Great Room Layout and Picture

[aluebcke]

Everything is finally on order!!!!

We decided on the Equestrian Truffle for the Sundance sofas, Hand Antiqued Saddle for the Author swivel chair, two author ottomans (Nile Croc Burnished on top with Hand Antiqued Saddle on the bottom). Also added gimp in Nile Croc Burnished on the author chair and ottomans; and ordered some pillows.

We went ahead with the Sundance customization to 50"x96"....with our height, we felt it was worth the extra cost to modify the sofa for more comfort. Also did down-wrapped cushions on the sofas and chairs.

Now we'll just keep our fingers crossed that the CFA's come in the colors we're expecting.

Thanks to Duane for all your help (and extreme patience).

And thanks everyone else for your input.

[Jane A]

So glad you got it all picked out, everything sounds just gorgeous! I've really enjoyed your thread, it's been very helpful to me.

And please take pictures when you finally get it all!!

[ldematte]

I'm reading through this thread and feel like I've 'met' my twin..lol. After MUCH deliberation, making my husband move the furniture around TOO MANY times, and agonizing over leather samples, I too ordered the Sundance series during the black friday sale period(sofa & loveseat combo - my room is slightly smaller). Love your choices, Amanda. I'm getting the Atticus Java CFA, but if that doesn't work Equestrian is my next choice. I'm holding off on chairs, etc until I see how the sofa/loveseat fills the room.

I really chuckled when I saw your post on faux fur throws. This is exactly what I'm thinking for my room, too!

Please keep us posted on your thoughts on your CFA once you receive it. I felt such a sense of relief when I put in that order (are we crazy or what???) Now it's time to enjoy!

[aluebcke]

Hi ldematte. Good to 'meet' you, too.

It's such a relief to have the order in, and I feel good about our choices, too. My husband is just happy he doesn't have to look at any more samples or discuss our options.

Let me know what you decide on the faux fur throws. I'm thinking about making a drive to Chicago to a Restoration Hardware to take a look at theirs. They're currently on sale....and I hate the idea of paying those high freight charges. They charge $21 to ship two throws....feels like a rip-off.

I'll definitely post pictures of the CFAs! I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they're what we expect.

[aluebcke]

Hello again.

Got the CFA's and have been stressing over them for about two weeks.

We've decided to stick with the equestrian truffle and hand-antiqued saddle. At first, I was concerned about both....the equestrian is not quite as soft as the sample I have, but it's still very nice and the color is perfect. The hand-antiqued saddle is a little darker than I expected, but it should go well with the equestrian.

The nile croc burnished is not going to work, since the CFA is very orange (and I really hate the color). Too bad, because I really like the nile croc....and the original samples had no orange in them at all.

So, we're switching from the Nile croc burnished to either cayman coffee or ostrich. Duane...any thoughts on which one will go best? My husband likes the cayman better, but I'm leaning toward the ostrich (but we haven't seen the cayman in person yet). What's the quickest way to do this....send us a sample of the cayman or we pick one and do a CFA?

[drcollie]

Hey Amanda,

Well - here's the story. You can CFA yourself into near madness. Remember that line from Star Wars? "Trust the Force, Use the Force?"

Trust H&M to make those burnished leathers perfect. When you do a CFA in burnished its not matched, they're just samples. However, when they build the piece and send it back to finish, they hand-tone/hand tint that Nile Croc to go with the rest of the piece and they hit it on the mark every time (so far - yours would be the first if they didn't). Stay with the Nile Croc and let Melissa in the finishing department work her magic. She's pro. Remember, this is Hancock and Moore we're talking about - they do it better than anyone on the planet when it comes to leather. That's my recommendation.

Now that I have your attention, here's one for you! I know you work at Whirlpool Corp., and my wife and I just bought a new front-load Washer / Dryer (Duet Series) when our old Whirlpool Calypso Washer packed it in after 12 years. That Duet series is impressive! It does the laundry FAR better than the old conventional units. I wish we had replaced with them long ago. But they have a lot of computer-gee whiz bells and whistles on them and I'm concerned about repair and longevity. Vibration and Moisture is not the friend of electronic circuits. So my question is .... since you are in the business - would you recommend buying the extended warranty on the units from Whirlpool? Normally I don't buy those...but I will if you say I should!

[aluebcke]

Ok...I'm going to think about your suggestion a bit. Is there any way to ask Melissa to be sure the nile croc is not at all orange (more brown-toned)? I have a sample I could send to her (actually two) that show the tones I'd be happy with.

Do I have to get another CFA for the Equestrian Truffle and Hand-Antiqued Saddle? I know it's been at least two weeks since I've received them and my leather may have been put back into stock, righ?

We have the Duet washers and dryers, too. And I love them! We replaced top loads about 6 years ago, and haven't had a single problem with the Duets. More fits into them, and they are more economical on water consumption. Be sure to use only the HE (high efficiency) detergent. The regular detergents create too many suds, and the front-loads cannot handle it. (It won't hurt the washer, but it will take a while for the washer to get rid of too many suds).

We did not purchase the extended warranty, and don't for most products we buy. Generally, if you're going to have any issues, they'll happen in the first year when under warranty. The chance of having an issue after the first year is very low.

[Sofadoo]

We bought new front loaders recently as well and did not purchase the extended warranty. I generally assume that companies sell those for a profit, therefore making it a loss for the average consumer. Of course if you really plan on beating the snot out what you buy then maybe...

One thing I learned about our washer is that it's very important to remove the clean clothes asap when the cycle is done and to leave the door open to let the machine dry out. Mold can be an issue with most front loaders.

[drcollie]

When a burnished piece is done, the base color is very blonde - so they can tint them this way or that way as needed. There's a bit of a range for them to work with, and they will match the hue to the companion leather. I've seen it done a number of times and its always great.

Your CFA's are still in hold, they usually call me with a 24 hour notice before they return them.

Thanks for the info on the Duet's! I can't believe how washer and dryer technology has advanced since our last 'conventional' set. The washer is a engineering marvel, and the clothes come out much less 'abused', less wrinkled, more dry and no soap residue left on the material. Had I known all this we would have replaced the old set much sooner. Whirlpool has a really nice product here....

[drcollie]

Talked to H&M this morning, Amanda. We're going to do a custom dye match on the two leathers for you and I'll mail it your way when it gets here. Hang tight....