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Design

In Defense of the Comfy Sectional—A Friend’s Almost-Finished Family Room

My friends have cool houses and good taste. You may be thinking to yourself that this room looks familiar like, “it belongs in a house I’ve seen and loved before.” It’s the same house owned by my friends Corbett and Leigh of whom have this entry, this living room, this dining room, the Master bedroom and THIS backyard. They were gone for months in Australia with an unfinished family room, so when Sixpenny reached out to see if we wanted to partner to showcase their Neva sectional, I said “yes” even without checking in with them. I’m sneaky like that.

Their home is dope—ultra modern and the epitome of cool and contemporary. However, it is a lot of cement and glass, so their/our main goal has always been to warm it up. I had multiple kids before them and was touting the importance of comfort even while they were holding strong to more sculptural/beautiful pieces. For instance, they had these wood/wire dining chairs that NOBODY sat in, and we switched them out for upholstered chairs that people sat in for HOURS and they started admitting that maybe religion of comfort first (when it comes to family spaces) is the way to go.

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I know this sectional well. I had the chair version in Elliot’s room for a while and LOVED it. Brady has the sofa version, but we haven’t used the sectional yet. It’s the Neva Modular sectional that yes, comes in a few different sizes. This one is 164” x 84” (that’s THIRTEEN FEET LONG), which obviously fits this room great, but yes it comes in shorter lengths. In fact, because it’s modular, you can add or take away a section AND switch the chaise depending on your preferred side. So say if you move it to another room or another home, this sofa can be customized and pieces could be eliminated and it can be shortened.

As far as comfort goes, this lady is extremely comfortable without being sloppy, and deep but with back cushions that are still supportive. The cushions are feather filled but have a vegan poly fill option in case that’s your preference. It’s tricky because while a tight back sofa isn’t as comfortable, sometimes loose-backed sofas can get so disheveled and be so messy. This isn’t that.

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We chose the Lightweight Linen in Black Pepper so that it brought a natural and tonal feel with the curtains and rug that were already in the space. Plus darker, neutral colors tend to hide minor stains. #nevernotthinkingofdirtykidhands. Another tick in the “pro” column here for being kid- and family-friendly is that it’s slipcovered, so you can take it off and wash it if need be.

Huge, deep, chunky sofas can typically be not so attractive, but what makes this one cool/interesting is the French seams and the super-thin arms. It’s just extremely modern and fresh looking for a comfy, plush sectional.

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The charcoal linen is so warm and washed, giving it a casual feel.

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I know you have questions about the rest of the room because, well, it’s beautiful, so let me explain. Corbett chose the rug, shelving and curtains (with me weighing in, when I was around) but I can’t take credit for it. She obviously has a great eye. I was impressed with her brave “white rug” move in a family room with twin 2-year-olds but BOY is it beautiful (it’s custom). She is currently looking for a vintage persian rug to layer over it that is more forgiving. It’s the ultimate family conundrum: do you go for darker sofa and lighter rug or lighter sofa and darker rug? Either way, something has the potential to get ruined over time. But I also need to be better about not allowing food/drink in our family room or maybe our kids just have my complete inability to land food properly in my mouth.

 

Let’s talk about these shelves for a moment. So yes, this unit was custom but there are plenty of styling tips to learn from and take into your homes. But Corbett was struggling so we came in and added pieces and helped pull it together. Thanks to my always lovely and talented team Velinda, Emily B and Julie for their styling skillz ….

The first tip (as always) is color palette. Here we took their base neutral blue, grays and cream palette and added in greens and warmer browns/rust. This was a way to amp up the warmth in what is still very calm and visually soft. Another tip is variation in orientation, shape, size and medium. This unit (with all its separated sections) makes it very easy, for example, to make sure there were books vertical on some and horizontal on others, there were varied numbers of object pairings (two vessels on one, three on another, etc.) and natural elements like plants and vintage scenes that were evenly dispersed. But these tips apply to all shelf styling. For more shelf styling tips, head to this post.

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Also, please note the super chic wall-to-wall closed storage at the bottom. It’s very smart (image all the board games/toys/books/kid supplies you can hide in there) and just so pretty.

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Velinda found this incredible vintage one from Candid Home that reconfirms the power of the statement lamp. It’s neutral in color but has an effortlessly, cool personality. It is also another case for my colorful shade argument in that it adds instant depth and contrast to a room. So since we are already talking vintage, let’s talk about it some more as a major HOT TIP to bring warmth to a contemporary room.

This vintage side table from MidCentury LA is modern enough with its clean lines to complement the room’s contemporary style and its scale is large enough to look perfect with the large size of the sofa. It has a late ’70s vibe about it which I’m pretty into.

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If by chance you have forgotten their view from the other reveals, here it is. Their view was another reason we kept everything tonal and neutral. When you have scenes out of your window that good, you want it to be the real star and not do too much design-wise to distract. That’s also why we chose these soft, contrasting nesting coffee tables. Since the sofa is again, large and therefore long, these nesting tables give us the perfect coffee table sofa length ratio.

