Finding a sofa for an awkward layout

i love ALL the research you did, and especially the homestyler layouts

i hope you find the perfect sofa. i think it's a huge decision so i love that you are putting in the good effort of researching EVERYTHING :)

That is the sofa I wanted so bad! It's just perfect! However, the color options just didn't work for my home.

As far as the layout, that's a tough one. I'm thinking I would put the whole couch in front of the window and let the chaise point straight at the tv.

I hear you on the arranging furniture struggle!! I constantly struggle with how to arrange furniture in our little home!

So glad you found the perfect couch!! And all the research you did is amazing! You definitely made the best, informed decision!

http://imsewinlove.blogspot.com/

Have you checked out Jcpenney's slipcovered sofa? I have the sofa and chair in the pearl color. The slipcovers wash great and it looks brand new 4 years later (with 3kids). Very comfy & great price. How about facing your couch on an angle toward the fire place - t.v. above? My family has to be directly in front or else everyone is laying down to watch from the side.

I have a similarly challenging TV room so I am watching and learning! I'd take slipcovers in a heartbeat.

Tracey

I like the idea of putting the whole couch in front of the window if you go for just the chaise. If you don't like the idea of the couch up against the window, what about a sofa table in back of it, or in back of that part if u go with A sectional.

I love how you do your sofa layouts using homestyler. Just wondering...have you considered buying a leather/ faux leather sofa? I think it's easier to keep clean and requires less effort to maintain 'coz you don't need to take the slipcovers off and putting it on all the time for washing/cleaning.

Hope you get your new sofa soon. Can't wait to see it.

Jessie
www.mixandchic.com

We bought a new sofa and double chair (is that what they are called? the gigantor chair - not quite love seat, but big enough both my husband and I fit) and ottoman since you started your quest. They are HUGE (tall and deep) and currently taking up 90% of our living room (we still have one of the old couches in there too!) It's rather insane, but the new stuff is so fantastic to sit on that I don't even care that it looks like we have lost our minds. I think I need to homestyler the room and figure out how it really ought to be. And hope that I can move the new furniture without rupturing my spleen.

First of all, I think you will hate the slipcovers, I have a slipcovered chair and it looks sloppy all the time! I hope that isn't a negative comment, but I have absolutely nothing positive to say regarding slipcovers! :)

and secondly I can't believe that isn't a Ballard couch, they look EXACTLY the same! wow :)

and lastly, you rock, your home is gorgeous! I don't comment nearly enough and now here I am leaving such a downer comment! But really you are the FIRST and sometimes only blog I make time to read!

I have the Arhaus Baldwin sofa and chair and a half. We bought them ten years ago. The frame and seat cushions have held up well but the back cushions are slouchy and frumpy, like PB ones that don't get fluffed regularly. The saleswoman told me she'd replace the cushions if they ever got frumpy, but that turned out not to be true. :(

I wash the slipcovers occasionally (maybe twice a year?), but some weird bleachy spots appeared on the chair within a year of buying our purchase. I have no idea where the spots came from -- total mystery to this day. We didn't even have kids yet! The fabric was supposed to be coated in scotch guard, but I have my doubts. One other issue I've had is with the down-wrapped cushions. The down is always sneaking out! I still find feathers, even ten years later.

It is a comfy couch, though! There is no place better to curl up and watch a movie!

This comment has been removed by the author.

Funny reading your post, we put an IKEA sofa in our son's playroom since they aren't super cushy. We chose the MANSTAD (fitting name for our family of 5 boys). It is a sofa/chaise combo but the really awesome part is the pullout feature that doubles it's size, great for movie watching and it has a storage compartment built in, just a thought for the playroom someday! :) Love your blog!
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20126094

Michelle @ www.allmysons-krol.blogspot.com

I love how much time you have put into all your research for this! My husband and I are currently in the market for some new couches and yikes! its alot of work! Luckily, we are good friends with a furniture store owner so they are taking care of us! Right now though, we have slip-covered couches and they only look good for about 5 seconds after we cover them. The minute someone sits down (or even thinks about sitting down it seems) they become wrinkled and loose, and just a pain! I will never have them again...but I also don't have kids yet ;)
Good luck with your search! Can't wait to see the end result!

I'm not crazy about slipcovers and got rid of everything slipcovered in the house. Mine were always a wrinkled mess, especially after washing (and I'm wayyy too lazy to iron a slipcover) Can't believe I am admitting this in public but..I tuck a king sized sheet over our new microfiber sofa to keep the dog hair off and when company comes, I stash the sheet on my way to answer the door. Yeah, it's shameful, but everyone comments on my sofa and asks how I keep it so clean with 6 dogs. I lie, look offended and say that my perfect babies don't get on my sofa.

We have a hard to decorate great room also, its like a long bowling alley with windows everywhere. We just moved here late Dec. and I am still trying to figure out what to do. Overwhelming! I can't wait to try out the program you used. I guess it wouldn't work for you to switch out the den and living room? That's what I plan to try next. I've moved the den 2 times in 3 months already (blush).

i like the idea someone else mentioned - the tv above the fireplace and the sofa at an angle.

We have a large tan and chocolate sectional with Chaise and I LOVE IT all except for the fact that i only have limited options for rearranging! Ours is also microfiber and I love it! It does leave the marks when you move your hand over it but nothing that drives me crazy! One thing i do LOVE about it is that the cushion covers come off and I can throw them into the washer inside out and and hang dry them and they look BRAND NEW!! Not sure if the microfiber one you are looking at has removable cushions but you should deff check into it!! I have a 2 year old and know how fast things get on couch cushions!!

Have you thought about angling the sofa and rug to match the angle of the chair? It might be a better view of the TV.

