends over often, and I'd like to have the extra seating. Typically, only one of our friends sits on the sofa. I think it's too tight to have two sit comfortably and talk.

We LOVE LOVE LOVE Netflix!.....we canceled our satellite last year (the "set price for 2 years" became a higher price every month)....and we're saving about $75/month. We mostly stream TV series, since they're not too long.

I love the looks of the Author chair! Good to hear that it's comfortable.

I made my husband move the furniture around this weekend....he was not too happy about it. But it helped a lot to see how things will fit. I'm thinking of having him move the loveseat out, so I can try two armchairs there on the right. We'll see how that goes. As Duane said, you don't want to "over furniture a room".

My husband says I obsess and over-research big purchases...funny to hear that we're so much alike.

[Monique]

I love that first chair. The fabric is gorgeous. It is always so hard to visualize fabric on a chair so it is great to have that wonderful photo.

I like the two seats the best if it does not crowd your space too much. With your tall ceiling, you can crowd it a little more.

Great idea to go ahead and move the love seat out. If you have two dining chairs with arms and a small round table, they could stand in for the two chairs to help get a feel for how the arrangement would work.

The downside of sofas and love seats is that like you said, usu. when you have company, only one person sits on them. I guess it is a "getting in someone's bubble thing." At our home one person sits on our sofa and then the other chairs are taken and then I sit on the sofa.

Even if you decide to keep your current arrangement and go with a love seat and a sofa, maybe you can find a love seat with a tufted back and then use that fabric instead of leather. That way it won't matter so much that the love seat and the sofa do not match.

[Monique]

Just did a quick search for tufted loveseats. If you can go with the Sundance, take a look at the Reed Tufted Love Seat. The lines are similar to the Sundance. Duane will know if the proportions would work. It would look great in that fabric or leather either for that matter and would be a good look with the Sundance.
Now I'm obsessing about your room but it's fun...another puzzle to solve.

http://www.hancockandmoore.com/produ...productid=1741

[aluebcke]

Thanks Monique. I was just looking at some tufted sofas last night.

I also found some designer rooms on hgtv.com....this helps to see what works well together. It's interesting to see that many of the designers do not use a matching sofa and loveseat. Many designers are now using a lot of chairs.

Duane, any suggestions on my alternate layouts?

Also, can you get me a sample of the fabric on this chair:?

http://www.jessicacharles.com/product.asp?productid=423

I checked their fabrics and cannot find it....I'm hoping it's not discontinued.

I think I read that I can put any Jessica Charles material on any H&M frame. Is this correct?
Thanks,
Amanda

[drcollie]

Hi Amanda,

If the fabric is not in Jessica Charles on the web site, then its been dropped. Sorry!

Yes, you can use any H&M fabric on a Jessica Charles piece and vice versa.

No ideas for your layout, I'm afraid! At this point I think you will have to find what suits your style to decorate with, within the confines of being large enough to be comfortable, of course.

[aluebcke]

Thanks Duane. So even if they are showing the fabric on a chair, it may be discontinued? That's too bad....it's perfect for my room.

Two more question for now: Does it make sense to place one order, to save on shipping? Or can I purchase the sofa first (August), and then decide on the chairs and ottoman later (late August/early Sept)?

At this point, I'm thinking one sofa, 2-3 chairs, and an ottoman. Not in a hurry....but don't want to miss the August H&M sale....and don't want to rush on the chairs/ottoman decision.

Right now, I'm thinking either this ottoman (LOVE in the two leathers shown):

http://www.myfurnitureforum.com/atta...4&d=1264262329

Or this one in two leathers (my husband thinks the first one looks like a dog bone):

http://www.hancockandmoore.com/produ...productid=1550

I can't wait for the leather samples to arrive!

Thanks again for your help.....I'll leave you alone for a while after this post.

Amanda




Amanda

[drcollie]

A lot of photos have been around for years of individual pieces. Frames can stick around for years but covers (both fabric and leather) change at the whim of style and fashion. Thats why you don't see makers listing a cover on the web/catalog photo - there would be a whole lot of "discontinued" covers shown. In a given year probably 20% of all fabric covers are dropped and 10% of all leathers.

Only two potential downsides to splitting orders. Assuming each order makes weight mimimuns (150 lb), then you pay a Administrative charge of $ 60 per order so you would pay that twice....and its the devil to match leathers if you want the same cover at two different times.

The Dog Bone ottoman (Carrington) really is handsome when you see it first hand and quite unique. Its large however, so you have to mind the size. It will footprint about the size of a compact loveseat. When done like in that photo, its one of the sharpest looking pieces out there.


Never a bother to ask questions....thats what the forum is for!

[aluebcke]

I just got the samples in the mail (Duane ordered 15 for me) and we're having fun looking at them in different lights and angles.