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We aren’t totally done with the room, so we didn’t show you the TV side (the TV is massive and the credenza isn’t quite there yet). Hopefully, when they get home from Australia, they’ll love it as much as we all do. We sent them photos and they freaked out. It’s a pretty darn great family room, sans any signs of family at this point. 🙂 All the toys are in the cabinets, but the second those twins get home, I’m sure they’ll be spread throughout that room in a way only drunk raccoons can do to our trash up at the mountain house. IT’S HILARIOUS.

So stayed tuned for more from this house. We are finishing the kids’ rooms now and should have some reveals in the next month or so.

Meanwhile, if you are in the market for a very comfortable, well-made sectional that still has a modern feel in a great (big) scale, myself and the EHD team can officially recommend this one as one that we love a lot.

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So there you have it. Another beautiful room that now has the distinct gift of ultimate comfort. I’ll be watching many a Bachelor rose ceremony up here. Thanks to my always always team for pulling it together (Velinda, Julie and Emily B. i’m looking at you!).

*This post is in partnership with Sixpenny but all words, designs and selections are our own. Thanks for supporting the brands we love that support the blog.

**photography by Sara Ligorria-Tramp for EHD, art directed by me with styling/design led by Velinda Hellen and Emily B. 

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Lee
5 years ago

I love the color of that sectional — just not the style. TBH, the only time a kinda-dumpy, sorta-sloppy sofa like this actually looks good is when it’s surrounded by super-expensive, custom-made furniture and rugs (as it is here). Otherwise, in a normal person’s home (of average means), this style of sofa just looks like kinda dumpy, and sorta sloppy.

I’ve seen a lot of sofas like this lately on Instagram/Pinterest/etc. For me, this sofa trend is like the normcore ugly shoe trend of a few years ago in which all these gorgeous models were wearing ugly, ungainly sandals and sneakers. The only reason it worked was because they were 6 foot tall and gorgeous.

P.S. Seems like there are some missing links in this post and some typos throughout. And the opening line — about how your friends have good taste — is on the cringe-y side.

Jenny W
5 years ago
Reply to  Lee

Really? Was any of that necessary?

Lee
5 years ago
Reply to  Jenny W

Yes, Jenny, it was necessary. Just like every single post on this blog is absolutely essential to the preservation of our democracy, to the protection of the planet, and to the very survival of the human species.

P.S. I don’t retract any of it, except for mentioning that it’s kinda awkward to praise your friends’ good taste. That was rude of me to point out. Otherwise, my post stands. This sofa only truly looks good if it’s surrounded by modern/expensive/clean-lined furnishings.

Lizabeth
5 years ago
Reply to  Lee

I really wanted to not comment on your post. I tried really hard to restrain myself. But no can do.

Dang…I think you may need some therapy, for your pent up anger. Praising a friend’s good taste is “cringy”? What?? I would be honored if someone praised my taste. As a matter of fact, it has happened on numerous occassions. I have never thought they were cringy at all. You may need to do some soul searching, and stat.

Samantha
5 years ago
Reply to  Lee

I hope Emily laughed out loud at this comment like I did. After your first comment I thought you must be a troll, but after your second comment I decided you are, at least, a funny troll. Anyway, damn. That’s a lot to throw at a person first comment out the gate.

Emily and team, I think it’s great and I can’t tell you how much I love the free, inspiring, original content coming out of your heads and fingers EVERY DAY. You all are killing it.

beks
5 years ago
Reply to  Lee

Agree on your sloppy comment.

Its a bit like how some of the clothes in the Anthopologie catalogs will only look good if youre strolling through a market in India while dodging scooters, otherwise they are frumpy AF.

Christina
5 years ago
Reply to  Jenny W

The sofa reads blue-gray to me in these photos but shows up much more charcoal on their website! Is this the true color? I really love it! Thanks!

mandy brown
5 years ago
Reply to  Christina

Yes, I am wondering the same about the color! I love it all, and all your posts and team’s input are not only fabulous, but very needed and appreciated by those of us who love good design.

Haters will always hate. Your successes only help others, so kudos to you all!

JenB.
5 years ago
Reply to  Christina

Yes I was totally thinking “but it’s blue!” And then wondering if this was a case of the gold dress/blue dress thing happening…

Loveley of honeymoonvintage.com
5 years ago
Reply to  Lee

I absolutely LOVE this room, and it think it looks AMAZING in here. But, I was thinking the same thing. That this style of sectional/sofa has a very casual rumpled look about it, and it looks amazing in here, but I think that’s just because the rest of the room is very clean line/modern/contemporary/big. If it were in a home that is NOT that style, it would look like an average looking person wearing pajamas to the grocery store in middle America instead of a gorgeous model in pajamas walking around the fanciest parts of NYC or LA. But that is just my opinion. But, I do completely agree with having comfortable, kid-friendly furniture when you have kids. Unless you want to spend time being frustrated.