I would probably angle the sofa on the same axis as the chair/ottoman -- it would be angled away from the windows but compliment the direction the fireplace faces and line up with the angle of the chair/ottoman. Might be an interesting layout? But you probably already tried that!

Personally, I love the look of slipcovers, but have also wondered how they wear "in the real world" vs. the perfection they display in magazines and catalogs. I think they may end up being rather "frumpled" (mash up of frumpy and crumpled/rumpled!) looking -- which might be fine for me as I like the shabby-chic/beach cottage-y look, but your home is a lot more tailored and refined.

Cannot wait to see what you choose and how you lay it out!

Best,

Kimberly

We have had our slip-covered sofa for more than 10 years. The brand is Sklar Peppler. The cover is quite substantial and through 10+ years and three kids, it's still my favourite piece of furniture in the house. It looks great, is easy to maintain and is the most comfortable sofa ever. It was not inexpensive (I think about $2,200) but it has turned out to be a great investment.

I have the "Nina" slipcovered sofa from Restoration Hardware. J'adore! I love it!!!!! I have a 12 year old with a bazillion friends over constantly, a german shepherd( tuna) who thinks its " her" couch and a long haired cat(tucker) who thinks its his couch!! The slipcovers are wonderful! Its a natural linen and so easy to care for. I was them on gentle and a quick dry for a about 15 mins on gentle( just to get the wrinkles loose) and then hang them on the line. Just one bit of advice, i wish i would of bought an extra slipcover. If you can afford to buy an extra one pick one up! I know Ballards slipcovers are very reasonable! My problem is Restoration doesnt make the Nina sofa anymore! And the quote at having one made, i may as well buy a new sofa! Good Luck! Check out Restoration Hardware also! The furniture is great and it will last forever....

PLEASE tell me where to find the chair with the ottoman you show here (the one with the green flowers). I absolutely LOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE it!!!!!

My opinion is, if that's the only configuration that works, I think the sectional looks like it makes more sense in the space and has a better flow to it than just the couch/chaise.

Also, I used to have a slipcovered couch (not because I had done any research or anything, just had an old ugly couch that needed covered up). But I loved it. Yes, it could look messy, but it only took 2 minutes to do a little retucking and look nice again. I loved that I could whip it off, throw it in to wash, and throw it back on and have a clean couch. You just have to learn how to do it. I loved it, my mom hated hers because she could never figure out how to properly tuck it in. It just takes patience and practice, but once you figure it out, it's a breeze. Also, another tidbit I found helpful, I took mine out of the dryer when it was still just slightly damp. Then as it got stretched and smoothed over the couch it helped take some of the wrinkles out.

Hope that helps!

I think you are so smart to research all your options for a big purchase like this instead of just grabbing one and bringing it home. I like your floor plan layout options too! :) Your new couch is going to be great!

I can see the appeal in a slip-covered sofa, but I don't think I'd ever buy one. Even in the picture you showed, it looked rumpled and like it didn't quite fit the sofa frame- that would bother me if I'd spent a lot of money on the piece and it didn't look as tailored and smart -especially being the major piece of furniture in the room. I shopped around for nearly 4 years before we bought a sofa- we went with leather and I love it. I had avoided some of it because it seemed too big and bulky, but we found a sofa/chair set that had some neat lines and wasn't too thick/boorish looking. I think your layout would be fine- and as someone suggested, pulling the sofa out from the window a bit would probably help without sacrificing space.

Hi! I have mixed feelings on this one. Even though a sofa with slipcovers would be SO easy to keep clean, because you could just remove the slipcovers, I dunno...I think I would always be "straitening" the sofa every time I went by it.

But them again, I don't like the "messy" look, so I probably would vote for purchasing I sofa I could spot clean, and once or twice a year, depending on how dirty it got, steam cleaning it.

Hope this helps, and doesn't just get you more confused!

As for finding out who manufactures Arhaus and Ballard, call each and find out who manufacturers them. If the sales folks don't know, ask to speak to their manager. If they don't know, ask their managers...and so on...

Question: Have you ever considered losing the fireplace? Not now, of course, but someday? If it were me, I would get the sectional style keeping my question in mind.

OK, how about the TV above the fireplace? It's a new look ,Ive seen it in alot of upscale homes. Then you can place the sofa across from the windows,place the sofa table behind,loose the dresser by the wall.I have three kids,tried the cloth sofa's. Finally went to leather. WOW,fantastic.The set lasted 12 years. Just wipe clean.I now have my second leather LOVE it.Just a thought.

I like the sectional for your room.

I have Ikea Ektorp loveseats and chairs. They are 2.5 years old, and I still love them. (Sorry you didn't think they were comfy. I have found that the ones with no pull-out bed are comfier than those that do have the bed... not sure which one you tried).

I wash the slipcovers probably an average of every 2 weeks... much more often when little boys get muddy feet on them or draw on them. They are white, so I use bleach. I wouldn't say the covers look like new anymore but I can buy new ones for $50. The cushions still look great. I do "fluff" them, but probably only once a week and when they've been removed to make forts.

I think the slipcovers look fine - definitely better than having a dirty, stained sofa that I can't clean. Plus, slipcovers made specifically for one sofa are much more tailored that generic slipcovers.

Hope this helps!

I was just in World Market & they had a sofa very similar to PB! I think it was on sale for $599

http://www.worldmarket.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3696392

says $699 online, but I really think it was $599 in the store!

I just got a sectional for my living room. (the whole sha-bang: chaise, loveseat, couch, with a big fat ottoman in the middle!) and we absolutely love it! We can all pile on it and though we may not be sitting right beside each other, we feel as though we are! We were able to pay cash for it too (first time ever!!) and it felt SO GOOD!

