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Thread: Help choosing new seating. Total newbies here

  1. #1

    Default Help choosing new seating. Total newbies here

    Hi!

    My wife and I are looking at new seating in our house. We have an 82 year old spanish home in California. The living room measures 22 x 15 feet, it has 2 doorways on one wall, 5 windows and a wood burning stove. There are only 2 spots on the wall a TV can go.

    When my wife and I were married 6 years ago, and living in our first house, she had a very cheap couch that lasted about a year before it literally broke apart. We purchased a flexsteel couch and love seat which were comfortable but after 5 years they are getting pretty worn, bummer. We aren't wealthy but I'm a strong believer that there can't be value without quality.

    We are looking to possibly rearrange our room and use a sectional this go around. We aren't 100% on this configuration but is looking like what we want to do. We will need a sectional with the following dimensions.

    130" total length on the longer side
    104" total length on the shorter side
    44" depth

    This is based upon measuring and sitting on various couches.

    We, especially my wife, like the look of fabric but I think nothing beats the durability and timeless style of leather.

    That being said, I have looked at the offerings from taylor made (king?) and from hancock moore. I know that they are connected somehow. I have read that if doing leather, just get HM because they are going to be similar in price. Is this true?

    We like these styles quite a lot but I suspect these couches are cheaply made.

    http://www.houzz.com/photos/34299592...sitional-sofas

    http://www.houzz.com/photos/34299540...ectional-sofas

    We want a firm, thick style leather with some amount of down in the cushion. We enjoy a variety of browns to cinnamon. We have a 2 year old and 2 large dogs, I am 6'1" and 240 lbs. My wife is less than half that size and 5'3". Ideally we will buy this sectional and give it to our son, we want an heirloom piece.

    Can anyone offer a young couple some advice?

    I know the sectional i described will be pricey (how much I'm unsure) so we will save until we can afford a nice piece.

    Thanks!

  2. #2

    Default Re: Help choosing new seating. Total newbies here

    Can anyone offer up a few suggestions on some pieces we should check out?

    Help is appreciated

  3. #3
    Jenny Guest

    Default Re: Help choosing new seating. Total newbies here

    Do you have any photos of your place? Also, do you have a price range in mind?

    The only piece of advice I have right now is to read this: https://www.thehandmadehome.net/2011...h-a-dark-sofa/

    Not that I have a problem with dark sofas, but I think a lot of people switching from fabric to dark brown leather underestimate the effect that a big dark heavy piece can have on their rooms. You can certainly make it work stunningly (and not from painting everything stark white either like the article seems to suggest), but I don't want you to be unprepared. It sounds like you can definitely do it in the size of your living room though.

    The other thing that I wasn't aware of until I bought my own sofa is sun damage on the leather. There's a thread somewhere about how you can stick something on your windows to help. But just keep in mind that with 5 windows, that's something you'll have to think about.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Alexandria VA
    Posts
    15,887

    Default Re: Help choosing new seating. Total newbies here

    Sectionals tend to be more costly than a pair of sofas, so if budget is a concern, then I'd look at buying a pair of sofas vs a sectional. You will get effectively the same usable seating area at a lower price point.

    Taylor King is primarily a fabric house, Hancock and Moore is leather. Until recently, both had the same ownership and thus were built with similar standards. H&M is the gold standard in quality components, however it can get pricey unless you stay within the offerings from the Just in Time program.
    Duane Collie
    Straight answers from thirty-six years in the business.
    My Private Messages are Disabled - Please ask questions here in the forum.

  5. #5

    Default Re: Help choosing new seating. Total newbies here

    https://goo.gl/photos/P8Z7hQv1yP8GhADCA

    Here are some picture of the room. All the furniture is from our first house and will be changed. Also, the bright colored play area will move into my son's room in about a month.

    Those current couches are a dark brown microfiber. We can use the current layout of course but I think we'd really prefer a sectional. The idea is to have the corner of the sectional be in front of the window where the play area is and the TV to be where the city painting is at. Drcollie, what do you think (ballpark) it would cost us to upgrade to a sectional over 2 couches? 1k, 2k?

    Jenny, as we speak I am redoing all my landscaping. Each of those 5 Windows will be shaded most of the day and have window coverings. In addition there is UV tint on the windows. I'd think this will help a lot with fading?

    Budget is tricky. 10k for seating is an enormous number to me but if that's what it takes to get true heirloom pieces it's 100% worth it. I'd hope I could get us in that range but can do more if needed.

    The seating does not need to be 100% custom, if it fits, looks good and is top quality I'm interested.

    I'll read about the just in time program.

    Thanks for the help!

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Alexandria VA
    Posts
    15,887

    Default Re: Help choosing new seating. Total newbies here

    Just some quick observations:

    * The dark brown curtains on the too-long curtain rod have to go.
    * Dark upholstery and wood in the room is not the direction I would take the room, even though your beams are dark wood.
    * Mount the TV flat on the wall using a bracket and concealed wiring.
    * Your room cannot carry the visual weight of a sectional. You should consider smaller scale furniture in lighter to mid-tone colors.

    If I were decorating that room, I'd consider a mid-size sofa such as the Utopia in the Just in Time program.

    http://www.hancockandmoore.com/Produ...ia-Tufted-Sofa
    Duane Collie
    Straight answers from thirty-six years in the business.
    My Private Messages are Disabled - Please ask questions here in the forum.

  7. #7

    Default Re: Help choosing new seating. Total newbies here

    Quote Originally Posted by drcollie View Post
    Just some quick observations:

    * The dark brown curtains on the too-long curtain rod have to go.
    * Dark upholstery and wood in the room is not the direction I would take the room, even though your beams are dark wood.
    * Mount the TV flat on the wall using a bracket and concealed wiring.
    * Your room cannot carry the visual weight of a sectional. You should consider smaller scale furniture in lighter to mid-tone colors.

    If I were decorating that room, I'd consider a mid-size sofa such as the Utopia in the Just in Time program.

    http://www.hancockandmoore.com/Produ...ia-Tufted-Sofa
    Thanks Duane

    The curtains, Paintings, furniture, wall paint, ect will all be changed. We are just staging our projects. The TV will be flush mounted to the wall, we are just planning out the room and furniture before we do it.

    I will agree that super dark furniture isn't the best bet for this room, it's what we have in here now and it's not my favorite.

    I am surprised that you don't think a sectional will work in the layout I described. The room is 22' x 16', is it the size of the room or the over all shape? I imagine one leg of the sectional where the TV is now and the other leg coming across the middle of the room.

    The current layout is definitely the most logical setup but it really wastes a lot of space. Furthermore, we really would like a sectional. Something about them appeals to us more than a typical sofa setup.

    Are sectionals an option for just in time pricing?

    Thanks!

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