Carol
5 years ago
Reply to  Lee

That wasnt nice. Maybe someone else would like this sectional.

Kelly
5 years ago
Reply to  Lee

Yeah I kind of have to agree too. This is one of those things where everything else has to be so clean, tailored, and perfectly rendered to make it work. I think it looks gorgeous here, but that’s because the surroundings are perfect. It’s like a pixie haircut – it works only if you already have a perfect face 😛

Summer
5 years ago
Reply to  Lee

I like the room just “fine”—I certainly wouldn’t complain if it were my house. However, I told agree with Lee about the insufferably (but unintentionally) smug first line. My friends have cool houses and good taste. Translation: my friends and I live in a bubble of privilege and have more money than we know what to do with.

Jenna
5 years ago
Reply to  Summer

Ugh come on! I think you guys are reading way too much into that first line. It comes across as bitter and as though you’re just looking for opportunities to be offended. I am a “normal” (whatever “normal” really means) person of very average means and I also have friends in the same economic place (and totally different places from me) that have cool houses and good taste. I also happen to have good taste, which has resulted in having a cool home on a “normal” budget. Taste has nothing to do with being rich or not rich. And who cares how much money someone featured on a blog has? Why is our society so focused on that all the time? It’s exhausting, shallow and depressing. Ok, internet rant over.

Vicki Williams
5 years ago
Reply to  Summer

Good grief, Charlie Brown!

Jess
5 years ago
Reply to  Lee

I think there are two things to be said here:

1. What you’re pointing out is completely normal and could be said about any room/sofa/decor – it’s all about balance. Big rumpled sofa? Stick to clean lines everywhere else. Antique sideboard in the dining room? Add ultra modern chairs. Super minimal and industrial kitchen? Add a vintage oil painting for warmth. I could see this couch could also look great in a modern minimal farmhouse. Or a historical 1800s townhouse. Just get the balance right.

2. To say that everything needs to be expensive and custom isn’t true. Clean and minimal, sure. Expensive? Nah. You could make this couch look good with an ikea rug and DIY minimal art ledges on the walls. I’m sure Emily can prove it with a ‘get the look.’ Let’s not look down on people who splurge on custom fixtures and vintage furniture if they have the means and that’s where they want to spend it.

KP
5 years ago
Reply to  Lee

Shrug – this sofa looked great in Brady’s apartment and it certainly wasn’t surrounded by super-expensive, custom-made furniture and rugs. It was a normal person’s home of average means. It looked fab.

5 years ago
Reply to  KP

Loved Brady’s use of the sofa! It’s truly comfortable, I see why he chose it.

Joslyn
5 years ago
Reply to  Lee

I’m all for comfortable furniture in family spaces, but they also need to be practical and I’m afraid the second you sit on a sofa like this it will look sloppy. Right now it looks comfy, but still has some structure. If someone is actually living with it the structure goes fast and then the French seams get wonky. Kinda like a linen dress that looks amazing straight off the rack, but the second you sit is so wrinkled it looks like you slept in it.

Pretty sure I’d have to spend a lot of time fluffing/reforming cushions anytime I had company.

Heather
5 years ago
Reply to  Lee

Surely we enjoy this site because it mixes things up, casual and immaculate, inexpensive and impossible, weird and standard. It does this to create something that looks casually beautiful. The best thing in your case might be to do the reverse, dress up the room around what might appear to be a sloppy, comfy couch that kids will love. That might work too.
The decor isn’t expensive so much as the room is huge and full of light. That’s a win from the start. Who could mess that up, but we all manage it, which is why we’re here. But the key is a mix of pale colours with a dark wood.
It’s not cringe-making for her to say her friends have good taste. They clearly do. I say that through gritted teeth, deeply regretting that I just bought a coffee table that is not the perfect one pictured here.
Now I am off to look at pendant lights. Let’s all stay in a good humour today, working on a prettier place to nest in.

Vika
5 years ago
Reply to  Lee

I agree, when in us this sofa will look sloppy.

Jennifer
5 years ago
Reply to  Lee

I agree with all of this, Lee. Well said!

Karen
5 years ago
Reply to  Lee

Agree – I noticed what you mentioned.
Seems to me that a writer’s written words that are made public are subject to critique by the readers of same words.

Tami
5 years ago
Reply to  Lee

I agree to all of it.

Leesa
5 years ago
Reply to  Lee

I agree with you, Lee. I will add that a sofa that soft, for someone over say 45, can be super uncomfortable and hard to get out of. You can have comfort and support, but that sofa looks like it is lacking any support. Also, the first line about her friends good taste IS cringey.

Tricia
5 years ago
Reply to  Lee

This is an awful lot of rage….over a sofa?

Lee
5 years ago
Reply to  Tricia

Well, Tricia, at least we agree that rage over a sofa is ludicrous.