Good luck with your decision!
Here is the link to mine if you are interested! :)
http://taketwodesigns.blogspot.com/2011/03/new-furniture.html

Your requirements sound just like mine! I had one more, I wanted storage in my couch... yes, storage! I found the perfect couches from www.homereserve.com, I got the altima fabric and my kids have written on the cushions and it washed out!!! ALL parts of the couch, even the arms, back, etc are washable.

The first time I threw the covers in the laundry, I was nervous but we couldn't beleive how amazing it turned out, just like brand new.

Another great thing about them is they have several styles, hundreds of fabrics and you can select ANY configuration you want, including adding to a sectional later. Plus, if you change your mind on the color, you can change it down the road pretty easily for not too much $.

Every seat lifts up and has storage under it, I store my seasonal decorations in the seats and we've already actually decorated for so many more holidays than in the past.

I can't rave about homereserve.com enough. It is insanely comfortable even though they don't have a showroom to try it out.

I bought our reversible sectional from World Market in the last couple of years and am very happy because we have a smaller sized living room and the layout can't be changed too much. I figured when we move we could reverse the side of the sectional if need be and I have 4 kids and has held up very well. They even offer coupons and free shipping occasionally which is great because we don't have one near us.
http://www.worldmarket.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3696392#ReviewHeader

We have had the Ektorp corner sofa in white for a little over 4 years. I love it! As to how often I wash it- not often enough, but we can live with a bit of grayishness! Great job on the research, but I think you are going to get pros and cons on every choice you consider, and the cons do always seem to echo in your head for a lot longer. Go with what you and the Hubs lurve (to quote a famous blogger)! Nothing will be perfect, but it will be perfect for your family! I hope you can enjoy the waiting and anticipation time, and then will be overjoyed with the finished product. Sounds kind of like pregnancy!

HA! I would never dream of giving you suggestions how to arrange furniture in this room. I too have a living room with a very similar layout only mine is actually smaller. EEK! So I'm just sitting back waiting to see what you do with your space so I can see if it will look good in mine! Thanks! and thanks everyone for the info about the Ikea Ektorp ?is that how you spell it? After reading your comments and doing our own search, I think this couch is perfect for us!

Isnt Arhaus amazing?? We just visited ours for the first time last weekend and I died. In fact, I told Justin he could just leave me there...I was moving in. We even did a post about all the stuff we fell in love with. You picked a winner with that couch though and Im excited to check out the Homestyler.

Have a FABULOUS day!

I'll be another to say that you probably won't like slip covers. :( I really can't stand ours, but I'm living with them because they're covering up college furniture. As soon as our student loans are paid off (thanks DR!) we're ditching our slip covered furniture!

I love how much research you put into a decision! We could be best friends, I think. Haha. I agree with what others have said, have you tried the furniture on an angle? I arranged our living room on an angle once to accommodate our Christmas tree, and I loved it!

You will NOT regret buying a quality sofa. When my husband was a bachelor, he bought a ridiculously-expensive sofa. Fifteen years later, we STILL have it. It's been recovered and now it's slipcovered. Holding up just great!

As for slipcovers, you will probably wash the seat covers and back pillow covers the most. My seat covers are in the dryer right now. :) I don't think they're a pain at all. Much nicer to be able to clean the dirt than have it disguised by upholstery ...

When the time comes to buy a chair for the room, you might want to consider an upholstered swivel chair to make it easy to turn from tv to fireplace.

Hey Sarah! Great post! I don't know why, but I freakin' love sofas - I was giddy when I got to shop for my 1st one. LOVE your choice!!
You asked about slipcovers...I have them and love 'em. BUT...I got them when I had a carpeted house. Now only the master is carpeted. So my little boys crawl around on the sofa and chair and get things a bit dirty, which means washing a little more often than before. (And, yes - I sweep!) :) But at least they are washable!!
Can't wait to see how things go with your sofa - and I LOVE the chaise!! :)

What if you put the couch at the end of the rug facing the window with the back to the dresser, and mount the TV on the wall next to the window? Then couch faces TV, window and corner fireplace?

Oh...I've been (im)patiently waiting for this post. I was so worried I missed it.

Finding a couch SUCKS! We started looking for one then gave up, and decided we'd wait till we moved in two years and see what we want then.

However, I'll be bookmarking this post and coming back to it. Because sweetheart that you are, you already did all the research for me. YOU ROCK.

We don't have an Arhaus here in Iowa, so not sure if we can get that brand of sofa. Do they sell them at other furniture stores? Would love to know.

Thanks so much for this post, it's going under the NEW HOME tab on my Favorites.

GREAT CHOICE!! I am one of the ones who suggested the Baldwin. We have had ours for 12 years and I still love it. LOVE the slipcover with four kiddos as well. It IS the same at Ballard and Arhaus. How do I know? We bought ours from Arhaus but there is a tag on the frame that says "Ballard". :) The difference is in the slipcover. The Arhaus slipcover is made in the States and bit heavier. I ordered one from Ballard as a replacement after 10 years. It's a bit thinner, made in China, and has zipper closures instead of Velcro. (It also shrank quite a bit after the first wash.) Hope it works for you!

I laughed out loud at "lovely lady lamps."

I had slipcovers once. Hated them. I have a leather chair and ottoman and it's held up really well but you have to clean and condition the leather. Have you considered microfiber? I swear by it. It's the best for kids. It's so easy to wash anything off (even dried fingernail polish!). I'll never buy anything else!

I've had the Arhaus Baldwin sofa for probably 11 years now, and love it! I somehow lucked out and was "grandfathered" into a free cushion replacement program, so if the cushions get smushy looking, I call them up and they ship me new ones. I just got some replacement cushions last week and even blogged about it since it totally made the sofa look new again.

http://evolutionofstyleblog.blogspot.com/2011/04/breathing-new-life-into-your-home.html

I'm on my third set of slipcovers, and have been very happy with them. Even better, this last slipcover purchase was from the Ballard Outlet - even though they say that the sofas are from different manufacturers, the slipcovers FIT! So, new slipcover for around $300, new cushions (FREE) = New Couch for me. :-)

That said, we just ordered a sectional for our great room from Arhaus - the Emory. LOOOOOVE it, can't wait to get it.

