Furniture Ideas

Shortly after we got engaged, Paul made a request that we buy new furniture. Apparently, he felt the love seat and "ladies" (smaller sized) recliner I owned wouldn't cut it. And he did tend to hang over the edges of both whenever he stretched out. So began the hunt for a new couch. We ended up finding a couch and love seat we liked that was on clearance because it had been the floor model at a local furniture store. It fit the priorities at the time--within our (limited) budget, big enough for Paul to stretch out on, wasn't plaid.

But now, some eight years later, it's time to retire this first big purchase of ours. The couch and love seat never fit quite right into our teeninesy living room. And honestly, I've gotten rather tired of them. I'm not one for modern or contemporary--nothing too sleek--but I'm done with how overstuffed this overstuffed couch is. So, now I'm on the hunt for new living room furniture as our anniversary/Christmas gift. We're thinking to get a sofa and two chairs, possibly recliners. Maybe two stationary chairs with an ottoman. Really, the possibilities are endless until we just settle into that perfect seat.

I have a specific look in mind for what I want my house to feel like--Paul calls my decorating style "rusted metal and old things." But really, I like a warm, cozy, inviting, a "casually elegant" space where you just want to curl up on the couch with a blanket and read. Or spend an evening in front of the roaring fireplace with a glass of wine, a couple of friends, talking endlessly and playing board games. Create interesting vignettes on the coffee table and mantel with pictures and found objects from our travels and little out-of-the-way antique stores. Except we don't travel that much. And I'm really not that fond of clutter and tchotckes just sitting around although I will fill every inch of wall space. Paul doesn't understand the beauty of my few well-placed items so everything gets pushed aside or stuff is piled on top of it. Also, we have a gas fireplace that doesn't really create a roaring affect. . .

But I can still go for warm, cozy, and inviting (and durable since I live with Paul and Jub). Paul has declared that all furniture stores make him sleepy (and make me quite irritated with him) so I'm going to strike out on my own this weekend to look and then drag him out for the final OK later. It can be difficult to find furniture that fits both of us because of the foot difference in our heights. I snuggle cozily into a chair and Paul hangs over all the edges. He finds a chair that fits perfectly and I look like Edith Ann. (And that's the truth!)

After perusing the Lane furniture site, I've found some definite maybes. All warm, cozy, and small enough to fit in my tiny living room. That's been the main issue I've found while looking at furniture sites--we have to have "studio" or "apartment" scale furniture because my living room is roughly the size of a matchbox. If a matchbox had 2o-foot ceilings.

The possible sofa: Comfy, cozy, and three cushions so your hind-end doesn't fall into the crack when you're napping.

If we go the recliner route: Two of these in a different fabric (although I do like the shown fabric, Paul would probably vehemently object).

Or another possible route: Is it a club chair? Is it a recliner? No! It's BOTH!

And just for good measure (but not because I think I can convince Paul we need it), maybe we can throw in a new dining room table.