Otherwise, though, I don’t have any particular rage about this sofa, this post, this room, this blog, or life in general. I enjoy reading Emily Henderson’s posts every day. On this day, I simply shared an opinion that this style of comfy, squishy sofa only works in a very carefully designed, modern, usually expensively furnished room. Otherwise — and as I noted above, I am only speaking for myself (who else would I be speaking for?) — this style of sofa can very easily look sloppy and dumpy.

I really did not anticipate this tempest in a teacup (storm over a sofa? rumpus over a room?).

Rachel
5 years ago
Reply to  Lee

I love you, Lee. I’m not even joking. I agree to everything, and you’re hilarious.

Tiffany
5 years ago
Reply to  Rachel

Haha! Lee 2020!

Christina
5 years ago

Got to have a comfy couch in a TV room!

S
5 years ago

Whoa! So so great. Can you please do a “get the look” for this room? I want to live in a room like this so badly!!!

KP
5 years ago

I am dead.

Mira
5 years ago

You couldn’t find another home to give this sofa to?

Jess
5 years ago
Reply to  Mira

I thought this initially too, but the couch is like 13 feet long. My entire living room is like 12 x 14 feet and my walls obviously have doors in them to get into the room. I’m thinking they needed to find a big room (in a big house) for this couch to fit into in the first place. Plus, maybe there was no budget to augment / style the room, so they needed to find a place that already had nice stuff. Hence why maybe this particular project did not lend itself well to outfitting a room to someone with less means. That being said, EH is generally pretty good about finding people to pair with for giving opportunities.

Rusty
5 years ago
Reply to  Mira

That’s what I thought. Aren’t these ghe uber-wealthy movie script couple?
Nice room regardless.

Loveley of honeymoonvintage.com
5 years ago
Reply to  Rusty

Yup, those are ones. Love their home. Don’t love the horror-movie negativity they put out in the world 🙁

Ann
5 years ago

I love the black and white lamp – very cool and chic – but I noticed it disappears in some of the pics. Why is that? It looks fabulous next to the sofa.

Meg
5 years ago
Reply to  Ann

It looks like in some of the photos they have the black end table with a white lamp on the left side of the couch, and in some they have the wood end table with the black and white lamp on the right side of the couch. My guess is that the couch is too big to have two end tables, so they styled it two different ways for different shots.

Amy Gurich
5 years ago

I can’t with the negative comments. This room is gorgeous! That couch – heaven sent for a family, and beautiful to look at.

EH & Team – I’ve been redoing my home in the Bay Area. I have gone to your SHOP page numerous times and picked from the curated list. I greatly appreciate this as you have high and low all in one place for me. Thank you!!!

5 years ago
Reply to  Amy Gurich

Thanks so much for the great feedback, Amy! Best of luck with your own home.

Victoria Smith
5 years ago

Love love love this. One question: the cushions really don’t get dumpy and need constant fluffing? Like for real for real? Bc if that’s the case I’m all in – but the constant fluff factor is why I have a hard time convincing the hubby on a sofa like this…

5 years ago
Reply to  Victoria Smith

Hi Victoria. Sorry for the delay in response. We wanted to do our research since we haven’t had long-term experience ourselves. We talked to two different people who have experience with the Neva sofa about whether or not it requires fluffing and both stated there’s enough supportive foam to keep it from being a problem. We looked into it on SixPenny and found this, “Our overstuffed cushion constructions boast 70% feather-down and 30% fiber, which ensure a plush feel but also long-term resiliency. We use high-quality, feather-proof ticking fabric to blanket wrap the feather-down and fiber filling and then wrap the filling around both the top and bottom of a high-density foam core”. The quality definitely feels high and I’m tempted to replace my own (falling apart) sofa w/ SixPenny now that I’ve lounged on it. Hope that helps!

Candace
5 years ago

I love that comfort and kids are prioritized with this sofa. Thought of ordering it this morning, but I got a little scared because it looked a bit darker on their website than in real life. Maybe I order fabric swatches?? Anyway, this is exactly the kind of sofa I’ve been looking for. One that invites you to sit back and have snuggly family movie nights without being too sloppy. I’m in love! Thank you for sharing and being so honest about the kid friendly aspects of the room! I am also always thinking of tiny dirty hands!

5 years ago
Reply to  Candace

Hi Candace, swatches are a great idea. We did the same. It does look darker online than in person and there’s a bit more blue tone than a screen portrayed. We love the color.

elle
5 years ago

what types of tree is that in the corner? I love how it fills a large space without being dense, its light and open. Please share!

Jessica Davis
5 years ago
Reply to  elle

I think it’s an olive tree

Jeanne
5 years ago
Reply to  elle

I have olive trees but all outdoors. I agree with Jessica. I think it’s a male olive tree but it’s hard to tell exactly. That being said it’s extremely difficult to grow olive trees indoors. It needs A TON of direct sunlight with warm, arid weather year round. Think So Cal (where this home is located), Greece, Italy etc. They don’t thrive indoors and most people who have them know that they will need to be replaced regularly. I wouldn’t be surprised if, for the shoot, a big branch from an outdoor tree was cut off and put in a pot! 😛

5 years ago
Reply to  Jeanne

Jeanne, that’s right. We pulled olive trees and branches from outdoors for the shoot. This tree usually lives on a patio.

