Hello! (and help choosing reading chair)

[cat@atl]

Hello everyone!
First of all, a massive thank you to Duane for this venue and everyone who's ever posted here. Reading the forum has been incredibly educational. I've been stalking y'all for months.

I'm shopping for a comfy reading chair for me, to go in our living room; am replacing a not-so-comfy rocking chair. I want something that reclines (naptime!!). We have pets, including cats, so I want leather for ease of maintenance. We are average-size folks--nobody has ever called us "tall"

Decor-style: Hobbit transitional? We live in a 1200 sq 1960's ranch in Atlanta. 2 adults, no kids, pets. We have some 1920s-1930's stuff (dining room set, light fixture from granny's house), a lot of books, several "granny era" mirrors, and a fondness for antlers and plants (staghorn ferns = double points ). Years ago, I tried a more minimalist style and it left me cold--turns out I like stuff on the walls and my chairs/couch to have hefty arms. We have pretty good flow through the living room (kind of a figure-8 around the couch, which floats in the middle of the room between a bookshelf-lined entryway and the living room space). The living room connects to the dining room (which has 3 entrances and acts like a traffic circle). Our north-facing living room is painted yellow (Benjamin Moore "Squish squash") to help with the weird and limited lighting; anything other than blue or yellow looks green/dingy. I plan to get rid of the existing TV furniture (too blocky and dark) and install shelves on that wall (see "bad photoshop" photos). The TV will be on one of the shelves, with new and existing (campaign-style) chairs flanking it.

Attachment 9047

I mocked up several chairs, looks like most would fit but some would be visually "heavier" than others. The # next to the abbreviated chair name = space needed to lean back. The icova software was so helpful...

Attachment 9046

I'm leaning (hah hah!) towards a tilt-back chair (for durability) but love the thought of a recliner (would not need an ottoman). I like tufted (I think it adds some needed softness/bling). From my mock-ups, I think Hancock and Moore's Woodbridge or Miller or Sadler would be my best bets. I'm saying H&M because everyone here seems to love the stuff, but I'd also be open to another brand (B&Y?) as long as it has similar build and leather quality. I plan to be buried in this chair (j/k). Of course I am very open to items in the Quick Ship program but also to other leathers that may work.

Attachment 9048

Color: We have a lot of "brown furniture" so I'm interested in a lighter-color leather (caramel-type color vs. chocolate brown or burgundy). I don't want an uniform/perfect look to the leather. Pull-up leather and other tone variations would be great (my go-to is bag Saddleback Leather bag in their "dark coffee" color; it gets lots of "character" from daily abuse. At first, it freaked me out but now I love it.).

Thoughts? (1) chair size/model relative to our available space and existing furnishings, (2) recliner vs. tilt-back [do I really need to worry about recliner mechanism durability/replacement?] and (3) suggested leather (capable of surviving the occasional hairball or sloshed cocktail) so I can request samples.

Thank you!!!
EDIT: not sure pictures are showing up? I also put them here: http://s1376.photobucket.com/user/ca...eading%20chair

[drcollie]

Sorry, your 'attachment's are not displaying. Often folks try to post photos that are too large and you hit the size limit. They should be downsized to around 72 dpi and 14" x 10" or thereabouts. That gives a good size and will come in under the threshold limits. Use a software program to modify your photos before attaching, or....it that seems like too much work turn the settings WAY down on your camera and don't use fine resolution.

Choice of recliner is more based on what style fits your decor more than anything else.

Recliner vs Tilt back, in the case of mechanism failure on either one, the Tilt Back is much easier to fix and for less money. However, you need to buy an ottoman with a Tilt Back to make it functional so overall cost is higher to purchase.

There are about 200 leathers in H&M that can work, you can get up to a dozen free samples by putting in a request here in QUOTES AND ORDERS. Select based on photos here or on the H&M web site. Do not pick Sonoma or Nubuck as those are suedes.

[cat@atl]

Thanks for the feedback! I'm now studying your posts with the leather descriptions and googling up photos.

[Danw99]

When I saw the title of "help choosing reading chair" my first thought was the Austin tilt back. They are very comfortable and with the ottoman pretty flexible. Most H&M dealers have one on the floor from what I have seen, I guess they are popular. It is a little more expensive though because you are buying two pieces instead of just a chair, and it takes up a little more room. They have some very comfortable recliners too, I suggest going to a H&M dealer and seeing what you can try out to help you first decide if you want a recliner or a tilt back. If you are looking for more support and less cushy/lean-back-ability, the button-back chairs are very comfortable and cozy too, pair with an ottoman.

