grown-up furniture for the bachelor pad?

[mckitterick]

So I went to lunch downtown with a Departmental candidate yesterday, and on the way home stopped by Blue Heron (local nice-furniture store). They had a gorgeous, two-piece sectional couch (that is, it's in two pieces that form a large L) in almost-black leather, something akin to what I've wanted to get for a long time. It would seat a whole lotta people in comfort and luxury for conversations, movie watching, or even gaming if I get a low table for that area. One of the other benefits is that it would help define the two separate living areas without being an actual wall in the way. And now everything in the store is now 15% off and 12 months free financing.

Hm.

Here's the rub: It's 10 feet by 10 feet, which is pretty big for the entertainment area in my house. But it would fit. Hm.

What do y'all think? How do you determine what's the right-sized piece of furniture for a room?

For those of you who've seen my house, here are some specifications after measuring last night: It all but fills my little-living-room-nook (as opposed to the larger, library-gaming area): If against the kitchen divider, it comes all the way to the futon (where it is now); that is, within four feet of the window. Of course, I'd move the futon, probably upstairs or else into the larger living room. If against the window wall, the new couch would make it so I had to set the door-restrictor to not open all the way lest it bump the back of the couch. However, I could rearrange things and put it against the wall, move the entertainment center to the kitchen side... just lots of ideas. In the larger area, it's easy, but I would like this to be for viewing movies and such. Hm.

Just wondering if I really want to commit to such a big, grown-up piece of furniture, and if so, if this is the correct-sized piece for my place.

Advice welcome!

Comments

[verminiusrex.livejournal.com]

A big piece of furniture is a good investment, but just make sure you can move around it without difficulty. Having seating for a bunch of people is nice, but you have to get around the furniture every day no matter if you have guests or not.

[jamer-31.livejournal.com]

i would say get it. then have a getting adult furniture party to help move it in. and then with evey one there it would take just a few ticks to set up a movie viewing area. then watch movies on the new sofa. ;)

[mckitterick.livejournal.com]

I'm sensing an excellent plan....

[jamer-31.livejournal.com]

yup yup.. most excellent!

[bodandra.livejournal.com]

I'd say, it would be very irritating to you (and your guests, also), to have to deal with a huge immovable object that HAS to be gotten around or over.

[paulskemp.livejournal.com]

I know from experience that big furniture can overwhelm a room. We bought two leather chairs (big, oversized ones) for the library/den off our living room and they fill the space far too much. They're nice chairs, which is why we bought them, but they're just too darned big for the space. Makes the room feel much smaller than it is. YMMV.

[stuology.livejournal.com]

I would say that you are the one that has to walk around the large thing everyday. If that doesn't irritate you, then get it. Otherwise...

Maybe you can take some existing objects in your house and fill in the space that the new sofa would fill in. If it doesn't irritate you to walk around it, then go for it!

[deadcities-icon.livejournal.com]

Just remember that size-in-the-showroom is quite different from size-in-the-house. After we closed on the house we bought, we went out and bought our first real living room set - a really nice sofa and loveseat that are big and sturdy and tall, and to go with it a pair of tall endtables and a Euro-size (like, 3'x4') coffee table in antique wood and wrought iron. When the living room of the new house was empty, it looked like we had plenty of room for them. Once we got them in, we realized we shouldn't have gone so oversized.

You aren't the only person that wonders. (http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/good-questions/good-questions-are-modular-sofas-okay-006135)

[mckitterick.livejournal.com]

Sounds like everyone who replied likes theirs no matter the size of the room. Hm.

[roya-spirit.livejournal.com]

I love modulars for the cozy factor... people can both stretch out and still snuggle at the corner for talking, lotsa room for lounging or cramming in close friends.

Um... World Market has a printable 40% off coupon on the site right now, and it includes furniture like this or this, but the one we saw at the local store was leather (or leather-ish)

[mckitterick.livejournal.com]

Oooh, where does one find said coupon?

[roya-spirit.livejournal.com]

oh, that would help, eh? Here is the linky-dink to it Good til 2/03.

[eleanor.livejournal.com]

I have (obviously) never seen your space, but I have two pieces of advice:

1. More intimate spaces work better; while the notion of empty space is attractive, people actually talk at close range. You can fit more in a space than you think.

2. www.sticks.com
These people make custom game tables. They can make a low coffee table (for instance) that has a theme of fantasy vs. science ficiton writers, or just has designs and quotes you like or wahtever. They can put custom and obscure game boards on their tables (I once inquired about a table that would incorporate proper piles for Magic) and they can make a table that is just a table or combines multiple game boards. They are not cheap.

[arian1.livejournal.com]

Dude your pad has MORE than enough room. Suck it up and buy it! :)

[weaselmom.livejournal.com]

I would mock up the potential layouts. Get some cardboard boxes (or kit-bash something you already have laying around) and sheets and build out the sofa so you have things sticking out into the space that will be occupied if you get the sofa. Live like that for a day. If it drives you nuts, don't get the furniture! No cheating - you have to stay out of the space as if it were really occupied. It *still* bugs me that The Chair takes up so much space in our living room.

[roya-spirit.livejournal.com]

Only one other caveat to offer:
Make sure they have whatever it is you want in stock. Two of my pals have had troubles with buying there, others none at all. But if they don't have it ready to deliver, be wary. Also, they charge quite a bit to deliver and aren't very prompt about it.

On a personal note... sounds very pretty, I just don't like leather furniture, it's too cold. Lotsa throws and pillows, I say, that makes it much cozier.

newspapers

[heyscot.livejournal.com]

Get some newspapers and measure it out and put it out in the room and go from there. I think if it fits you should do it, because that way I can crash at your joint and stay forever.

YEAAAAAHHHHHHHHH THE DOG HOUSE

[radcliffe.livejournal.com]

I say measure it out and draw out a small size layout to see how the things in your room will fit. I am 100% in favor of both grown up furniture, and Blue Heron's things. They have served me very very well over the years!

[nottygypsy.livejournal.com]

Use duck tape, "the tape represents walls", or in this case, L shaped grown-up furniture. ;)

[fireguarder.livejournal.com]

Is the couch low or tall, firm or soft? Would said couch still allow room for smaller chairs to be in the nook, or would it be the only seating option? I ask because some people are not able to sit in low, soft furniture that's hard to get out of. If smaller, firmer chairs like your really nice stackable plastic ones would not fit in the nook because of the couch, then some people might end up sitting behind and blocked off from your other guests. Just something to think about.