In Like With: Couches for Small Spaces

Welcome to Planet Couch. Also known as our living space, which houses our humongous hand-me-down island of lounge space. This couch, a joint bromance purchase between James and his old roommate, was traded straight-up for an Xbox when they parted ways. It’s from Bob’s Discount Furniture and it’s been going strong for over 8 years now. It’s not all that sexy, I know. But it’s ridiculously comfortable, it’s big enough for someone 7′ tall to sleep on and it’s neutral, making it easy to decorate around. Aside from a few minor gripes, I actually love it, proving that places like Bob’s aren’t kryptonite to people with (reasonable) taste.

But someday, we will replace it. And here’s why: it’s really just too big for our space and the way we like to use it. We use our living space both for entertaining and winding down at the end of the day. So we need something that hits that sweet spot between cocktail and cozy. Too soft and you can’t tell a hilarious story while balancing a plate of food on your lap. Too rigid and you want to cry before the opening credits of the latest ridiculously long movie.  

Our olive green guy measures in at 100″ x 40″ x 36″, which in Sofa Land is like a submarine-sized piece. It’s too huge for our 12′ x 14′ multitasking living space. If we traded it for a smaller couch (or love seat) we would be able to comfortably fit a cocktail table and two arm chairs.

Right now we can only fit one arm chair, and while our megasauraus-sofa is big enough for four butts, we rarely have three folks take a seat there. People like to sit across from one another or at an angle – not shoulder to shoulder. Breaking up the seating options around the room, even if the number of butts you can accommodate is the same, is actually a much better arrangement for entertaining. 

But remember, we can’t sacrifice comfort, since husband and I get pretty lazy after 9pm. So buh-bye to settees, camelbacks, tuxedos and daybeds. It was nice knowing your beautiful scrolling arms, cocoon-like walls and cabriole legs.

Here’s my couch-crushing criteria:

1. Medium-tone upholstery (in blues, greens or grays) that holds up to life and hides the stubborn cat hair that my vacuum sucks at sucking up.
2. Relatively high arms so that I can curl up in the corner with my coffee and not fall on the floor.
3. Less than 85″ inches in total length and 40″ of total depth.
4. Nothing so low to the ground that tall folks and Baby Boomers curse as they’re standing up.
5. Comfortable enough to accommodate hours of binge-watching Orange Is The New Black.
6. Extra points for sofa beds or secret storage.

And here are some picks I’ve pinned for consideration:

1. This moody guy get extra points for a secret storage drawer…what would you put in there? Oxford Storage Sofa in Ink from Room & Board – $1,999.00
2. A tribal patterned pillow would liven the joint up fast. Jacinto Rectangle Pillow from Anthropologie – $29.95
3. A blue beauty with rich velvet upholstery and nailhead trim…think I can commit? Charlotte Sofa in Indigo from One Kings Lane – $1,999.00
4. I like the single cushion and relaxed feel of this pick but it comes with a high price point and only one upholstery option. Graydon Sofa in Riva Dune from Jayson Home – $3,695.00
5. This is my current favorite with a punchy upholstery option, nice lines and a pull-out! Whammy! Paidge Sleeper Sofa in Blue Lagoon from West Elm – $1,549.00
6. I’ll take one of these cute atomic/tribal throw pillows just in case. Endless Summer Peach & Gray Tribal Pillow from Zazzle – $28.95
7. This color is so now I can hardly look away. But I think it skews a little too feminine and I like things to be more David Bowie, less Katy Perry. Club Spray Sofa from CB2 – $1,199.00

Do you think we have a winner here?

Loveyoubye! Maggie