Jeanne
5 years ago
Reply to  Velinda Hellen

Velinda: Thanks for confirming a hunch. Now I don’t have to wonder about it 🙂

Jessica Davis
5 years ago

So I love that sectional – RH cloud sectional feels sort of similar except the arms. But here is my question – do the sections link together? The thing I hate about cushions that are that shape and about modular sectionals is fall through the cracks between the cushions? Does that happen?

5 years ago
Reply to  Jessica Davis

Jessica, yes, the sections link together. Such an important feature.

JR
5 years ago

First off – this room is amazing!! It is so cozy & i want to take a nap on that couch immediately. My one disappointment however was how there are so few books on the bookshelf!! Something I would love to see on this blog (if you’ve already done this & I missed it, my apologies) is bookshelf styling for book nerds. The shelving unit in this living room is stunning, but all i could think was “if that was in my living room, all those shelves would be full of books” I have a hard time finding good styling tips for book heavy bookshelves without it looking messy and just “meh”. I HAVE to use almost all my shelves for books because I have so many, but I can’t bear to part with them. I re-read my books all the time & have an attachment to all my series (hello Outlander fans) I have a copy of ‘The Princess Bride’ that is taped in some places, with pages half falling out – but I’ll never part with it because that particular copy has seen so much with me. I am that woman who buys books out of the $1.00… Read more »

Sophie
5 years ago
Reply to  JR

As a fellow person with overflowing bookshelves, I just embrace the “unstyled” nature of them… the piles and piles of books ARE the statement imo. 🙂 I think it does tend to look better on a darker shelf for whatever reason, they tend to both pop more and blend in more.

If you want to break it up, a couple things have worked for me. Where possible/sensible I’ll turn a few books into a horizontal stack (three books in a series; two books by the same author) and pop a plant or piece of art on top to move the eye around a little bit. Long, drapey plants are great for this.

I also look for interestingly-shaped things (crystals, plants in tiny pots, candles, small sculptural objects) that are small enough to sit in front of books on a shelf so they don’t take up precious book space and are easy to move if I need to get to a book, but still add an extra layer of visual interest. Lightweight art (so you can easily move it if needed) on the outside of the shelf can also be fun. (Example here: https://abigailahern.com/blogs/abigail-aherns-blog/cracking-the-code-on-bookcases)

5 years ago
Reply to  JR

JR, great idea for a post.

GRETTA LLOYD
5 years ago
Reply to  JR

I honestly feel that shelves full of books look nicer than styled cases. Not only that, but books make a room cozy and give it personality. A vase usually isn’t quite as much of an indicator of who you are as your library can be.
Obviously, though, not all people are readers, and that’s ok. Personal, meaningful collections make sense on a shelf. Sentimental gifts or pieces from travel, sure. But buying lots of “smalls” simply for the purpose of filling furniture *meant for books* is just…sad and lonely looking to me.

Nicole
5 years ago

Do you have any details about the type of window treatment they did? Is the curtain on a track? It’s exactly the type of thing I’ve been looking to do in front of a basement sliding door situation…

Lauren R
5 years ago

I don’t hate this couch, although it definitely isn’t my favorite, but why would narrow arms ever be a good thing? With such a casual/comfort-looking couch, wider arms wouldn’t have been out of place and they’re so much more comfortable and useful. I love my own couch but narrow arms is the one thing I wish I could change about it.

Jordan G
5 years ago

I love it!

I’m grabbing my popcorn and reading these comments and just thinking wow, some people are taking things really seriously this morning. I mean, I’m sure the opening line wasn’t meant to be smug. Also, if you had best friends with a beautiful house that you could conveniently use to style gorgeous product for your day job, wouldn’t you do it? I would. She has easy access to Corbett’s lovely house and we’ve raved about every other post from their home, so why not style this room too? I’m sure it is 10x easier to use Corbett’s empty house than to source other places for styling, plus she’s helping her friend at the same time. What is wrong with that?

In summary, I think it’s gorgeous and I’d love to sit on that sofa. I think all of the principles you mentioned could be recreated in other homes without the high end stuff. No quibbles here.

5 years ago
Reply to  Jordan G

Jordan, thanks for the kind words.

Jennifer
5 years ago

I don’t really get the title of this post – like there are hoards of people out there defending uncomfortable sectionals and only EHD to stand with the minority who want a comfy spot to watch TV?! LOL
Other than the kinda upside-down framing, I think the sectional itself is gorgeous and of course the room overall is stunning.

Meg
5 years ago

I love those nesting coffee tables – link? Where are they from?

Kay
5 years ago
Reply to  Meg

I’m also wondering about this!

Anne Davis
5 years ago
Reply to  Meg

I was about to ask the same thing. Love those round tables.