[cat@atl]

Danw99--yes, we have a few H&M dealers in the area and I hope to make it to some of them this weekend. I decided to get an education here first, then hit the stores, to better understand what I'll be seeing and sitting on. Reminds me of school: study first then go on a field trip and see the things you studied in their natural habitat

Space is a concern. It's a small house; the living room is effectively 12' x 12' because the front door entryway is in the same 12' x 18' room. Some of the tilt-backs/recliners I like would take up almost 1/2 as much space as our small couch (that's 80" long). So hopefully they have some smaller recliners too (Sami or Greyson to compare to the Woodbridge). And thanks for the suggestion to look at chair + ottoman, I've been so fixated on the reclining aspect that I haven't considered those.

I actually like the Sami now that I found this photo, done in a gorgeous burnished leather.
http://www.myfurnitureforum.com/show...Sami-Recliners

Any thoughts on how those 3 models differ other than obviously in looks (Greyson vs. Sami vs Woodbridge). Firmer, plusher?

[Danw99]

I have a Woodbridge and I have sat in a Sami. To me the Sami is a little firmer. In a room I think the Sami will LOOK smaller, but the actual measurements are pretty similar.

[drcollie]

For small spaces you can use a smaller-framed occasional chair and a boot stool in lieu of a recliner. The Boot stool is quite easy to move aside when not in use.

[cat@atl]

Howdy again! We finally made it to a local store this week. They had v. limited H&M stock but I was able to try the Miller Bustle Back Lounger and Sundance Recliner. They did not have the Woodbridge. Decided I want a recliner (to avoid needing an ottoman/stool taking up floor space).

1) Can folks familiar with both of these compare the Miller to the Woodbridge?
From the specs, I can see that the Miller has 1" more in seat depth compared to the Miller. The Miller's back rest seems to be angled more than the Woodrbidge's, which I guess means the Woodbridge sits you more upright when the recliner is not in use. Is that correct?
The Woodbridge also seems marginally smaller (1" lower in seat height and arm height, couple inches less in overall width).
The Woodbridge shows more leg.

2) So... leathers. Thinking of requesting the ones below. Any suggestions/substitutions? I definitely want something with some tonality (vs solid color throughout) and am still loving colors in the caramel/butternut range. The store's leather samples were out of order so it was hard to find all the ones I wanted to check out but these are the ones I did find, and my impressions:

- Imperial Whiskey Burnished (Unprotected, III): liked the coloring but it seemed too shiny and slick for my taste
- Cameo Brown Burnished (Unprotected, III): semi-shiny and with a lot of pull-up. Not sure I'd be happy with a whole chair of pull-up in this color but would like to request another Cameo, maybe Cameo Tan and Cameo Carmel?
- Equestrian Saddle (Unprotected, III): less shiny and pull-uppy than Cameo; seems like a compromise between Imperial and Cameo? Listed as full grain,aniline
- Capri Butternut (Unprotected, IV): oh mommy!
- Capri Harness (Unprotected, IV): also amazing, but there was not a lot of difference between this one and Butternut in the store sample. Both Capris listed as full grain, aniline.
- saw some Bari in black; the surface texture is not what I'm looking for.

Was not able to see:
Tiburon Toffee (Unprotected, III)
Columbia Acorn (or Butternut?) (Protected II); top grain, aniline
Buckingham Walnut Burnished (Unprotected, III)
Quintessence Tigereye (Unprotected IV)
Viking Chestnut (Unprotected II) -- probably too dark but it's part of the JIT promotion

3) Suggested wood stain for legs? We have red oak floors. Medium oak?

4) Nails: seems like the Natural L nails would work with the above colors.
I love the added to this Woodbridge's wings, http://www.myfurnitureforum.com/show...-Capri-Tobacco

Thanks!!

[drcollie]

I have a tufted back Miller in the store, but not a Woodbridge (have the B-Y version, the 4114). I don't notice enough difference in pitch angles to make it worth mentioning. If looking at the Miller Tufted version, then the break on the bustle is more a factor than anything else. The Woodbridge has a small top pillow in the upper back, the Miller has a longer one. That small pillow can hit shorter people (say 5' 5"or so) and create an uncomfortable pocket for their head/neck, whereas the deeper top pillow on the Miller has more surface area and less prone to do that.

All good leathers, the Capri is a luxury leather, super-sofa. The others are stiffer, thicker hides.

Wood is whatever you want it to be, I key to the leather, not the floors myself.

Hope that helps

[cat@atl]

I got my leather samples yesterday, thank you! Strung them up on a piece of ribbon and dragged them around the house all evening like Linus and his blanket.

Loved the feel of Capri but loved the colors of the burnished hides... So here's a question, has anyone seen piece done where "only Capri touches your skin" (say, backrest, arms, seat, maybe footrest) then the rest is done in a burnished hide? Can you see this in your mind and if so, is it stupid-looking?

This was the first thought in my head when I woke up so I need a consult