Furniture Frenzy Redux - It Pays To Shop Around

I know that whenever I make snap decisions without a 24-hour hold, I often have second thoughts, after the glamour of the moment has worn off and the dregs of reality are allowed to rise to the surface.

So we didn't actually buy that sofa and chair set I posted about the other day, but put a deposit on it, with the plan that I would sleep on it, then stop at one other local furniture store we hadn't been to yet to check out their selection, before finalizing anything.

It's a good thing I did. As many things as I liked about it, the following morning I had a couple concerns. One was the overall darkness of it - the dark brown leather was actually my least favorite part when we first looked at it. Also, even though I liked that the back had the large pillows, there was something about that which was bugging me as well - the fact that the large pillows were the only back to the couch (that you could see; the actual structural back was low, behind the pillows, and didn't show - which was just as well, as it was plain and not worth looking at anyway). I was also concerned that the chair wasn't a good match, scale-wise, to the sofa.

I still liked the set, style-wise it was exactly what we were looking for, and had we found nothing else, I'm sure I could have been happy with it - but it had a few down-sides.

But while checking out the last furniture store, we found something we liked even better. It had everything good that the other set had (they're almost identical in style), but without the flaws. It's not as dark, the dark brown leather is out and it's primarily a burgundy shade (a color we wanted to incorporate into the scheme anyway); the side chairs are better - more proportionately matched to the sofa; and while this one still uses the big pillows on the back, it actually has a back to it as well, and very pretty one - curvy with carved wooden accents, much more appropriate for the look we're after. Gives it a more balanced look, too.

As a bonus, both chair and sofa are more comfortable than the other set; it's a better name-brand of furniture; and the whole thing (sofa and 2 chairs) cost almost the same as the other set.

So, here they are:





Unlike the other sofa and chair, these are actually part of the same set. But we didn't get the tables that went with this set, so that we could have some more variety in our furnishings. And the seat cushions on the couch are reversible, so if we flip them over, they're solid burgundy on the other side, which will tone down the amount of gold paisley, and make the chair look more complementary than a twin. It also has more color variety in the pillows, rather than all of them being identical.

I love this set, and I definitely like it better than the other one - so it's good that I waited and shopped around a little. We got our deposit back from the other store, and went ahead and paid for and ordered this one - no 24 hour hold needed, I'd already done that and knew that this style was exactly what I wanted, and this particular set had none of the deficiencies of the first one. So it was a winner.

Now that we've made our choice, we know the exact direction the living room will be taking, and can start planning the rest of the theme. We have to work on window treatments - I wish I could have gotten a swatch of the fabric, because it's going to be hard to pick out any drapes or material without one - and a large rug for the seating area. We found one we liked at the furniture store, but wouldn't you know we picked one that wasn't technically for sale - it was one their decorator had bought to 'set a scene' for another furniture set. They said they'd ask whether or not they could sell it to us, and how much ... so we'll find that out on Monday. If so, that'll work out well; if not, then we'll keep looking. Rugs are ungodly expensive - one of the others we liked was $800. I didn't even pay that much for the sofa, I'm not paying that for a rug. We'll find something nice and reasonably priced.

And we need the coffee table - or cocktail table, or whatever they're called these days - but didn't see anything we liked at this store, so we'll have to keep looking for that as well.

I'm just so psyched! It's going to look so freaking phenomenal when it's all put together! At least one person looked at this picture and kind of went, "Oh. Yeah. That's, umm, nice." I understand - this style certainly isn't for everyone! And that's perfectly okay - it's not their house. ;o) I know that when that room is done, and I walk into the parlor of my 18th century sea captain's coastal home, it's going to be absolutely fantastic!

And thanks, Rhys - you think of everything. ;o)