5 years ago
Reply to  Meg

Hi, Meg. The nesting coffee tables are from Rejuvenation.

Tracy Clarke
5 years ago
Reply to  Velinda Hellen

Hi, I looked on the Rejuvenation website and those coffee tables are no where to be found!!! Are they discontinued and this is the reason I can’t find them? Please advise.

Debraj76
5 years ago

I think this room is beautiful, and loved the styling of these upholstered pieces the first time I saw them. However, upon going to the Sixpenny website (as well Interior Define and Article), I learned that they manufacture their products in China. Each of us has to shop and choose what works in their world, but I prefer American made, even if it costs a little more. Many of the Pottery Barn pieces, as well as custom made (like Clad Home…no relation…but I follow her Instagram), as well as several other manufacturers, are US fabricated. I’m still looking for a sofa AND a sectional, but will be staying closer to home. I am pinning from this page for inspiration!

Loveley of honeymoonvintage.com
5 years ago
Reply to  Debraj76

That’s important to me too! and I’m in the market for a new sofa/sectional. So, if you have any good suggestions, please post them here!
Alternative, find a vintage sofa/sectional with great bones. Have it completely reupholstered, refoamed. It will probably cost the same as a brand new American made one. And you can keep a vintage one out of the landfill.

Meg
5 years ago

I’m looking at Maiden Home for my next sectional. Just ordered swatches!

Tracy
5 years ago

I have a sofa and two chairs from Room and Board that I’ve been very happy with in a family room. American made. Leans modern in style. Very transparent about what is used in the process and where things are produced. Their delivery customer service is top notch.

Joey
5 years ago

Roger + Chris! Love their stuff. Great customer service.

Rachelle Falcon
5 years ago
Reply to  Debraj76

Arhaus sofas are made in North Carolina, they have a good selection of styles to choose from

Jennifer
5 years ago
Reply to  Debraj76

Consider Roger & Chris too! They make incredible pieces, you can fully customize them, and they’re made here in the US. I’m not related/they don’t know me from Adam, but I ordered a sofa from them and have been so happy with it – highly recommend!

GRETTA LLOYD
5 years ago
Reply to  Debraj76

That’s interesting and good if true, about Pottery Barn. I used to work for whole Williams Sonoma umbrella of brands, and it was a point of pride of the CEO that “we” imported more goods to the U.S. than any other company, save Mattel. Most of the imported products were from China. He bragged about it to us.

Brit
5 years ago

A friend once asked how I keep a “white” rug with kids. (It’s an ivory, one of the West Elm beni ourain would-be’s.) First, wool cleans like a dream, and second: lower your standards. I was still dismayed, of course, when my friend’s muddy-butt (actual mud, thank goodness, not “mud”) toddler sat on it, but the spot did clean out well. Overall, I’ve rarely dealt with a worrisome stain of any sort. The rug is more worn these days, but a quick vacuuming makes it look plush again, and I’m super happy with it after 4-5 years. Tons of compliments, as well. And we’re terrible about food in that room, AND I have a thing where I need to wear shoes in the house.

dani
5 years ago

Where did she get the curtains from? Love them!

Lynne
5 years ago

I bought a sofa and desk from Six Penny. Just be aware that the both items took longer than the wait time given at purchase time. You will not hear any updates from them and it is very difficult to get in touch with them. I actually started to worry that they might have gone out of business and I would never see my money or product again. When it was delivery time I found out the day before by a phone call from the delivery person trying to set up delivery. With the purchase being made over three months earlier, thank goodness I was available for delivery and not on vacation, because there was never an email to warn me it would be out for delivery soon. That said the sofa is the most comfortable I have ever had and very high quality! The desk was missing a screw in one place that I was never able to get replaced, but I love the desk and am still glad I bought it. For all the trouble I went through trying to get these products delivered the quality and design are so great that I am still glad I bought… Read more »

Jenna
5 years ago
Reply to  Lynne

That sounds super frustrating. I will say that a 3-month lead time for quality upholstery isn’t unusual or unexpected (even from Pottery Barn or RH). And often the delivery company is a third-party warehouse contractor that the company pays to handle deliveries independently for them, and in my experience they are generally kind of disorganized and that’s not the company’s fault at all. But, the fact that it was hard to get in touch with them about your order and the missing screw is not good.

Lynne
5 years ago
Reply to  Jenna

It was a 3 month lead time for the sofa, it took much longer. Sorry that was confusing. It was over 3 months and then a phone call the day before delivery.

Anne
5 years ago
Reply to  Lynne

I also had bad experiences with Sixpenny and am sad to see them endorsed here. We received a broken sectional with multiple defects and it took almost a month to get them to agree to replace it. As we awaited the replacement, buttons started popping off the back cushions. Then the replacement took 6 weeks longer to arrive than promised and once again had issues (black scuffs and stains). They also provided poor communication about delivery as the above reader wrote. I would never order from them or suggest anyone else buy their products.

