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Ask the Design Hivemind

scrim — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 06:48:57 -0800

Does anyone have any experience with or opinions on Room and Board or CB2 as sofa merchants? Specifically, I'm interested in the Westwood sofa from Room and Board, and the Avec sofa from CB2.

For years, I heard nothing but good things about Room and Board, but recently I've seen a number of negative reviews, especially about their lower-end sofas, of which the Westwood is definitely one. Meanwhile, what I've heard about CB2 is positive, but I've heard much less.

I live too far away from a major city to actually try any of these before I buy, and I unfortunately need a new sofa pretty badly (if anyone has any tips for a different sofa of the same style that they love, I'd be glad to hear them).

how can I clean this couch?

helios — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 11:54:31 -0800

My landlord just bought a brand new sofa (this beige model) for my apartment, and I seem to have ruined it already by letting my friend sleep on it for a few days using dark-colored sheets. The area under the head/pillow is now slightly darker than the rest of the sofa; it looks as if it's always slightly wet. The cover can be dry-cleaned but will be expensive; what are the chances of it working? Are there any easier/less expensive alternatives?

Give me your poor, your tired, your squished cushions, yearning to be firm.

tomwheeler — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 17:28:19 -0800

The cushions on our family room sofa suffers from chronic dog-induced squashing. Is there any remedy aside from getting a new sofa? We have a nice sofa in the living room which the dogs know to avoid. But since even dogs need to kick back every now and then, we're not too strict about them lounging on the family room sofa. One of them likes to perch on the top of the backrest cushions, and since these are big and pillowlike, they don't stand tall and firm like they once did.

Since the sofa is otherwise fine (and has a matching loveseat), I'd rather not replace it yet. But I would like to somehow restore the cushions to their original glory, if you have any ideas on how to do it.

One other thing... As far as I can tell, the cushions are sealed. There's no obvious way to remove the existing stuffing or add some more, short of cutting them open and sewing them back up again.

When shallow is good.

yellowcandy — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 12:52:50 -0800

Need a shallow, regular-length sofa. Depth doesn't seem to be a very search-friendly dimension. I've been looking for a normal-length, slim sofa for more than a year now. Sofa depth doesn't seem to be a feature people talk about unless they're referring to extra-deep cushions--exactly the opposite of what I want. This makes searching online particularly hard.

What I am looking for is something around 30" deep or shallower. The deepest I would want would be 32", and most sofas seem to range from 34-38".

I'm open to lots of styles and materials. I just want some choice.

Is there such a thing as a urine-resistant sofa?

Anonymous — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 11:13:22 -0800

Is there such a thing as a good looking, comfortable, urine-resistant sofa? One member of my household has bladder problems. The sofa in our living room -- a cloth-covered foam one from Ikea -- is gross. Whenever he has an accident we wash the cover and spray the foam part with enzyme cleaner, but there's only so much we can do to get it clean.I want to get a new sofa, but I know it's going to get peed on. What kind of sofa would put up the best fight?

I like plain, simple furniture: West Elm, DWR, that sort of mid-century thing. I'm in the US, near a big city with all the usual stores.

I'm not looking for advice about the person with the problem or how to clean up urine -- just sofa-buying advice, please. Specific sofa models from specific stores would be great.

How to protect a new sofa from stains?

WizKid — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 07:38:35 -0800

Just bought a new very light beige color sofa and would like to protect it from spills and stains. Any advice?
I've read good reviews about "scotchguard". Any tips on that?

Need new couch cushion covers.

reticulatedspline — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 09:29:56 -0800

Where can I find replacement cushion covers for my couch. We have a great couch, but the covers for the two seat cushions are ripped to hell, with the foam inside now totally exposed. The foam itself is totally fine, so I'd rather not replace the entire cushion, just the cloth cover that goes around the outside of each peace of foam. Color is not an issue, since we have a slipcover that goes over the entire couch. I just need 2 simple, sturdy, 33x24x7 cushion covers to cram the foam into. Try as I might, I can't find anything like this on Google. All the links I'm getting are either for slipcovers that go over the entire couch or for covers for throw pillows. Help!