Something to consider (that I recently did before ordering the sectional) - tape out the dimensions of the couch on your floor. The Baldwin sofa looked MUCH bigger in our first house than it did in the store!

Good luck!

I have no advice, but am eagerly awaiting your final choice and furniture placement. I LOOOOOOOVE your blog.

I am so glad you posted on this, I had been wondering what was going on. I've recently been on a sofa search myself we decided on the Ikea Ektorp Sectional. So far I LOVE IT! But I do agree it is alot firmer than most like but I prefer firm so I was thrilled when I sat on it!
Can't wait to see what you get! And thank you for the homestyler tool, how fun!
Love your blog!

It sounds like you've been at this for a LONG while. I just wanted to add that (in case you haven't) you may want to visit a store that sells mid-upper furniture brands. (ie. Lee Industries, CR Laine, American Leather...) The sales staff should be able to give you an education on quality, warranty, durability etc. I used to drool over PB and Restoration Hardware and Crate and Barrel (and I still do) but around year 7 in my marriage my husband became a furniture rep. and my eyes were opened to "custom" furniture. And that spending a little more buys you A LOT more. So, just a suggestion. Knowledge is power. :)

Sarah, have you considered just using four chairs instead of using a couch and one chair? My thoughts on the arrangement you showed doesn't show a inviting conversation area at all. I think the chairs will provide the same amount of seating, open up the space without blocking off the room with the couch. The chairs can be positioned accordingly when you have guest over or when it 's just you guys home. Anyway, thought I leave my two cents ;-) T

We have a sectional and LOVE it, I haven't tried the models that you are looking at, but our sectional has a corner seat AND a chaise (looks like a U) and we almost never use the chaise. I'd go sectional over chaise from now on. Plus when you have people over the sectional offers an extra seat, I find people tend not to sit on the "foot" of the chaise as a seat.

Love Arhaus. It's my favorite store to just walk around in and be inspired. We have had an Arhaus sofa and love seat for ten years. They are in fantastic condition (despite two boys). In fact, I'm getting ready to recover the sofa because it's in such great shape. I just want to change up the fabric. I would highly recommend them and say that the investment is so worth it.

On your new layout -- have you ever considered putting the TV above your fireplace (if it would fit?). You could keep the sofa with chaise in the same location and turn the chair and ottoman toward the fireplace/TV. Just a thought.

I just love your web site and all of your ideas. You've really inspired me to look around my home and use what I have in new ways. Can't wait to see how the room turns out!

I tried lamps on the side of our TV just like yours and found them distracting. What if you went with the sofa/chaise in front of the window with a sofa table behind that you can put your lamps on? Or even an L sectional with side backing the window and one side backing your dining/kitchen. You get your lamps and more seating.

I would move your TV first and see how you like sitting with the new layout so you can decide. Good luck, purchases like this are so much harder than being thrifty!

I have a slipcover sofa and it definately has its ups and downs. the original sofa is a light microfiber and even a drop of water leaves a stain on it. such a pain, so we use a slip cover. I pretty much hate the way it looks, but it is very easy to take off and trhow in the washer which is great with a 2 year old boy. While it looks bad, it also keeps your couch looking nice for longer because you can clean it whenever. I just hate putting it back together so it doesnt happen as often as it should.
Good luck in your search. Hoping to be in the same position in the next couple months after we move down south!!!

I Love chaise sofas...two people can lay on them and still only be on 1 sofa, which is huge in my family.

On the layout note - I know you said you've tried just about every lay out, but just the way the chair is positioned in reference to the sofa is really throwing me off. If you're in the chair, you're only facing the tv, and if you're in the sofa, you're naturally facing the chair, unless you're turned. It doesn't seem to be balanced well.

If you're going more for focus on the TV, I'd move the chaise in front of the window, and the chair where the couch is currently. if you're wanting more conversation time, I'd turn your rug long ways, scoot the sofa back about a foot and anchor the chair on the wall with the fireplace, just barely over lapping the rug. Hope that description isn't too confusing... the Homestyler would help.

Yikes! I think the chaise looks really weird not facing the tv, like it's facing nowhere and people sitting on it would face behind the person in the chair? - same for the sectional - but less so to some degree. I agree with the folks above who said that the chaise on the right with the main part under the window is a better way. There is no problem putting the couch under the window, I think. You could even put your console table behind it there as a place for plants and lamps...Since you can't flop a chaise once you buy it, have you thought about taping it out on the floor? I think the TV over the dresser will look great though! But consider facing the couch to the TV and smallish chair that can face the TV or swing around to face the sofa for non-tv gatherings.

I LOVE Arhaus although have not purchased anything there. Great for inspirational browsing though! Can't wait for the report on the couch!

Hey Sarah,
I love my white slipcovers. I have 6 small children and am "avidly" in love my WHITE slipcovers. And you will love them too. It's only a matter of pulling them off and throwing them in the washer and dryer. That may sound like a bummer but remember, you dont need to sort and fold like you do with a load of clothes. I find them to be dirty after a week or so, but it's no biggie. I just wash them and they always look perfect for company.

I'm not a big fan of slip covers. They are a lot of work to get on and off, and they don't seem to fit right after washing a couple times.

Our next couch will actually be microfiber, but that's just our preference.