Lynne
5 years ago
Reply to  Anne

Wow! I am at least happy with my sofa. But the customer service is the worst I’ve ever experienced with any company, ever. I feel like they should send you an email when the product is being sent out for delivery, just like any company ever does. The desk I ordered was supposed to be put together, I paid extra for that, and I still had to put it together. They told me they would send a replacement screw twice but it never came. I am happy with the products, but would not recommend the company because of the poor customer service.

Mary
5 years ago
Reply to  Lynne

Checkout Room & Board – they say over 90% of their products are US manufactured.

Susie Q.
5 years ago

I just wanted to say that I enjoy reading both positive and negative comments on this blog. The “negative” comments are neither nasty nor cruel and are presented in a respectful way. It’s not a discussion if we all agree. And there’s nothing sadder than people who disagree being shamed or frightened into pretending to agree.

Karen
5 years ago
Reply to  Susie Q.

I too enjoy reading both assenters and dissenters on this post.
So true – very good point. That seems to be the trend in the nation right now.
On an occasion when someone may express disagreement on a topic – the so-called “offender” is publicly shamed in the marketplace. Are we progressing as a society? Freedom of speech and opinion?

Karen
5 years ago
Reply to  Susie Q.

Suzie

You posted what I was thinking. Having a different opinion is not mean, it is just different.

I like reading the pros and cons as they inform my own opinion and decisions.

Elizabeth
5 years ago
Reply to  Susie Q.

This! Thank you, Suzie. Most of us here probably enjoy reading Emily’s blog every day, just like Lee. Just because she disagrees on a post doesn’t mean she is cruel, and telling her to leave or be quiet is bullying and immature. I agreed with what she said, and though the room is beautiful now, that reminder of wear and tear may have helped other people with the design of their own home.

Ashley
5 years ago

As a mom with a 2.5yo, another on the way and two cats that like to barf on soft surfaces I super appreciate this post. I currently have the Ikea Soderhamn as I found it really hard to find a long tailored sofa with washable covers – the quality is lacking and I predict having to replace it after only a year or two of use. Ordering my Sixpenny fabric samples now! Curious if anyone with a Sixpenny sofa has tried machine washing the covers and if anyone has the Devyn and found it of similar high quality.

Lynne
5 years ago
Reply to  Ashley

My Six Penny sofa is not a slip covered model, but I can say that the fabric washes up very well with spot cleaning. My cat, who never did this on my old, sad couch, has thrown up on it multiple times and with spot cleaning it looks perfect. We’ve had it for about 4 months and it still looks brand new in every way. It is just the customer service that is terrible with this company. And it will most likely take much longer than the 3 month lead time they say it will take. If you try to get in touch with them to ask if it will be arriving soon since it has been more than 3 months you will likely not hear back from them.

Ashley
5 years ago
Reply to  Lynne

That’s great to hear! Which fabric did you select?

bubu
5 years ago
Reply to  Ashley

I really like this room and don’t know why folks seem to be so worked up about it. I would just add a request/comment: my family room also has a sectional and shelving (not bespoke or fancy – couch is from Boston Interiors, shelves are from Ikea- still appreciate these good tips for styling my couch and shelves). But unlike this one, ours is in the basement, probably like a lot of family/tv rooms. Any suggestions on working with a room when you have a real lack of natural light? I don’t generally mind as we only really use it in the evenings when it is dark out anyway, and we are dimming the lights to watch tv anyway. But I still like it looking like a real room and not an after thought.

Kristy Hicks
5 years ago

Gorgeous space and super comfy couch! I love it. Now I’m inspired to style out my shelves and to stay within a color palette and also up my coffee table game. Thank you.

5 years ago
Reply to  Kristy Hicks

Glad you were inspired, Kristy! Thanks for the comment.

Tara
5 years ago

Any plans to do a roundup of low- mid – high priced sectionals? I love when you do those!

Also, I’m not sure how the conversation jumped from sofas to democracy to privilege but I guess the fun -sponge in all of us can make a soapbox out of anything these days.

Jeanne
5 years ago

Oh that shelving is to die for. As I started reading, I thought…Oh of course it’s custom. Darn. And then I made the link that this is the same house with my favorite entry way and living room. Corbett really does have excellent taste. I think about that entry way quite frequently.

Amy
5 years ago

I’d snuggle up in that room. Where is that fabulous shelving from?!

Editor
5 years ago
Reply to  Amy

It’s custom (sadly for all of us!).

Nancy
5 years ago

Love the color of the sofa. Would like to hear how it holds up- love the look now.
What the heck about the first comment? I only got that far in the comments so hope others agree- thought this was supposed to be an entertaining and fun site with lots of ideas. Pointing out typos ( which I didn’t notice) and criticizing benign comments seems unnecessary. Just go read a different blog.

Roberta Davis
5 years ago

So far, so fantastic! I love the vibe in that room. Also love the color- charcoal, but it looks blue, too, at least in the photos.

5 years ago
Reply to  Roberta Davis

Hi Roberta, there is just a bit of blue in the coloring.