We've already eliminated about half of them....this took about 5 minutes. I laid the samples out on a table at the back of our sofa first....and my husband and I quickly eliminated the ones that were shiny or too orange. To be sure, we moved them to the front of the sofa (away from the wood table) and did the same thing....with the same result. As Duane suggests, we looked at the samples from a few feet away first, then moved in to feel the texture/softness.

Because I've read (on this forum!) that the leather can vary by as much as 20%, I went to a local furniture store and borrowed a few of their samples to compare to the samples mailed from H&M.

Our favorites are (not in specific order):
Garfield Mocha (and Fawn for a two-tone ottoman)
Weston Tobacco, Butternut, or Mocha
Ryan Chesnut

We're also considering: Atticus Java, Yardley Cognac, and Equestrian Truffle. But these fall into an "alternate" list, if the first three won't work.

So, I have the following questions:

- The Garfield (Class 3) is beautiful....very soft and rich looking. But the Fawn has more color variation and depth than the mocha (at least in the samples I'm looking at). We want a rich looking dark brown with color variation (not "blotchy") and natural markings....will the mocha have this in the whole piece? Or do we lose that with the dark coloring?

- The Weston (Class 3) is super soft, and more matte looking. But, the three samples look completely different. One is very shiny and the other two differ completely in the amount of variation. Will the Weston be shiny? How much color variation can we expect? Will it have natural markings?

- The Ryan Chesnut (Class 2) really surprised us. It is very soft and rich looking, even though it's only a class 2. We're a bit worried that it may look orange on a finished couch. I've looked at the pictures on the forum (probably 3x each, and bookmarked about 50) so have seen this leather made up, but am worried about how true to color the pictures are on my monitor. Does this leather look orange? Does it have natural markings and color variation that we want?

Duane, can you also give me your opinion on the above leathers? Also, will any of the three have "crackles" in the leather over time? I'm not sure I like that. Will scratches rub out equally well on all three?

Will each of the top three work equally well on the Sundance? On the Settlement or Highlands? I'm still leaning toward the Sundance....but we're still considering the other two.

Can you also give me your thoughts on the Atticus? It's in the alternate list because the samples are completely different....don't even look like the same leather.

I've attached pictures of the leather samples (inside with natural light):


Thanks!
Amanda

[drcollie]

Garfield is great! It has a rich, translucent color that is unique in that you can see down into the color tones, so its very vibrant and handsome. It can vary considerably from swatch to actual leather because of the transparent dyes used, if color accuracy is important then request a CFA (cutting for approval) at time of order. That will slow the build of your order by 3 to 4 weeks, but you will get a cutting of the actual hides to be used on your pieces. Garfield also tends to 'slide' a little bit, so you will get a slicker leather than some of the other ones with this selection.

Weston (GR 3) is a German leather that is very handsome as well, though not as bold as Garfield. It has a wonderful hand to it, and always makes up well. A slightly waxxy feel to it, you can tell immediately when it comes out of the box that its a quality leather. It has some light glossy sheen to it but not so much as to make it looks excessive or cheap.

Ryan is a a South American leather that looks more expensive than it really is. It has excellent colors and a great hand, along with a slight pull-up effect. As a GR 2 leather, it offers excellent value and is one of my recommended leathers in its price class. Colors run fairly true to sample on this hide, I have a chair in my store in this hide and think it presents well.

All three leathers will get small hairline 'crackles' in them over time. Virtually all leathers do except the nude ones like Deerskin, Lambskin, Quintessence, Nubuck and Somoma. "Tis the nature of having a hide with some form of topcoating. Scratches (light) will rub out with a little heat and pressure from your hand on all of them. They would all tailor up well on those pieces and all have some natural markings. Atticus is very similar to Ryan, same price grade and characteristics. I don't find it varies hugely from sample to finished product, but like all aniline hides it certainly can.

[aluebcke]

Thanks Duane! That helps.

One question on the Garfield: The Fawn has some great color variation throughout the sample (darker/lighter parts). I don't see this in the Mocha....do I lose this with the darker color?

I dragged my husband to a furniture store yesterday (finally....but he complained the whole way) We sat on a few of the H&M sofas (City, Journey, Austin). Unfortunately, all were too small for us and in the promotional hides (which we don't like).

We looked through the samples (my husband for the first time)....and he picked out a few class 4's (one of them three times....the Antelope Nugget).

So, can you please PM me a price for the 4717 Sundance in Class 4?

Also, the store had a 4691-S Author Swivel chair....for someone tall (seat is 27" deep) the chair is unbelievably comfortable! You kind of sink down into it, and it leans a bit back. My husband loved it and now wants two of them!

So, can you please PM me a price for this in Class 2, 3, and 4? And a 4690 ottoman, too?

We're off to layout the swivel chairs in the room, with the Sundance 110" sofa.

Thanks
Amanda