May 11, 2011

Home Fashion: Help me pick a sofa!

Yesterday I posted about how Chris and I are buying new furniture for our living room. If anyone wants to weigh in with their opinions on some sofa options, we are pretty torn between these:

 Room and Board Eugene
I like the feminine but still MCM shape of this sofa. I love the buttons on the back and the three legs at the base. This one is Chris's least favorite though.

 Room and Board Murray
I like the color of the legs. I like that it is three cushions. But I think it is a bit plain. It looks like it could go into a doctor's office waiting room. And I worry that the unattached cushions in the back will get lumpy like our current couch's (since Speck likes to perch). This is our compromise choice since we both like it along with the fabric selection available. It is also the least expensive of the three sofas from Room and Board.
Room and Board Reese (without chaise)
This is Chris's favorite. And I adore the look of it. But it is the most expensive and I worry that the buttons are going to be dirt traps when they are attached to the seat rather than the back. I also think that they will be more likely to come loose when they are constantly sat on.

We ordered fabric samples from the company and are eager to make a decision. But we also have contemplated buying the much less expensive but still mid-century-modern sofa from Macys called the Corona:
 
I don't care much for the Corona fabric but they have a great protection plan and the couch is plenty comfortable. I don't know where Macys furniture is made but Room and Board is all made in the US which draws me to them. We sat on many Room and Board sofas when we visited their store in San Fransisco. Still I wish we could go to a store to see everything in person to sit on things now that we've narrowed our choices to the above three... Sadly there is no showroom in Pittsburgh. Any thoughts?

15 comments:

k_ray said...

I actually have the murray, which we really like. The fabric is really easy to get dog hair off of, and its super comfy. The back cushions do get a little warped (I've got a percher dog too) but I've found that they regain their shape if punched a few times.

snowy said...

I adore the Reese but like you worry about the buttons as well. When we were sofa shopping a year ago, we checked out Mitchell Gold and Bob Williams and Crate and Barrel (Petrie) before settling on DWR (Neo). Here's a great post from design sponge on mid century style sofas: http://www.designspongeonline.com/2007/07/sofa-guide.html


Happy shopping!

Ichun said...

My vote is for the R&B Eugene. The quality of R&B really makes their furniture worth the price. Our couches are from R&B and they have held up through 2 boys and a cat. My cat doesn't even scratch them. We've also spilled red wine on every one of them (including a white chenille-like fabric) and the stains came out with no problem. I also prefer couches with 2 bottom cushions rather than the ones with 3. Generally (depending on how big your household is) you won't often have 3 people sitting on the sofa at one time so it makes more sense to have 2 cushions so that people are not sitting on the crack between the cushions.

Jesspgh of Consume or Consumed said...

Thank you all for the advice! 

Jesspgh of Consume or Consumed said...

 This is really reassuring! I don't really know anyone with R&B sofas here so I am glad you can vouch for the fabric's longevity and upkeep. Thank you!

Jesspgh of Consume or Consumed said...

 Thanks so much for this link! I sent it to Chris and we are now looking into other options too.

Jesspgh of Consume or Consumed said...

 Ooh good to know about the dog hair and the fluffability post-perching dog. This time of year I am constantly vacuuming, lint-brushing, and fabric sweeping.

Jesspgh of Consume or Consumed said...

 The Corona would be a money saver which I like. But I just wasn't as in love with their fabrics. I wish I could get it made with one of the fabrics from Room and Board because that is the only thing keeping me from buying it. The buttons on the bottom of the Reese really turn me off from it, even if I like its look. Our living room will be lived in so I have to think carefully about feel and wear since I sit in that same position you described most often.

Jesspgh of Consume or Consumed said...

The Corona price point and Macy's protection package are really attractive. It is good to know that yours has held up so well! I love the look of the Corona and we have been inches from buying it many times in the last few weeks.

I don't know many who have bought R&B furniture when living away from a showroom so I am also glad to hear they still are easy to deal with in the event of a problem.

Karlye said...

I have the corona couch from Macy's in paprika. Also purchased the paprika ottoman from that set. It's about two years old and has handled a 120 lb dog, a cat and two humans very well. The colors are limited and it's probably not of the caliber/quality of a Room and Board couch. However, the price point was right and Macy's has that green policy/cleaning kit. I did a lot of research before buying the Corona. It's subject to great debate on Apartment Therapy: http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/seating-sofas-armchairs/corona-sofa-series-029227. From secondhand experience, Room and Board is a dream to deal with if you live faraway from a showroom.

I like the Eugene the best, with the Corona has a good back up.

zyzzyva said...

I think I actually like the Corona best, with the Eugene a close second. The separate back cushions of the Murray can indeed be problematic with a perching pet (our cat does the same and we periodically must re-fluff ours -- Crate & Barrel "Lounge" sofa).

I will say, regarding the Reese, that every sofa I've lived with that had buttons on the seat cushions were uncomfortable for lounging for long periods or actually injured me. The edges and shanks of the buttons would get stabby/scratchy as the cushion got more wear and the buttons would shift. Of course, I also tend to sit with my feet tucked next to or under me, so my ankles were already in increased danger...

Tricia Mickelsen Thomas said...

I don't think you could go wrong period! I will say that with kids and a dog our sofa's take a beating and am glad we never paid too much for any of our furniture.

Sarah said...

i'm going with the reese!

carly-strawberryheelsforever said...

I like the Eugene best - I'm with you on the fact that the buttons on the bottom would be a huge dirt/crumb trap. My grandma had a couch like that and it constantly had crumbs stuck in the button area! I love the look of those buttons though, so it's a nice compromise to have them on the back of the couch instead.

Lucas Menendez said...

I love de 4th sofa. I had one sofa in "L" once in a furnished apartments buenos aires where I lived years ago, and they are really comfortable.

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