Kelly
5 years ago

I basically LOVE Corbett’s house, and look forward to any and all posts showcasing it 🙂

I really like the color of the couch too.

Krati
5 years ago

Hi Emily,
Your friend’s place is stunning. I was wondering if the shelves are modular or was there any particular design justification behind keeping the top third of the shelving unit so close together. I would have loved to see a variation of larger negative spaces on the top as well, as the unit spans the entire length of a focal wall, so feels slightly top heavy. Other than that little thing, am in love with this space.
.

Elissa
5 years ago

I think the room is pretty, and I enjoy a big sloppy sofa in an otherwise simple room. It works! I agree with some of the other posts that the first line “My friends have cool houses and good taste” was, well, weird. Like saying “my friends are beautiful and well-dressed.” Sounds kind of yuck. It’s really just the wording – saying ” My friend so-and-so has a wonderful house and I really love her taste” sounds better than the blanket declaration above. I’m not offended, I know no harm was intended, but sometimes pointing out that things don’t sound as you meant them to can be helpful. When you know better, you do better.

Carla Hayden
5 years ago

I will always be a fan of a nice sectional in a family room.

Lisa Hamel
5 years ago

I missed posts like there! A pretty room, explained, with some useful tips and a great product recommendation.

5 years ago
Reply to  Lisa Hamel

Thanks for the feedback, Lisa.

J.
5 years ago

Emily/team — THIS ROOM IS BEAUTIFUL and as an owner of this couch, wanted to add some extra thoughts for anyone considering buying!!! I haven’t read all of the comments below but noticed some people aren’t into the style of the couch– fully a personal preference, and with design in general (clothing, home decor, etc.), I try to adopt the Amy Poehler line on motherhood– “good for her, not for me.” I have the Neva sectional in a full L-shape and in the washed cotton linen — corn silk — which is a warm off-white – link here: https://www.sixpenny.com/neva/neva-modular-corner-sectional (but won’t let me select the color). I agonized over the purchase of this couch for months, and was partially inspired (okay, entirely inspired!) by its use in Brady’s living room and the large white sectional in another part of Corbett’s home that I loved. I LOOOOVE this couch. It is insanely comfortable, and in the shape I have, you can fit nearly four grown adults fully lying down at the same time comfortably. I also love that it is slightly rumpled/imperfect — again, totally a personal preference! The style of my home decor is ‘California casual’ but mixed in with… Read more »

5 years ago
Reply to  J.

Wow, J. Thanks so much for the thorough insight. It’s great to hear the sofa holds up over time. After feeling how comfortable it is, I’ve been tempted to replace my own sofa with this model. Appreciate your feedback and detailed review!

KRJ
5 years ago

I’ve never been a fan of shelves with loads of mass produced looking accessories and stacked books used as decor – that’s what this looks like to me. It’s an overwhelming wall of decor, IMHO, and very formal looking next to the slouching couch.

Tracey
5 years ago

Still laughing at the analogy of children with lego and drunk raccoons in the mountain house trash. Emily I love tone of your writing and your sense of humor.

Shenoa
5 years ago

I have 5 kids (4 of them boys!) and we have a hard rule about food and drink- only at the dining table. That’s it, seriously always. Because this has always been our rule, we have a clean sofa. Another benefit is less boredom snacking, since they know they’ll have to pause whatever they’re up to and sit down to eat. So usually the nerf battle/Minecraft/wrestling wins out until they’re actually hungry.

Natalie
5 years ago

I also want more details on the curtains. Love them!

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5 years ago

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Krister
5 years ago

This looks so comfortable, and I look forward to seeing the television wall. The colors and textures make me feel at home, and I had not heard of sixpenny. The contrast between sectional and tailored pieces is intriguing. I’m looking forward to seeing more in this particular home.

Natalie
5 years ago

Some of us come here for DAILY FREE BEAUTIFUL content. Some come to be judgy. JS.

Thanks for another gorgeous space with lots of design inspo! Ignore the haters with nothing better to do.

sarah
5 years ago

Do you have a source for the throw pillows? I like them so much!! 🙂

Tracy Clarke
5 years ago

I love this room and pretty much everything in it!!! I just can’t find any source for the nesting coffee tables…??? Am I missing something?

Brooke
5 years ago

The couch isn’t my style but I don’t mind it in this room. I do however find the shelving way too chaotic looking. Something about all the different heights and so much of it (when you see the whole room) makes me uneasy. I think seeing vignettes of it behind the couch but as a whole it’s a bit overwhelming. Maybe it’s not in person.

It’s a super cool shelving system but I think it wouldn’t look so busy if it’d been pared down, some of the shelves aligned with each other or a huge section removed with a large piece of art in the middle

Laura
5 years ago

I am OBSESSED with the bookshelves! I’ve been looking for just this look for my own house for 5 years now! They are so clean, modern, and airy and would complement my old craftsman living room perfectly. Can you please share where they are from? I will be forever grateful!