We are finally going to be getting new couches! At least, new to us. Hopefully.
We got two new couches when we first got married nine years ago – one that we won in a bridal show, and one that we bought at a bargain basement furniture shop. The burgundy leather couch from the bridal show arrived with a rip underneath one of the arms, and even the furniture shop’s “repair” didn’t really fix it, so it just got worse. It was never our style, either. We sold it to college students in Pittsburgh before we moved back to Michigan. The bargain basement khaki green couch, literally found in the basement of Art Van, was only $300 and remains in our living room to this day. It is comfortable, but it has holes where the staples (!) that hold the particleboard frame together are coming out and puncturing the fabric. It is not an heirloom couch, and it looks awful.
We’re not going to be able to spend thousands of dollars on new sofas, though. We want something sturdy enough for a while, either in wipe-clean leather or washable slipcovers. Leather is more expensive, but the clean up is just about as easy as it gets: baby spits up, mom takes a clean rag and wipes it up. Slipcovers involve removing fabric, washing, line drying, and stuffing the cushion back in. Not horrible, but not easy, either.
We’re thinking of two matching couches to frame the fireplace. Because of the layout of our house, it doesn’t really work to have one couch and chairs. Plus, with a family of six, it would be nice if we all could sit in the living room at once, which two sofas would allow us to do.
My first choice, of course, is to look for a sturdy vintage couch. I’ve been hunting Craigslist for months, but finding even one good vintage sofa is tough, much less two that match. I’m looking for mid-century, with wooden legs, so that I can replace the cushions with the material and fabric of my choosing and avoid the carcinogenic flame retardants that modern couches are treated with.
Because buying vintage has been so tough, I’m also hunting new. That brings me to IKEA, where not only are they affordable, but they also don’t treat their furniture with PBDE, a very toxic flame retardant that is still used in just about everything you bring into your home (especially conventional mattresses and furniture). Of course, to meet federal flammability requirements, IKEA treats their stuff with other flame retardants, but they are less toxic. We cannot afford organic couches, though I’d love to be able to.
To the pictures. Here’s an old pic of our living room. That big blank wall is now filled with five white bookshelves. The fireplace is painted white, with a black wood stove insert. The couches will go perpendicular to the fireplace wall, framing the fireplace, probably with a coffee table in between. The wall color is a little brighter and creamier than in this pic, but this is the best I’ve got right now:
Here are the sofas (couches? What do you call them?) that we are considering. Keep in mind that our living room is a creamy golden yellow.
We love the clean lines and look of the Karlstad sofa. The base model, with a white slipcover, is only $399:
For the same price, we could get it with the long slipcover instead:
While I’m reassured that the slipcovers are washable, and we don’t eat in the living room, white still makes me nervous. (Even though, aesthetically, white is my favorite. I love the way it’s such a clean slate for decorating. I could get over the nerves, I think.) So I’m also considering a set in green ($499/ea):
Or light blue ($499/ea):
Or brown ($499/ea):
I think that white is my top choice, followed by green and brown. Or maybe one each of blue and green? Would that look dumb? I like color, but I don’t want a circus. Brown or white give me the most options, should we decide to re-paint or re-decorate in another scheme. Throw pillows and blankets will also change the look of any colored sofa we buy. And because IKEA rocks, we can buy new slipcovers at any time to change the look.
For leather options, there isn’t much. About the only one we can afford that I don’t mind is the Ektorp, priced at $699 for dark brown leather:
I really love the lines on the Stockholm, but it’s nearly $1500 (eeks!), so it’s not going to be an option:
But isn’t it pretty?
(I’ve also been hounding Craigslist for used leather sofas, which have less of the squick factor that usually comes with a used sofa, since they’re wipe-clean. But they’re either very 80′s looking, or way overpriced.)
Hm. What do you think? Slipcovers or leather? (Leather is so dark, and the living room area is already pretty dark. Which is why I’m leaning toward white slipcovers. But oh, how easy leather is to clean!)
One of my friends has the same couch from IKEA and it’s really comfy. Personally, I’d vote for the brown. Of course, this is coming from the woman who doesn’t even own any white clothing due to fear of spills! I’m clumsy, what can I say? Sara has the couch in white and it attracts a lot of “fuzz”…or maybe “fiber” would be a better term. Strands of wool from knitting, and fuzz from pillows and throws often “decorated” the back of her couch. I bet brown would hide those better, though. Also, you can do lots of variations on throw pillows and such when working with choc brown. Light blue, aqua, green, buttery yellow, reds, even oranges.
So there’s my two cents, for what it’s worth.
I like the green and the brown… I wonder if you could get one of each and pull them together visually with throw pillows in a green-brown-something else print.
I would be afraid of white…
As the owner of a white couch (I like to say couch, but I get the feeling that sofa is more widely used?), I have to say I’m drawn to the white. I think it’d look great with the white fireplace and the butter colored walls!
But, also, as the owner of a white couch–even pre-baby–I can say that it will never stay white. Even wtih bleach, oxyclean, and careful usage, it won’t stay white for more than a few years. We even were able to get red wine stains out. But, it just gets dingy, as does anything that is made of white. So…unless you know you can afford and want to replace the covers every few years, it’s probaby a better idea to go with brown.
But.
I do like the white.
I think Sonya’s opinion is very valid! I too, love the white, but would never actually be brave enough to purchase it. Green is cool, but again, I would be afraid that I would get sick of the color too soon. I think my first question would be how long are you planning on keeping the couch/slipcover? If only a couple of years, well, you have more flexibility on what you choose. If longer…go with the brown…hides more stains and is still somewhat neutral. I am also a fan of the longer slipcover for some reason!
Oh, and after rereading some of the details…it sounds like the slipcovers are pretty easy to purchase…so maybe it would be worth buying a white couch with a darker slipcover to go over it or vice versa? I’m not a big fan of the green/blue combo. I would go with one main color…..just my opinion! Can’t wait to hear what you choose!
wow. again!
here’s my 2 cents: if you’re brave enough, go with the white. you didn’t say how much the slipcovers cost? sonya is right about the white, so if you could get new slipcovers every 3 years or so (very optimistically, of course!) then maybe that would be best. it woiuld look nice in your living room.
and definitley both sofas the same color, whatever you choose.
Both the same color…and I’d choose chocolate brown with the long slip cover. You could accent with white pillows
White is the best, but if you don’t like to deal with dirts, them choose the one with dark color. Also, my suggestion, get the sofa with legs so you can clean up the floor underneath it. It’s better for your house and make the cleaning task easier.