Why are sofas dumped beside the road always missing the cushions?

Zaire — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 03:49:55 -0800

Why are sofas dumped beside the road always missing the cushions? I can't really figure out why people take sofa/couch cushions but not a whole sofa... is it for pet beds? That's all I can think of.... I saw a woman jumping out of her car and taking 2 sofa cushions yesterday and if I had been nearer to her I would have asked her what she planned to do with them...

It's really bugging me not knowing. Any insights would be appreciated! Thanks :)

How can I train my dog to stay off the sofa?

ijoshua — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 08:24:39 -0800

How can I train my dog to stay off the sofa? I have a female Dalmatian, about 10 years old, whom I adopted when she was around one-and-a-half. As a first-time indoor dog owner, for the first several years of our relationship, I let her sleep in my bed and lie beside me on the couch.

I came to realize that this wasn’t the best situation for me; as a Dalmatian, she sheds excessively. I have successfully accustomed her to sleeping on her own bed, first on the floor beside my bed, and eventually into the next room.

When I’m not home, I can close the door to my bedroom so that she cannot get in there. Her own bed is in the living room, though, and as soon as I am out of the house, she is on the sofa, and when she hears me coming home, she goes back to her bed. The evidence is obvious: a warm cushion covered in fur and moist lick spots.

I do not want to attempt crate training or confining her to the bathroom. I cannot leave her outside all day. Can you suggest a humane, effective, and inexpensive method for conditioning her not to get on the couch while I am away?

cleaning mildew off microsuede?

Lou Stuells — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 14:24:21 -0800

After 4 months in storage, my red microsuede couch is now a gray velvet couch. Can I clean mildew from microsuede? How? I'm not sure if it has penetrated into the foam and feather cushions - it's still in the garage, because I'm afraid to bring mildew into the living room (hey, I read that Stephen King story.)

The seat and back cushion covers zip off, so I can try laundering or even dry-cleaning those. But what about the body of the couch itself? If it's penetrated into the sofa and cushions, I think I'll abandon the effort. But if it's only a surface issue, I'd like to rescue my beloved sofa. So, what, besides bleach, removes mildew? The upholstery professionals I called were iffy about it, but said they were pretty inexperienced with microsuede, so I turn to you for help or suggestions. Can I clean it? How?

(Curiously, nothing else from storage is mildewy - there was a mattress, dog bed, cat tree, etc. out there too, and they're fine. No leaks in the garage - it was just a damp season I guess.)

Can I have my couch back, or is it too late?

Sofa/Bed Harmony?

mayfly wake — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 15:01:14 -0800

How can I convert my full bed into a sofa temporarily? I would like to buy some kind of device to put onto the side of my bed facing the wall that would make it into into a comfortable couch. I am kind of strapped for space, and guests seem uncomfortable sitting on my bed with my pillows behind them. Is there a pre-manufactured solution to this problem or should I simply find a huge, full-bed sized pillow as a back? I think part of the problem is that to lean back you have to lean back too far and your legs are not dangling as they would on a sofa. Anything firm enough with the right dimensions would be awesome.

Warm (and Stained) Leatherette

yellowcandy — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 11:28:21 -0800

Faint but visible blue handprint on white leatherette couch...help me, Heloises! We bought this sofa (photo here) precisely because we knew it would be easy to clean. So far, it has been.

However, this weekend, we discovered a blue-green handprint that we suspect is either from one of our contractors or from ink transferred from sweat on a green throw pillow. Either way, we're not sure what the handprint is made of, but it appears to be permanent.

Having been an organic chemist in a previous life, I tried and failed to remove it using: a Magic Eraser, hair spray, and soap & water. I avoided acetone, as I suspected it might dissolve the sofa fabric.

What I want to know is simple: What leatherette/vinyl cleaners will remove the stain safely? I would really like to hear ONLY from people who have used the products they recommend, not generic like-dissolves-like speculation--I want to keep the sofa intact.