Been wondering where you were on deciding on your sofa because I'm trying to decide too. I've read some bad, bad reviews on Bauhaus not holding up and actually being made by Lazy-Boy. I have a Lazy-Boy sofa and not happy with the cushions flattening within months. Leaning more towards a Flexsteel now myself.

Your blog is FABulous - you're the first one I read ...you crack me up every time. Have confidence you will arrange that room perfectly!

I think it's super fine to have a bit of couch in front of the window. It may turn out to be your favorite spot to read, with the natural light coming in over your shoulder.
I heart my PB sofa with removable, washable, stain (kid/dog/husband) PROOF microsuede. I got red nailpolish and black sharpie off! It will last fifty-hundred years. I couldn't get over the "kid tried to make the bed" look of slipcovers. My livingroom looks lived in enough already. I needed a piece that I didn't have to primp all the friggin' time.
Enjoy your hunt! :)

Hi Sarah,
I'm with you on the awkward layout thing - same problems in our house.

I have a slip-covered chair that I did myself out of drop-cloth. I love being able to wash it, but it is quite fitted, because it was custom. Not sure how fitted the ones you are looking at are. I am sloppy-slipcover-averse!

One suggestion, from the design pictures you showed, is that if you get a chair, make it a swivel, so you can turn it to face the fireplace or sofa when you have company, or the TV when you have movie night.

Love your blog,
Vivienne

I agree that it is a good idea to use tape to mask off the dimensions on the floor in your room. Everything will look so much BIGGER in your house in comparison to the warehouse-like space of the furniture showroom.

Personally, I don't like slipcovers. They look like an unmade bed. Then again, you seem to be OK living with an unmade bed. ;)

Hi!
I have the baldwin sofa and sectional (yes, we bought them both!) and LOVE the comfort. I was risky though and bought them in lighter fabrics with two young kids, but we just watch them carefully. I have to say though that I did not buy the warranty plan (the one where they will replace a piece of the sofa or cover if it ever gets damaged) and wish I would have. If it gets stained, sometimes the stains aren't totally removed (though with chocoalte, I've had no problems getting it out--think fingers that weren't entirely clean). Good luck and I hope you go with Arhaus!

I've never commented before, but I'm too passionate about the living-with-slipcovers issue.

We got a slipcovered sofa because I thought it would be the solution to my problems with a husband and a dog who are less than concerned with the messes that they make on the furniture. Sadly, I need to wash the thing weekly to keep it looking as fresh as I want it to, and it's really an undertaking to do it, so it either ends up looking crappy (in which case I would have been better off with a dirty non-slipcovered sofa that didn't look like an unmade bed) or I end up spending three hours every Saturday doing extra laundry. I might have been better off with a darker color (I went with tan, figuring, hey! I can wash it!), but next couch I'm going unslipcovered microfiber all the way.

I currently have an Ikea sofa with slipcover (maybe the Ektorp?) and I HATE it. The slipcover is always hanging oddly, wrinkled and don't even get me started on the cushions being all smooshed. It is probably a quality thing (cheap) but I thought the slipcover Baldwin sofa you posted above WAS the ikea soda so they all look the same to me.
It is nice to be able to take off the cover to wash it after people spill on it. I would never get a microfibre sofa being an animal owner. The hair sticks to it like you wouldn't believe! And I hate the butt marks you get...

I am also on the sofa hunt. It's hard!!

We had a slipcover chair in the past. My complaint. It gets dirty fast and it's hard to get back on and the fabric we had needed ironing and looked crumbled.

However this was 10 years ago and fabric and washability has changed. That's why we chose leather. I have a love/hate relationship with it.

I feel you on arranging the furniture. Our house was designed by someone without furniture and we have to good way to put sofas in the living room either.

Not sure how close you are with saving, but right now Arhaus is running 30% off everything. I got an email about it and if you go to their site it's on the homepage I think. I have the coupon you're supposed to present if you want it. Good luck!

I was the person who had horrible things to say about my Pottery Barn slipcovered couch. We now have the IKEA Ektorp sectional and I am over the moon about it.
The slipcovered couch has a slightly rumpled look to it, but it "goes" in our family room, know what I mean? There are some rooms and styles where a slipcovered couch would look sloppy. Check out 320 sycamore, she has slipcovered sofas that look wonderful and fit the style of her hosue so well

http://granvillehouse.blogspot.com/

Sarah here is an idea you may not have heard before. Why do you have to have a large sofa in this room? How about two comfy chairs or a large chair and *smallish* loveseat? How about a small chair next to the long dresser where the tv will go? This would give you more floor space and extra seating. As far as slipovers go well...I'm not a fan. Not because I have had them before I just don't like the look. They always look messy to me. Sigh.

Happy shopping!
~Melissa

You are probably ok with slipcovers made for the couch, but my mom always had bad luck with generic slipcovers.

One thought about having the couch against the TV would be any possible glare. It obviously depends on which way your house is facing and when you are watching tv, but some times of the year my mom's tv would blind us with the glare.

I totally have the same issues with microfiber, but we ended up getting it anyway. It's a wide corduroy though, so the bum impressions aren't very noticeable at all. They also treated it, and I love how the messy baby face wipes right off no matter how long it's been there.

I met you in NYC and had already been a fan of your blog. Now I want you to know I'm not only a fan but in love with your design taste. I truly feel your house will be a model for my own place as I continue to decorate and demonstrate new ways of thinking outside the box in the name of decorating. So for that I must say: THANK YOU!

Have you ever considered putting the tv somewhere else in your home? We no longer have a tv in the main living area off the kitchen. It will change your life.! I promise it's a good move. Ours is now in our rec room, so it's a conscious decision to watch something, rather than the focus. And it opens up tons of placement options for your furniture when you remove this element. Thanks for all your great posts...keep 'em coming!

