Building dream house, need help on selecting sectional -first real furniture purchase

[swigginton]

My wife and I are building our dream house and are ready to get out of our just-graduated/just-married hand-me downs. We have two kids in elementary school and a dog. We definetely want a sectional with a real curved corner over a square. We'd prefer one with a chaise on the long side and a recliner on the other but two recliners is doable. More importantly, it needs to fit my wife who is 5ft and if possible fit me as well (6' 3") ... I know I know, not an easy task.

Here is the layout of the family room with the kitchen to the left. The room is 14' 9" wide and I need to leave sufficient room for the busy kitchen-family room path so I'm reserving 42" leaving me with 135" on the long/TV viewing side. On the short side my desire is for a sectional that is no more than 105" so I won't encroach in front of the window next to the fireplace (but I can if need be). The sliding patio door is 8ft and I don't mind the sectional blocking the permanently closed portion (there's a 16ft deep screened in porch which will protect leather from direct sunlight). I'm notionally showing the Zeus sectional by Palliser which is 123" x 100" which would leave room for a small end-table for the person on the chaise.

Attachment 3872

O yeah, and we're trying to do it for around $3K. I love leather but my wife has reservations, mainly because most of what she's sat in in deep/plush and she gets swallowed up and can't even touch the ground (again on the size thing). I could spend more since this is our dream house and we're not going anywhere for the next 50 years, but it would have to have a strong justification because with custom construction everything is costing more than budgeted

I'd really love some suggestions on pieces to look at, I've visisted most of the stores in my area (Virginia Beach) with only mediocre results, most of what I've liked has been on the internet and this is one area where I'm not as familiar with what I should be looking at. I haven't visisted the upscale (out of my budget) stores that seem to carry the lines I've found recommended on this forum and elsewhere.

Here are the ones that seem to meet our requirements:
Chicago by Flexsteel in leather for $4.8K [$3.6K in microfiber]
Zeus by Palliser in grade 3000 leather for $4K [$2.5K in microfiber]
Brandon by Flexsteel Latitudes in leather/match for $3.3K [$2.7K in microfiber]
Drew by Bassett for $3.3K in leather/match (bonded?)
CU.2 by Bassett for $2.6K in microfiber
601 by Seven Seas in leather/match for $2.5K

The Chicago felt tall, the Brandon and 601 were a bit deeper but not so tall but the leather was only so-so. Bassett has a cut-away showing their construction which seemed good but the CU.2 was definetely more of my wife's style and only in microfiber while the Drew felt more like bonded leather. The Zeus seems to be a great fit for my wife dimensionally and their grade 3000 leather swatches were impressive, but it doesn't recline and its the only one I haven't sat on.

I'd in desparate need of advise/ideas, especially with Labor Day sales coming up! (I know Flexsteel will be 10% off)

Thanks everyone,

-Scott