Hacking the corporate sofa.

palindromic — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 15:10:43 -0800

Is there any real way of making a firm foam corporate style sofa more comfortable? I just got a (free) couch, which I desperately needed and definitely appreciate. However, it appears to have been made at hard couch land. It has steel bands under a plywood board that supports a very firm foam cushion that constitutes all of the base of the couch. Are there any relatively simple ways of softening this couch?
It does feel bit corporate, as though I don't want people sitting in my living room, which is only rarely true.

The cushion is in a zippered cloth outer shell. It has a matching level of firmness in its back support (also cushions in zippered cloth outer shells). Those are less important.

What makes this foam so firm? How can I make it more rump ready?

Adding softer cushions doesn't seem to help as these float right off the sofa and onto the floor.

Sofa so good?

larsks — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 08:18:00 -0800

We're reconfiguring our house to make room for a second child. We'd like to continue to have someplace comfortable for guests to sleep, but we're short on space. A sofa bed seems like a great solution (because we do need some sort of sitting device), but so many of them are both ugly and uncomfortable.

Google has found us these, but they're not easy to find if one wants to look at them in person.

Can you recommend something that is relatively modern in appearance, and actually comfortable to sleep on?

Looking for a good place to buy a new, reasonably-priced couch in NYC.

Afroblanco — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 11:23:05 -0800

Looking for a good place to buy a new, reasonably-priced couch in NYC. Generally, I'm looking to spend between $1500 and $2000 on a sectional couch or couch + loveseat combo. I prefer leather, but I'm not stuck on it. I don't mind buying online, but they must have a showroom that's reachable by public transportation

No idea what styling I'm looking for. My definition of good design is similar to the Supreme Court's definition of pornography - I'll know it when I see it.

I want my couch back.

backseatpilot — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 08:39:43 -0800

I can't get my couch upstairs. Help! I just moved to a second-floor apartment in a multi-family home. The stairs are narrow with a 90 degree turn, so large items were difficult to get in to the new place. The couch was impossible to get in. It's now sitting in the basement and I have nowhere to sit.

I would like advice on the following:
How do I get my couch upstairs? It looks impossible to take it apart to bring it upstairs in pieces. There's a balcony that I could potentially hoist it up to, but I'd like to do that with minimal damage/injury. Has anyone managed this before?

How have people managed to bring large furniture to upstairs apartments?

If it is in fact totally unfeasible to get the couch upstairs, what do I do with it? I guess I'd look to sell it, but as far as I can tell, craigslist is a terrible place to sell sofas due to market saturation. Any suggestions on a possible replacement that is smallish or can be easily disassembled?

Will a vegan sit on a Barcelona chair?

plexi — Tue, 27 May 2008 12:19:45 -0800

Is it rude to purchase leather furniture if I have vegan friends?

NYC upholsterers, pimp my yard sale sofa!

kenzi23 — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 09:43:26 -0800

Help me find a good upholsterer in NYC, preferably Brooklyn I found a great couch at a yard sale and planned to reupholster it myself but 2 years later it's still sitting in my living room, spitting out its insides, so I am prepared to pay someone to do it. The springs will need to be retied, and it probably needs new stuffing and a new cushion. There may also be some woodwork to fix. I have my fabric picked out so now I just need someone who does good quality work.

Do you have recommendations for a place (preferably in Brooklyn) that does good work of this sort?

Outstanding online furniture stores for medium to high end furnishings?

Bob Dobbs — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 18:50:23 -0800

Hi All, I just moved and have a new job that will, fortunately, give me the opportunity to purchase nice furniture for the first time in my life. I'm more into modern designs, but with a quality touch. If there is a manufacturer that makes super high quality, modern stuff that would be the ticket for me. Anyway, I'm looking for online stores to shop on. I'm looking for literally everything a typical two person home needs. We currently have no furniture save a recliner, so we need a lot! I'll admit I don't know the first thing about design, furniture history, etc. But I do want to learn. The ideal shops will offer quality and education. I'm not looking for IKEA or super cheap options. Basically, just give me some links of some kick ass online furniture and furnishing joints!

Help us find a couch with a tall back and good head support

lorrer — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 18:29:22 -0800

Sofas for tall people in NYC I just spent a day with my boyfriend looking at furniture stores and we only found one sofa that fit us. We're tall people, and he is a long-waisted six-foot-three, and I'd like to find something that cradles us from bottom to head.