I would say no to the Baldwin. It looks frumpy. I know that you like slip covers, but you also like streamline. I don't know if I could handle all those wrinkles. younghouselove.com just had a post on their site in the last day or so about how their pottery barn sofa was a slip cover and how it always looked frumpy.

I know you said you tried it all when it comes to furniture arrangements, but here's an idea. Place a sofa table in front of the window. Put sofa in front of that. Yes, I know if covers up your FP a bit, but I think you'll like the arrangement better. Now, on the wall that your FP is on, build built-ins that tie into the FP and include that area above the FP in the built in. It will make it cohesive and give that wall a nice, point of interest that you decorate to the seasons.

What do you think?

Have you considered option of placing the sofa with the chaise orientation on the left side? Using a smaller sectional, placing the back against the window, with the chaise separating the LR from the kitchen? I think this may allow for you to still keep the fireplace view open to the rest of the house, allow for more comfortable TV viewing, and keeping the area opened. I realize you may then need to play with your placement of the ikea "sofa table" and your lighting arrangement, but on the other hand also make it more of an open flow area with room for an occassional lounge chair diagonal from the sofa.

Either way, I'm sure you will find a fabulous solution to your dilema. I love stalking your blog-without the creepy part of stalking involved. : ) I find you to be a great source of inspiration. Thanks for sharing!

I love my ektorp slipcovers. Just washed the seat cushions today, they'll drip dry tonight (skirt hanger dry them beautifully) and after I put them on tomorrow you'll never be able to tell the dog barfed ham all over them today. Don't think that smell would've come out of an upolstered sofa...ever!
But I too agree, get an extra slipcover if you can afford it so you don't have to wait to reassemble while things dry!

Thank you for such a wonderful post. I enjoyed every bit of it.kids furniture

I feel your pain. Corner fireplaces look great...but make a room layout so tough!
We have a corner fireplace in just about every room, and the living room has both a corner fireplace and a corner cabinet. Talk about tough room layout!
It looks like you've figured it out though and whatever you pick im sure you will love your new sofa!

I would go with a sectional in from of the window - sofa table behind perhaps. I would scratch the chase and use "L" shaped sectional. Just for kicks-&-giggles ... set up your current sofa in front of the window -play around with it and live with it to see if a sectional there would work. Perhaps your lamps would work behind sectional on sofa table.

I just got a great down sectional in the fall from Macy's - love it! Good luck!

Here are my thoughts:

>Leave dresser/picture/lamps where they are (great job!)

>Leave TV where it is - I'm with Hubby on this one. It's not an issue when you only have three people. However, if you have more people over (which you will want to once your new room is done!) it will be a problem (football games, etc.)

>Place long back of sofa to the dresser - creates a designated walk space. You can see the TV, fireplace and window really well (can put Christmas tree to right of fireplace)

>Place a table w/ lamp in center of window, flanked with two of your favorite chairs in your favorite fabric (provides a great reading area with lots of natural light and extra seating)

>I'd put 3 way light bulbs in ALL of your lamps (dim lighting at night provides AMAZING ambience)

>Place your favorite scented candles (be safe) on the dresser, island, etc.

>Clear glass topped coffee table provides a surface without looking crowded (can see beautiful rug through table)

>Last but not least I highly recommend a leather sofa. It is so easy to clean and lasts forever! I used to think it would be cold but it isn't. You can get fabric covered chairs (window area) with extra pillows to match for your sofa (special order them from the store that you purchase your chairs from). Add a couple of throws and you are set!

I had a spot I put a chair that I wanted to function in two different directions, simliar to yours where it should be able to be part of the seating arrangement or point toward the tv. I found a fun circular swivle chair that is perfect for my spot. You might consider a swivel (they aren't all hideous!) since it would look so nice for it to point toward the sofa unless using it to watch tv. just a thought!

Don't hate me.. my favorite layout was original layout. In fact, I tried to replicate it in our room, but it was too small. We don't have a corner fire place, but other than that it is similar. We had to put the loveseat against the windo and the couch where yours is now. It doesn't bug me at all. That's a design "law" that I don't get and sometimes makes the most sense. We didn't really have a choice.

Microfibre is easy to clean? Yeah, that's what the guy in the shop told us. "Just a damp rag," he said. Well, I suppose our sofas are "clean" but the watermarks from the "damp rags" make them look FILTHY.

Never again. Hate it, hate it, hate it!

We like the tailored backs too. No smooshed back cushions for us. We have a couch and love seat made by England in a wonderful oatmeal( burlap color) with a few flecks of brown and black. Hugs and have a great weekend.

Okay...pretty, pretty furniture.
Let's see, I have slipcover furniture. I only wash mine 2 times a year. Our sofa slipcover barely fits in our washer. It's huge...it wouldn't fit in our old top loading washer. Second, if one part of the furniture needs to be washed more frequently (for us it was the ottoman cover) it can become discolored. That was a bummer :(
It is a nice feature, but I would absolutely never pick furniture because it has washable slipcovers.

Just my experience, hope it helps.
Can't wait to see what you pick and how you set it up.
Also, BTW....WOOHOO for you buying your furniture with cash! Yeehaw!

Have you ever considered a curved couch? My stepmom interior designer has one that is slightly curved and quite large. You could angle it to the fireplace, and with it being curved it would fit a little nicer then have a chair by the window. A high quality curved couch is probably ridiculously expensive though.

Oh yeah one more thing...wrinkles. Yeah, that's a bummer too. They come out wrinkled wether dried a little, a lot, none, blah, blah. Have I sold ya yet?

