Family/Living room furniture advice needed

[caliguy]

Hi Duane,

Happy Thanksgiving. This is a great forum. I've learned a lot browsing through all the threads, and now need some advice.

Looking to replace our crappy old lovesac sactional with something nicer. No pets, but two elementary school-age children. We have a open concept family room/kitchen area. The room itself has cathedral ceilings @ 14ft, the walls go up to 11ft. The opening to the kitchen is ~8ft high. There's an arch entryway into the family room and a large 4-pane sliding glass door to the backyard (pictures attached). We're thinking of getting a leather sectional in the 135"x100"-ish range, but not sure. Should we go sofa + loveseat instead? I also have stressless (Aura) recliner there. What are your thoughts on such a setup? What would you do? Below are some pictures and a plan excerpt.

We've gone to look at a few retail places (R&B, C&B, etc.) and some things look nice, but I'm skeptical of their quality and longevity. Our style is more transitional. I've sat on some H&M couches and some were comfortable, though the ones in the showroom around here felt quite soft on the back cushions. I have lower back problems and need something on the firmer side. I finally found a BY dealer nearby and thought their cushions were very comfy (I think they were the spring ones), I sat on the Whitaker I believe. I liked the comfort, but it wasn't my style. I think something like Hanley would be closer to acceptable to the wifey. In H&M, we like the Smooth and York from the pictures, but its hard to find in stores. In AML, Carson seems closest, but it is still a little chunky. So hard to make these choices from pictures

Color wise, we were thinking brown leather, on the "lighter" side. We'll also need an area rug as the floors are still barren just like in the pictures.

Any recommendations you can make? Are we going in the right direction with sectional and size? Any other styles you can recommend?






Thanks for any advice you can provide. I've rambled on as I usually do...

[drcollie]

You pretty much have a blank canvas that can be configured a number of ways with that room, and it can take a variety of configurations. You might want to hire a pro decorator to help you lay it out if you're not sure the direction you want to take. Having said that. I think you're on the right track with the sectional idea, that can work very well in a room such as that.

Cushions cores are easily adjusted among most all the better makers. Most H&M dealers will put Ultra Down backs and seats in their pieces, as floor models to the dealers are often offered at no extra charge to them. They will definitely be more plush and less supportive, so perhaps you would do better with standard cores and back. Even those can be adjusted to extra firmness in the seats and overfilled in the back if you ask. Always ask the dealer what the cores are in a particular piece so you know.

A sectional will present better in the room than a sofa / loveseat combo in a larger great room, so yes, that's how I would go myself. Also look at H&M's YOUR WAY program as they run promotional leathers in that series that can reduce the price of a typical H&M sectional by quite a bit


http://www.myfurnitureforum.com/show...ional-leathers

http://hancockandmoore.com/Product-Category/16/Your-way

[caliguy]

Thank you for the feedback, appreciate it. Hiring a decorator is something we keep talking about, but it just doesn't seem to happen ^_^ We really should.

We did look at a Your Way, but their backs seem to be pretty high and we were concerned with it interrupting the visual flow in the great room and kind of being more "in the way". Styling wise, it was also a bit too traditional. Something like York or Smooth I believe is shorter and also has a bit more contemporary feel. Will look at your ways again though. My wife really likes the more modern looks (like Bracci) sonwe are compromising :-)

Could you recommend a "good" brown leather? Something in the cognac-ish tone. From reading your forum, I like the concept of an unprotected hide, but concerned with the child factor and leaving scratch marks. When I run my finger nails on some leathers, many keep the scratches while others don't show them at all. What is that a function of?

Lastly, also saw a century couch (leathercraft apartment I believe) and didn't mind the way that looked, though the Pablo looked good on the website. I think they are different series though. Can you comment on any of those?

Thanks again! You provide a fantastic resource for the easily confused but deliberating consumers such as myself :-)

[caliguy]

Oh, I wonder if the Your Way in the show room was the deeper depth option which is 38" high. The standard depth is supposed to be 35.5" high, which would be just fine. The salesperson at the local dealer was not very useful :-(

[drcollie]

Take a read on this As it will explain leathers / costs / scratches, etc.

http://www.myfurnitureforum.com/show...-FORUM-lt-READ

Recommending a leather is more a function of Your price point. Every price grade has good hides to pick from, and most customers are price-focused. Sometimes it’s a good idea to start with samples, they are done at no charge. Get a few from each price grade and decide if the higher priced grades are worth it. On average, you have a 15 % to 19% price increase every grade step. Cow skin is cow skin, so it’s not really a durability Difference , it’s texture, hand and tailoring.

My kids were raised on pure anilines and we have the same sofas today.

Century Leatherstone I can get as well, but Hancock and Moore is still a better build overall.