The most comfortable couch we found, and the only we'd consider buying, is a Stratolounger Camalot sectional. The height is 38 inches, so while the back is not extremely tall, the head rest bends forward and helps increase the amount of space for us to sink in with our backs and also allows us to lean our heads back without feeling like they'll snap off.

Please help us find more options in NYC! We tried a bunch of European-style places in Brooklyn, a few random discount stores, and Levitz to no avail. Looking for a sleeper sofa and recliner chair or recliner loveseat (minus the console that the Camalot has in its loveseat).

Is Natuzzi sketchy?

ubu — Sun, 04 Mar 2007 15:46:24 -0800

What's the deal with Natuzzi sofas--is their long lead time due to poor management, or are they just overloaded with orders? And why does there seem to be no information on the internet about ordering or styles? In a somewhat trendy furniture store the other day, we contemplated buying the "david" sofa or the "platinum" sofa by Natuzzi. The sales associates told us that any sofa from Natuzzi would take 4 months for delivery. I know furniture takes a while, but this seemed excessive, especially if it ends up getting delayed beyond the initial estimate. We decided to go home and search the internet to see if the price and lead time was standard, but to our dismay, not only could we not find ordering or pricing information; we could barely find any information at all. I was hoping to look up the leather color options for our two choices, but I couldn't even find the models mentioned on any of the (few) retailer websites that mentioned Natuzzi sofas. Is that weird? It seems like it's a well-recognized brand and I would have expected more info out there. I loved the feel of these sofas and would really like to get one, but not if it's going to be a year before it actually arrives. Does anyone know the deal with this company?

Where can I find an accordion chair?

Human Flesh — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 09:34:21 -0800

Where can I buy the chair featured in this video?

Yes I went to a furniture showroom, no the salesperson didn't offer help. Twice.

sLevi — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 15:22:27 -0800

Is a microfiber sofa with a 'W' actually washable? Will I need to wash it? I'm considering buying a microfiber sofa...I like the 'stone' (sort of a light grey-beige) and the chocolate brown. I don't want to get a really pretty couch just to have to slipcover it...so how well would the 'stone' stand up to normal wear? Will it get grimey? What about when the dog sits in the same spot everyday? The cushion covers appear to zip off, and the tag says W, which apparently means I can use water-based cleaners. Does that mean I can actually wash it?

Help me pick a sofa that my cat won't want to destroy

tastybrains — Thu, 05 Oct 2006 11:29:49 -0800

What sort of sofa is my scratch-happy cat least likely to destroy? I have 2 cats - one of which never learned not to claw furniture. She destroyed our sofa (which was covered in a tough chenille type fabric) which we've slipcovered with a cordouroy type fabric and she doesn't seem interested in touching it. Instead she has directed her claws to the canvas-like covers on our Ikea chairs, which she's been shredding for quite some time despite use of Sticky Paws, double-stick tape, Feliway, squirt bottle training, etc.

We've used Softpaws, but after an incident where she got her Softpaw caught in a tight spot and nearly declawed herself, we've let her run around au naturale.

Declawing is not an option, despite the times I've threatened her with chopping her little feets off.

So, basically I'm looking for suggestions with regards to what sort of sofa is she least likely to want to destroy.

Do cats like to claw leather? Am I better off sticking with less expensive furniture that I can replace the slipcovers on (e.g. Ikea's Ektorp line)?

Someday I'd like to have nice things, but I don't see the point in buying a nice sofa if it's just going to become another scratching post.

And yes, we have many real scratching posts and she uses those too. She just likes the Ikea chairs better.

Refresh my sofa

cillit bang — Wed, 13 Sep 2006 23:55:02 -0800

My sofa has been in a cupboard for a while. It stinks of dust. How do I clean it? A couple of weeks ago I dug a sofa out of the back of a storeroom in my flat (no idea how long it had been there). It's clean and in good condition, but it still smells like the back of a dusty cupboard when you get too close. What can I do about this?