Love your decorating style. I have the same dilemma with my family/great room too. So here's my 2 cents:
I like the idea of positioning your couch 45 degrees to match the angle of your fireplace wall. Leave the TV where its at that way you can see out your window, enjoy viewing your FP when its on and still see the TV. I would stick to a couch without a chaise and get a storage ottoman that can be used for putting your feet up to watch a movie, storage for blankets and also for extra seating when needed.
Another idea is to move the TV to above your Fireplace. I know how you like to decorate your mantel and that this would kind of mess that up BUT, they have Paintings that you can hang over your flat screen TV to cover up its "ugliness" and the best part is they operate on remote so you can click and the picture rolls up and presto appears your TV. Oh and best part is now you can go find yourself another piece to revamp and take up the space left by your old tv placement! Here's the link to the company that makes these nifty ArtScreen Systems:
http://www.vutec.com/artscreen_systems/
Good luck!

It sounds like you've really done your homework as far as the sofa goes. I do think I would like the slipcover-look, but I am also afraid I would be fixing it all the time. You have to decide for yourself just how relaxed-a-person you are. As for the layout of the room. It would bother the heck out of me & The Man to have to watch the TV turned at an angle. I don't know what your corner fireplace looks like, but would it be possible to somehow mount your TV on the face of the fireplace? It seems that would solve a lot of issues -- both focal points in the same place. Then you could angle your sofa just a bit from where it is right now. I have no idea if that would work in your room.
CAS

HI. I cant believe you decided on an Arhaus sofa! I was getting ready to recommend that. We have the Baldwin Haze Sectional and I love it! This is year 3 and it's like new. It will last for 20 years. I have a cream canvas fabric with a pale green stripe. I've washed all the pillow covers and they look new. The only thing w/it is the slpcover is so large(being a sectional) i'm not sure how i'm going to get it in washer. Also have, josephine chair and ottoman-too small-not very comfortable and pillow slips off.
The longer part of my sectional is in front of of a wall of windows w/ transoms, and it looks great!
tina

I got an arhaus sofa in a sale about 6 years ago (floor model, $700!!!) and it is very well built. However, the down cushions on the back do become very slouchy and I have to keep adjusting them. It is definitely a quality sofa though.

Hey Sarah, I'll a little late to this post but I'm sofa shopping & rearranging too! I'm looking at slipsovers that are a thicker fabric like tapestry or a woven/chenille blend to handle the kids & dog! I wouldn't do a thin cotton. I love the sofas we have but want to change the coloring to lighter - but a pattern for the kids, dog, dirt issue.

On your arrangement, honestly, I liked the first one better. The single chair facing the tv in the 2nd idea looks lonely. I'd keep the tv near the fireplace or mount above fp. Then put sofa at angle or straight on with extra chair facing sofa. Think: 2 people tlaking to eachother, you need at least one arrangement of seating facing eachother.

Other idea, get a loveseat and another club chair so the sofa isn't so big. Have fun, can't wait to see what you do! Oh, I know you need a new sofa anyway, but the slipcover site I found is: http://www.slipcovershop.com/index.asp and again, I'd only go with heavier fabrics. And this place you can cover cushions seperately whereas most companies only do one-piece or two pc covers that you have to keep fixing.

I sympathize with your search for a sofa.  I spent about two years looking for what I wanted without having to spend PB prices.  I finally got lucky and found a brand that makes a great comfy sofa that also makes slipcovers for it at a reasonable price, Norwalk is the manufacturer and you can even build your own sofa on their website!! I wanted a sofa with two slips so I could change out for summer or winter.  This company only makes sofas with fabric upholstery, no muslin, so I had it upholstered in the winter fabric and the slip made of a light beige canvas/linen type fabric.  It has separate seat and back cushion covers (6 total on mine), that zip and a large base cover that goes on first.  I wash about twice a year, hardly ever leave cover off cause I love it.  It's easy to wash, line dry and put on just SLIGHTLY damp so it never looks wrinkled. There is no fluffing needed, hard to tell its a slip. Had it 2 years and no regrets. Sofa ran about $1,000 (93") with tax, depends on fabric and they have tons of different ones. I caught them when they had 20% off fabric which they do once a year. I'm going to have another slip made in a different color as they are only about $300 depending on fabric choice. I bought a chair as well and they even covered a footstool I had in the left over sofa fabric.  Also you get zippered throw pillow covers with the upholstery and the slip!! It's a reputable company that has a great product at a reasonable. I will buy any upholstery I need in the future from them.

**a reasonable price. Sorry about that....bad proofreader!! (me).

Sarah, I have one concern: If you put your tv on the dresser opposite the windows, you will get glare from the light of the windows during daytime viewing. I don't know if that's something you do (or your little one does) but I watch during the days from time to time and it's a BIG deal for me. So...our tv has no window opposite it to avoid that problem. Just a thought...

I LOVE the idea of putting the sofa at an angle in front of the fireplace with the tv above it! You could still do this with a sectional and could have your chair to the left of the fireplace facing in toward the windows!

Thank you so much for this post!!!! WE are starting to look for a sectional and are having the hardest time! Mostly finding something that fits our budget, color choices, will hold up to kids and pets and etc. Anyway, this was the best thing to read right now. I don't know if we have this store out here in Southern CA but I will check and definitely read that GH article!!! Thanks!!! Oh, and also, so glad to see where I can make a great floor plan.

Sofa shopping tip: Aurhaus is made in the USA, not sure where Ballard makes their stuff. (in case that matters to you)

Also, ask them how the sofas are made, that might be the main difference...hand tied springs versus sinuousness steel. Hand tied is easier to repair in the long run.

re: slip covers - mine look messy, but it might be because I don't 'make' my couch often. There are ways to roll up magazines to anchor the extra fabric, but if the couch is slipcovered by the manufacturer, then it will fit the couch more like a tailored suit and therefore be less messy.

Hope that helps!

