We’re going to talk about a room other than the kitchen today! Now, it’s onto the hallway, dining room, and the room I’m sharing today, the living room/family room. When we looked at this home with our realtor, we knew that the formal dining room would be reserved for my studio and that meant the den off the kitchen would be our only living/family room. In our previous two homes, we’ve had a more formal/pretty living room and a separate family room for watching TV. When we first bought the house, we considered the possibility of making a TV/family room in the basement. That may still happen years down the road, but the truth is after living here for a year, we don’t really feel like we need it.
But, making this room a combination of our semi-formal living room and our casual TV/hangout room is a bit of a challenge. It has to be comfortable enough for movie night and pretty enough for entertaining. And, I just need to throw in that I do take pictures of my home for a part of my business, so I do want it to be pretty for photos, too. That’s not at the expense of livability and comfort, though. It needs to be and it can be both.
So, when we moved 1,000 miles across the country, we really had to lighten up and we sold most of our bulky furniture, including both of our sectionals. Sectionals are so specific to a space and we weren’t sure if either of them would work in whatever house we purchased. Paying to move them was risky, so we decided to sell them before we left. Those were some of the hardest things to sell because we loved both and used them all the time, but it was the right call because neither would fit in this house. What we did move with was a leather sofa that was in Jeff’s office. It’s relatively comfortable, but I like sofas that are soft and snuggly and can be fluffed. We knew we could use that as a stand-in until we were able to get a sofa specifically for this room.
I realized I need to get a wider shot of this room!
Anyway, the online sofa shopping has been happening since we moved in, but we had so many other big projects going on that I kept pushing it on the back burner. A brand I kept looking at and coming back to was Sixpenny. (As a note of full disclosure, I am working with Sixpenny as a sponsor on this project, but this post is not a part of that partnership. I just want to share what I’m working on.) I have seen their furniture on Instagram and blogs and there were several things that appealed to me about their sofas. Number one, I love that they are slipcovered. I am a huge fan of slipcovers for their versatility, washability, and the fact that you can buy (or make) a few slipcovers and completely change the look of your room for the seasons. A slipcover dramatically extends the life of a piece of furniture since the fabric will almost always show wear and tear long before the stuffing, springs, and frame are past their prime. Two, their furniture is handmade with quality materials. Their slipcovers are made of cotton, cotton/linen blends, and linen to name a few. They also offer down-filled cushions, which I am all for!
After drooling over their sofas for a while, measuring, envisioning, and considering swatches, I narrowed my choice down to two sofas…
Sixpenny Esmé Sofa
The Esmé sofa was the first one that caught my eye. I like the simple, classic shape that leans a little modern, but still feels traditional enough to work with my aesthetic. The shape of the cushions and the sweep of the arms are also lovely. What I was drawn to most, though, was the depth. I have learned that depth is part of what makes a sofa really comfortable for me. I like to curl my feet up and lean on a pillow and a deep sofa means I don’t have to pull my legs up quite as tight. This one would be a solid choice.
Sixpenny Elias Sofa
I was drawn to the Elias sofa because of the classic rolled arms. Almost every sofa I’ve ever owned has had rolled arms. I like their traditional look as well as their comfort. I also like that Elisa had a single seat cushion instead of two or three. One cushion means fewer remotes and such lost in the cracks and there is only one seat cover to change out to wash. The Esmé sofa is just a little deeper than the Elias, but the Elias is still several inches deeper than our current sofa. Otherwise, though, the height and length are about the same, so we know the scale is right.
The look of the Elias and the rolled arms are what won me over and this is the one we selected.
If you remember from THIS POST, I tested out some paint swatches and decided to paint the walls in this room in Card Room Green. (It’s the color sample on the right in the photo below.)
I haven’t painted the walls in here, yet, because I didn’t want to have another room in upheaval while we were working on the kitchen and pool areas. It’s next on the list, though, and I plan on starting to paint once the boys are back in school. Since I already had my fabrics and paint color picked out for this room, I gathered those to find the right slipcover fabric for our Sixpenny Elias Sofa. I ordered Beach Walk Cotton Canvas, Cornsilk Washed Cotton Linen, Oat Flour Lightweight Linen, and Warm Oatmeal Medium Weight Linen. I had it narrowed down to Oat Flour and Warm Oatmeal almost immediately. After sitting with them for a while, I felt like Warm Oatmeal was the best match.
I am so excited to start working on this room, bringing in the new sofa, rearranging some of the furniture and accessories, and finishing some sewing projects.
I’m also still on the hunt for a cute and comfortable recliner to put next to the sofa. I bought one off of Facebook Marketplace for $40 and it’s been okay, but the springs for the footrest have come off, so it just pops open and random like a possessed chair. I bought it with the intention of making a slipcover for it, but there is not much point in putting in that time and using the fabric if it’s not going to work long term.
The 1970 home makeover continues…
It’s a lovely looking sofa. I’m hunting for a sofa myself but my budget is tight. I’m suffering from guilt after purchasing an expensive sofa bed online. It was a terrible mistake. It’s very uncomfortable to sit on and worse to sleep on. A local charity is coming to pick it up after less than a year of owning it. Back to the drawling board.
Oh, I am so sorry to hear that! I’ve had pretty good success buying sofas online, although I will test them out in person if that’s an option. Sixpenny does offer a 30 day window for free returns, though, so that is a nice bit of insurance if the sofa isn’t comfortable, doesn’t fit in the room as well as you thought it would, etc.
single twin mattress w/ cushions works great when money is tight …cover it all up with beautiful fabric ..
cushions will be really comfy as a couch & at nite work as single bed..much more comfortable than a fold out bed .
ugh been there ..lol…also those metal ‘day beds’ with a single mattress on top work great as a double duty (cheap) guest bed…. ….
