Tim (my husband) and I both work from home. And while it’s convenient with no commute, sometimes it’s a little TOO cozy with work-stuff overwhelming our home and our lives. Poor Tim had a desk wedged into my sample room and sometimes it was hard to find him amongst all the fabric and wallpaper. With many of my vendors moving their catalogs and libraries online, it was time to start downsizing by moving all the catalogs and fabric into my office. It was going to take some organizing but we finally did it!
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My Sample Room aka Tim's office. His desk was wedged in at the right.
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So now Tim has some extra room in his office. But before he could even start enjoying it, I had new ideas about how we could use the space…..yoga room, reading room, guest room…TV room during football season. Being the amiable guy he is, he was up for re-purposing the space. What we finally decided on was all of the above. A big part of this equation would be a great sofa bed… which I know seems like an oxymoron, but please read on.
I had my reservations about sofa beds. They are okay for a night or two but most people “put up” with them. You know, the bar, the springs, the whole lame deal. But I am sure you will all agree, sleeper sofas are a hefty investment and it would be really great if they were actually comfortable! So I did some research, talked to a couple of designer friends and jumped in! Our choice was the Savannah Sleeper from American Leather. I had ordered a number of leather sofas for clients from this company and their quality is great. They also offer many different fabric choices in addition to leather.
Their Comfort Sleeper Sofa Program is wonderful. The sofa is comfy and generous in size but the way they designed it allows it to fit into tight spaces. The sofa can also be taken apart if you live in an apartment with narrow stairways or doors. The mattress is foam, kinda like a Tempur-pedic mattress (which you can also upgrade to) and it has a stain-resistant Crypton finish which resists moisture, dirt, mold and mildew. Check out a video of how the sleeper works here.
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So the sofa was delivered last week and we stood there and smiled. We hooked up a larger monitor to Tim’s laptop and he’s in heaven watching tons of movies on Netlfix and football games online. Then, I moved my yoga stuff into the room and it all fits nicely into the matching storage ottoman! Now we had a wonderful space and room for our family and friends too.
But the “sleeper” portion did not come into play until last night. My throat was scratchy on Christmas night and when I woke up the next day I had the whole achy, sniffly, cold thing going strong. I knew Tim was never going to get a good night’s sleep with me blowing my nose, so I suggested he give the new sofa a whirl. I kinda held my breath because no one (especially a designer) wants to find out the investment they just made was a bad one. But when I woke up this morning, Tim looked well rested and gave it the thumbs up! I breathed a sigh of relief.
The great thing is that American Leather is sold in many stores around the country so if you are in the market for a sleeper sofa (or any sofa for that matter) you may want to visit and check them out. I’ve already done the homework for you.
You have a favorite sofa that you’ve snuggled into comfortably for the past 8 years. The style is perfect and the size is just right. But the fabric leaves a bit to be desired. All the good things in life….kids, dogs, eating, drinking and being merry are reflected on your sofa. Many clients ask me whether it’s worth it to reupholster their sofa or chairs. It really depends on a few factors. So let me step you through it and perhaps the decision will become clear…
Condition
How is the sofa or chair holding up? Does it creak each time you sit down? Is it sagging in the middle? Or is it just the cushions that are shot? If the frame is weak, then it’s time to move on. If you just need new cushions, that’s an easy fix.
Style
How attached are you to the style of your piece? Because if you really like the certain small details, it may be very difficult to find them again. Styles change over the years and if you are looking for a duplicate piece, you may be searching for a needle in the haystack.
When the fabric is fastened directly to the frame, you need to apply welt to cover the staples. Click on the photo and you will see it's a much more involved process.
Budget
Reuphostering a sofa or club chair is probably not going to save you money. The truth is that except for higher end furnishings, most furniture frames are not very well made. Instead of kiln-dried hardwood and 8-way hand-tied seats, they are made with sofa woods and inexpensive metal coils. So even when a company makes a brand new sofa, most of the money goes into the fabric and labor.
While you might be able to get a great deal on fabric, the labor costs to reupholster is significant. If you’d like to get a quote from a local vendor, some may give you an estimate based on the sofa measurements, but they will have to come and determine the exact fabric yardage needed and take a look to give you a firm quote. Don’t forget to ask about new cushions if yours are deflated!
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DIY
I do not recommend tackling a sofa or club chair unless you have expert guidance or an enormous amount of patience. Most homemade jobs I have seen are very sad looking. There is an exception to this rule. Dining Room chairs that have slip seats are a snap to redo. Check out the great video below for some helpful guidance.
If you are saving for a new sofa but cannot stand the look of what you have right now, then be sure to consider a slipcover for the time being. When the time comes to purchase a new sofa, you certainly don’t want the old one to wind up in a landfill. So if you are ready to move on from your old sofa, please explore your options to donate it to a worthy cause.
If you have any other questions, don’t hesitate to ask me below!
I started My Design Secrets more than a year ago with one goal in mind: Help people who love home decorating by giving them professional advice and easy access to the best online interior decorating sources. After receiving a lot of wonderful feedback and learning that close to 100,000 people visted the database last year, I realized that My Secret Database was the answer to many of your decorating prayers! So, I was determined to continue sharing my interior design advice and resources.
A couple of months ago, I announced that we would be making some upgrades to the website. Now, the time has come! We wanted to make My Design Secrets even more useful, interesting, and fun for all of you decorating enthusiasts. (And for those of you who don’t know, my husband, Tim, is the what turns “me” into “we”.)
So, here is what’s in store…
Improvements to My Secret Database *
The new database is PHENOMENAL.When it comes to home decorating, My Secret Database blows any search engine out of the water. Take that Google! Here’s why:
Search through hundreds of online retailers for the product(s) you need and in the specific style you want.
View a wide assortment of photos of specific products from the vendors in My Secrets Database.
Check out the the handy $-$$-$$$! These icons will help you stay within your home decorating budget.
*While we wanted to keep doing all this for free, a girl has got to make a living! With all these great new features, we are confident that you will recognize what a great value it is. So starting this Wednesday at noon, My Secret Database is going to become a membership only site. We are sure you will agree that the nominal charge of $9.95 per month is a fair price for access to this incredibly valuable, time-saving database.
Hot New Topics and Inside Tips in the Blog (Free)
The blog will continue to be free of charge and will offer my professional design tips as well as introductions to some of the hottest new decorating sources on the web. I have lots of great ideas for new topics and, as always, you are welcome to make suggestions. Feel free to search my existing blog entries covering over 350 decorating topics!
Great New Giveaways
We know you all love a Great Giveaway, so those are definitely going to continue. We have some great ones lined up for high quality paint, gorgeous home furnishings, and fabulous interior decorating/design books. And remember, your paid membership will automatically enter you into the giveaways.
Thank You…Thank You…Thank You
I have appreciated your support over the last year and sincerely hope that you will find these upgrades very helpful as you continue to put your personal decorating stamp on your home.