Hi there! We have the same room layout- corner fireplace and all, so I feel your pain. I have a Linden Street Friday sofa purchased from JC Penny furniture store. Very affordable, comfortable, and slipcovered. I LOVE it!!! Down filled cushions that hold their shape- worth looking in to. Good luck. Laura in Alaska

In case you're still searching ~ I have had a Rowe sofa for about 5 years and LOVE it! You can get them slipcovered and they have LOTS of fabrics to choose from as well. I have put my slipcovers in the washer and haven't had any issues at all.

In case you're still searching ~ I have had a Rowe sofa for about 5 years and LOVE it! You can get them slipcovered and they have LOTS of fabrics to choose from as well. I have put my slipcovers in the washer and haven't had any issues at all.

Hi, wow you've been through it. We have microfiber and LOVE it with 2 children and a dog (who is allowed on furniture) with just an hour or so spent with soapy water and a wash cloth I can get the thing looking new again. IT AWESOME. We also have a chase on ours and it's fantastic, allows 2 adults if wanted to lay out on the couch. Slip Covers, unless they are the "spandex" ones I HATE them, don't stay put and always look wrinkled. Good luck

One thing to consider if you put furniture in front of the window.... I know you have pets, so remember that the back of your couch will be the "lounging place du jour". You'll probably want to have a blanket or something there to catch most of the fur and dirt that will accumulate, otherwise you'd better buy stock in the 3M rollers!

Unless those back cushions are attached you will be fluffing and worse if they are because you won't be able to! Tightback is the best and you can add big pillows if you must. Also I think you will regret allowing a walk space between the viewer and the tv. It won't feel right. And no matter what you think now, that angle for tv viewing from the sofa will look and be awkward. Leave the tv where it is and leave the sofa where it is but get a small sectional and put the smaller leg of the "L" on the walkway side, not the window side. Or small sofa where it is now and a nice swivel compact club chair on the walkway side, you may even have room for one on the window side too.

Hi Sarah! We have a PB sectional with a chaise (and that's the one spot we hubby and I always fight for:) and you're right- that back cushion is seriously smushed! I'm over the "fluffing ritual" - ha! And I love your new cafe curtains- that fabric is so cheery!

Just a thought, how about making the formal living room a t.v. room? Then your family room could just be a seating area with no need to consider t.v.placement.

Love your blog, btw. I'm a new reader and your house is beautiful!

I'm just catching up with blog reading - just wanted to say that we recently rearranged our living room so our couch is perpendicular to our TV as well and it has never been an issue. Like you, we often sat at an angle anyway. Also, if you do have a group over to watch something, you can always temporarily turn the couch.
Good luck picking between chaise and sectional. I wish we could fit either of those in with our layout.

I have a layout very similar to yours. My windows on the back wall are a little smaller. I have a chair/ottoman where you have it positioned - just turned the other way (more toward the fireplace). I have a sectional with the largest part under the window and a chaise at the end of the second piece. The configuration of my sectional is flipped the opposite of the one in your sketch. I have a Broyhill set and while there is some smooshing in the seat where my husband sits, it has really held up well after 7 yrs. Wonder if an upholsterer could "puff up" my one back. LOL

Ahh, we're on the sofa hunt too. Layout aside, I'm steering clear of the slipcovers. Love the look- the casual, shabby chic style, but I realize that this is not my family. This is my dream world coastal beach house but not my crazy house with 3 kids under 3 and two parents who work from home. We're going the leather route. I've always been anti leather changed my mind after spending big bucks on fancy fabric sofas 4 years ago that look like junk today- all custom upholstered and beautiful and now look frumpy, lumpy, stained and terrible. I could never keep up with the washing of slipcovers as often as my family would get them dirty- and I don't like the way that jeans can 'wear' blue onto a white couch over time. We're a blue jeans family and that would drive me nuts. I'm doing a very tailored looking leather with small arms and biscuit tufting (no buttons because Lord knows they would pop off and be eaten by one of my kids). It's a clean and classic look and comes in a bazillion leather colors- I'm doing a soft gray/brown because I'm losing steam on the whole dark brown thing. Anyhow. I know that doesn't really help you, but that's where I am in the whole sofa search. Also, I love chaises too, but because we also have a weird layout and smallish space, I'm doing the matching ottoman that fits up perfectly to the sofa- I can use it as a chaise when we want and move it out of the way when we don't. Good luck with your search!

I had a PB sofa/love. Run away!! The bottom cushions and back cushions will sag terrible, oh about a month after the warranty runs out. Had 2 sets of slipcovers. Talk about WORK. Taking them off, wash/dry (do you have a very large machine?) I had to do them at the laundramat. They always look sloppy and wrinkled even when ironed. Dry cleaing cost a fortune. After spending more money trying to have new foam cushions cut - I gave up and gave it away with the extra set of slipcovers. He was a bachelor - loved it. LOL
Now have an interim chenile sofa and 2 chairs. Next time it's leather! Had leather once - it wore like a glove, moved and gave it to my son. He's still using it and it still looks great at 15 with 2 kids, 2 dogs and a cat. BTW - my first post to a blog. Hope I didn't break any rules.
I love our ideas. I made the PB glass thingys ;) with the candle stick glued to the bottom. GORGEOUS Who needs PB we've got Sarah!

That sofa is very nice.. it looks a lot like the Rowe Nantucket we just got. Except it is a bit bigger. I'm snuggled into it now..

I actually blogged about it this morning. :)

Hi Love this. I think you can help me. I am trying to figure out weather to get the Ballard's design baldwin sectional or spend the extra bucks and get it from Arhaus. We're talking almost $2,000 more for pc. sectioanl and slipcover with delivery.
thanks, terry
mamble@comcast.net

Just wondering, now that it has been 3 years, how do you like your sofa?

Luv all the sofas the erktop is my favorite just have to decide which color :)