Is it made in the USA? If not, it would be a deal breaker for me!
I love your choices for the living room/den! Don’t you have a fireplace in one of the rooms? I love the point where you start putting in accessories!
I have been looking for a deep comfy sofa for my den. I will have to check Sixpenny out. TY! Love the oatmeal.
Yes, on the Elias. it looks like a really inviting sofa. The deeper depth seat makes so much difference! The configuration of the cushions looks cozy,, and that full seat cushion will seat several visitors at a time without the uncomfortable “cracks”. Also would work well as an extra bed for an unexpected guest, if needed. The skinny arms on the Esme’ look uncomfortable and cheap to me. Congratulations on reaching this “moving along” phase with so much less demo!
Good choice on the Elias sofa. Is that a Pottery Barn leather sofa? It sure looks like my 2 chairs. What fabric line is that blue toile? It’s adorable. I use to follow you on Miss Mustard Seed Paint, when I did lot of DIY painting, but kinda lost track when you moved and sold the paint side. Glad I’m following again to see all these beautiful changes to your new house.
I love both of these sofas! I can’t wait to hear how the slips covers hold up/fit after being washed and how the cushion holds up. We had a Lee Industries sectional with down cushions but the feathers were always working their way out and the cushions didn’t really hold up all that well. Because of that experience I’m shy about having another sofa with down cushions, but on the other hand, I would love them if they were made well.
Looking forward to seeing you work your magic (or working more magic) in this room!!
I hope you will love your new sofa. I have been shopping for a sofa sleeper for a few years now. I want pretty. Not flowers or such but maybe a camel back or something that is not as bulky looking as much of what I have found. You would think manufacturers would remember old ladies have money if they you sell them something they will like. lol
Marian, I love your sofa choice — and the color! It will look great in your living room! I am really enjoying seeing your gorgeous home take on all your wonderful personal touches. You have done a fabulous job with absolutely everything! So happy for you!
I can so relate to this post! Last year, I wanted to rearrange my family room to function as both a sitting area and a dining area. I spent a lot of time conducting an online search for a new sofa. I finally settled on a Sixpenny sofa and ottoman and I just love both pieces. Quality construction, stylish, and awesome customer service!
There are three things I cannot image buying online without seeing it in person and that is a mattress, a sofa and a car…lol. Call me old-fashioned but I enjoy going furniture shopping and testing things out first. It’s usually a big and expensive purchase and I like to see the product firsthand before I put that kind of money out.
I like the one solid cushion sofa that you choose, but I prefer a flat or track type arm over rolled arms. I was in a fabric store the other day and a lady was having her vintage Ethan Allen sofa recovered. She said she had looked for over two years, and nothing compared to the workmanship and quality of what she had and sadly after looking even at expensive lines, she is right!
I like the new choice. My only concern would be the one seat cushion. Would it end up sagging without the support of the two pushed together? I’ve never had one like that….so I don’t know the answer. It will be extra cozy without feeling the ribbing of the separate cushions. You will have to let us know!
It’s very common to lose springs and bolts in recliners! Heaven knows we’ve lost plenty! They can be ordered and replaced. Just a thought…
Just an additional comment on the furniture industry today in the U.S. No matter what the “Made in America’ tag says which by the way is misleading, there is really only maybe one or two furniture manufacturers making furniture here today. If you look at the fine print, it may say “Assembled in the US” but that means its only put together here. The sources such as materials, woods, veneers, come from other countries such as China and Vietnam then it is shipped in containers to be assembled here. I looked up SixPenny and they disclose the furniture materials are sourced from other countries and they have several locations in the US where its assembled.
There used to be many US furniture makers such as Stanley, PA House, Broyhill, Lexington, American of Martinsville to name a few but sadly that is not the case anymore. They were either bought out by foreign companies or have gone out of business. I see Broyhill tags on the furniture at Big Lots but there is no Broyhill anymore. A foreign company bought the Broyhill name, and it is made outside the US. Sadly, quality has gone down as well, and all furniture is made with cheaper materials and parts than in the past.
I just purchased a new sofa from a company called Mayo. They are family owned out of Texas. From what I understood, everything is actually made in Texas.
I love the sofa you choose! But…I don’t know about your kitties, but my kitties and Westie Terrier will find those cushions that are at the back of the sofa and sleep on top of them and eventually create a big dip in them and I wonder if you are concerned about that at all? Anyone else find that to be an issue with these types of cushions, and if so a way to fluff them back up so they look good?
Love the Elias sofa and the colour you choose. I have an Ikea sofa almost the same. I own three slipcovers. A jeans, a bright pink and Chinese blue. Makes the mood in the room totally different. Fitting pillows and blankets and it looks like I changed the sofa. I have the only one with eiderdown inner cushions, as it was a show model. The new models are pure mattress pillows. It was an impromptu action of mine, my oldest son took a dive and broke the old sofa in two. I needed a new sofa NOW. The old sofa was not prepared for that large body XD I sit like you, legs cross-folded under me, so it needs to be deep. No worries for cats and dogs, in the end, the kids will ruin it XD
I love to see you transform a room! What paint color will you use? The swatches with touches of blue scream Miss Mustard Seed!
Kami from the Tidbits blog has said she wasn’t impressed with the Sixpenny sofa, said it wasn’t comfortable.