Today I wanted to share an update from around my house. I swear I wrote this post already and I remember seeing it posted but somehow during the Blogger to WordPress switch it disappeared so I am writing it again. You may or may not, depending on if you saw that illusive post, know that I am debating getting a new couch. We have been rocking the IKEA Ektorp sectional for the last few years and it has served us well but I have always thought of it as just a placeholder. Recently I found a way to use Pinterest (like we needed more reasons) to help choose a couch.
Before I get to the Pinterest part I want to share a little background on why I am even looking at couches. This sectional used to be in our playroom but that became my sons’ shared room and we just stuck the couch in our living room because “it worked.” (See, decorators do that too) This couch does have some perks though. What I have loved about the IKEA Ektorp is:
– It is very kid-friendly
– It is very comfortable
– It was a great price
All of these things are very important to our family at this stage of life. I like that I don’t ever feel stressed about the kids having a snack on it or a guest having a glass of red wine while sitting on it or the occasional sneaky dog I find sitting on it. I can, and have, removed the slipcover and washed it very easily so it has never felt like a precious piece of furniture that had to be guarded.
What I have longed for though is a smaller couch so that I have more options when it comes to the type of seating in the room. Side note: Our living room is really long and narrow with lots of doorways, windows, and the fireplace. I feel like the room would feel more “conversational” if we had a couple chairs and that’s more feasible with a smaller couch. I have had these thoughts floating in the back of my mind for a long time so I am always somewhat in the market for a new couch so when I spotted this couch for less than $200 I froze…
I found it here and although it needed reupholstering, it had a great shape. I loved it, bought it, and then immediately had reservations. Something just didn’t feel right. I knew this couch wasn’t the style I had always envisioned in this room but I figured maybe I just didn’t really know what I liked. That’s when I decided to reference my Pinterest account. I often advise clients to spend some time looking through their boards to help establish their favorite styles so I decided to go through my Pinterest boards and see what kind of couches popped up in a majority of my pins. I wasn’t sure I would find any pattern but I was just looking for direction. Turns out I did see a common thread among my “Living Room” board.
{via House & Garden}
{via}
I chose these three examples because not only are they three of my favorites they are also distinctly different style rooms. It just goes to show that your seemingly random pinning can be very telling. Do you notice what these three rooms have in common? If you guessed the couch you’d be correct. Each room has a streamlined white sofa with boxy arms. And this style didn’t just show up these three times. Over and over again I noticed the couches in the rooms I had pinned were this same style. That’s not a fluke, I am clearly drawn to that shape and the overall feeling it gives the room.
Now look back at that blue sofa…clearly I had reservations because it is no where near this style. Beautiful? Yes. A great deal? Absolutely. My dream couch? No.
What confirmed this decision was when shortly after my Pinterest research I walked into West Elm and saw this…
I was smitten! The shelter sofa is exactly what I have been wanting! Taylor also really loved it (check) and I found a local company to stain treat it so I don’t have to worry about spills (check check). But I have run into a few more issues that have me paralyzed…
Which size?
There is an 84 in version and 92.5. Bigger provides more seating but it changes the shape.
Feet or no Feet?
Furniture without feet can make a room seem smaller/the piece chunkier. Feet give the appearance of light and airy. And ps. this couch is giving me major anxiety because I kinda just want this one now!!
Will we miss the sectional?
Just as soon as I thought I was ready to kiss this couch goodbye I started noticing how much we all sit on it. We can all curl up in our spots and be so comfortable. And I don’t know if it’s a sub conscience thing but I keep finding myself sitting right in the corner of it…the corner that wouldn’t exist on a single sofa.
So I have taught you the value of Pinterest whilst making decisions help a sister out and tell me your opinions on the couch. Taylor has asked that I never say couch, sofa, sectional, feet, slipcover, or seating ever again. Weigh in in the comments pretty please!
Keep the sectional or get the Shelter sofa or look for a totally different couch altogether??
Mandy says
Hi there. I don’t usually respond to posts I read, but seeing that we were recently in a very similar situation I thought I’d weigh in. I too was looking for a gray or tan (I couldn’t decide) couch or sectional (again, couldn’t decide which would be best) that was childproof (3boys under 5), affordable and boxy.
After looking everywhere we found it at Macy’s of all places. We ended up buying the Radley sofa with the premium protection plan in mocha (it’s really a gray- not sure why they named it mocha). If your Macy’s doesn’t have a furniture section, they also sell it online and goes on sale all the time! It’s a modular sectional set so you can just have it as a couch or a sectional or add a chaise. We’ve had ours since December and I absolutely love it,
Hope this helps!
Beth says
Wow I really appreciate you taking the time to say all this! I am thinking I need to expand my search so I am excited to look at Macy’s!
Arielle says
Yes yes yes! I have a bit of a love hate relationship with pinterest, but I had a total pinterest moment with a client the other day. She said she wanted gray paint in her living room, but EVERY inspiration shot she had pinned had creamy white walls. So… now we’re discussing white paint. I think one of the toughest aspects of decorating is realizing that an individual item you like may not fit with the greater context of the room. Pinterest can be a huge help in that way. So, thanks for articulating something I’d just been thinking about! And that West Elm sofa is beautiful!
Beth says
Crazy what Pinterest can reveal to us! It at least makes me feel like those hours spent on there aren’t totally wasted!
Kim says
We recently got a new leather sofa to replace our Ektorp. While I love the practicality of the leather, I do miss the comfy Ektorp. However, with a kid, two dogs, and two cats, washing and vacuuming the slipcovers got old. So, if you’re trading in just for style, I think you’ll miss the Ektorp sectional ; )
Beth says
Really?! I kind of feel like this inside but I wanted you to tell me to buy a couch 🙂
Susan Maclean says
Kids? dog? curling up with the newspapers or a good book? Wine stains? sticky fingers? However good the proofing is, I would still go for loose covers. We are a grubby pair with cats and our couch is now 12 years old. But when the cover has been washed and put back, it always makes me smile anew. Perhaps not a new couch, but a new look at your room? The section is in the corner, but it does not have to be. Good luck in whatever you choose!