Happy Happy Joy Joy
I’m so excited about our new living room couch. It’s 50% casual, 50% elegant AND 100% dog proof. The linen-look twill slipcover is just what the doctor ordered, and the clean lines and cushy pillows are the perfect balance of form and function. Of course it makes the more expensive couch in the den (that we got from Pottery Barn a few months ago) look like the redheaded step child. I guess couches are like Olsen twins… everyone has a favorite.
I just can’t get over the fact that the new couch was around $400 less than the Pottery Barn one and looks far superior. If you’re in the market for a new couch, book it to your nearest Rowe retailer (in our case it was Sofa Design in Richmond) and get one straight from the source. You’ll end up with tons more fabric choices (the pale linen-look twill wasn’t available at Pottery Barn), free throw pillows in any complementary fabric that you desire (we chose two with a subtle leafy branch motif), more money in your wallet, and a sofa that you’ll wanna come home to.
In other almost-sofa-related news, I added another fun Christmas touch that I’m dying to share. See those lamps on either side of our swank new couch? They have glass bases with an opening in the bottom. So I flipped them upside down, tossed in some silver balls, covered the opening, then flipped them back over again. Instant glamour.
I’m loving our new seasonal lamp bases and I’m already brainstorming other stuff I can fill them with throughout the year. Seashells, black and white photos, wine corks, matchboxes- the possibilities are endless!
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Comments
Hey Erica,
We’re so flattered! It’s comments like yours that really inspire us. We’re so happy to hear that we’ve saved someone from the same sofa snafu that we fell into. And we’re so glad you found the blog! Good luck with Rowe, we’re still LOVING ours.
xo
Sherry
Hi Youngsters! I just found your blog and I’m in LOVE – it’s so well-written and inspiring. As you can see, I’ve been digging through your archives to get some ideas for the upcoming holidays, and I have two questions for you!
- Where did you get that feather tree?? I’ve seen them before but can’t remember where – was it West Elm?
- Can you give me some tips for mixing whites & creams? I’ve been noticing throughout your blog how effortlessly you do this. I tend towards cream (lots of our furniture is various shades of cream/bisque, like the slipper chairs we have from Target that you’ve got too!). But I find that when I try to keep the whole color scheme cream/off-white, it winds up looking too matchy and well, kind of dirty and dingy. Do you have any tips for introducing whites into the mix to keep things looking clean and fresh, but keeping the effect soft and not haphazard?
Thanks for all you do, & keep up the great work!
Hey Liz,
We’re so glad you found us- and with Christmas around the corner again stay tuned for lots of fun & fab holiday decorating ideas in the coming weeks. As for the feather tree, we’ve seen them at West Elm and even Target but happened to snag the white one (actually John snagged it as a surprise for me after I saw it and swooned) from a local boutique. I love that thing. We also have two green ones from Target, so they’re all over the place (and hopefully will be just as abundant this year).
As for mixing whites and creams, I think the idea is not to actually put anything cream on anything white (ex: don’t throw cream pillows on your white sofa) or the creamier tone will just look dirty. Instead, using a cream sofa on a tan rug with a white slipcovered chair in the corner allows you to introduce varying shades of the same tone for a pleasing monochromatic look with a lot more depth, interest and texture than an all white space. We also always think painting your walls a subtle tan or gray (or of course any other subtle tone with a bit of a gray undertone to keep things sophisticated as opposed to pastel) will help all the creams and tans and whites pop (and even keep the white molding and trim looking fresh and dimensional). So that’s another great trick to add even more subtle differentiation of tone to the space.
And of course adding lots of texture (sisal, sheepskin, leather, cotton, bamboo blinds, etc) adds depth and keeps everything interesting. And then a pop of color (from green ferns and silver votive holders to a yellow rug or a baby pink throw) can definitely add freshness and a whole new look to the space that’s super easy (and affordable) to switch out when you’re itching for something new. Hope that helps! Happy decorating…
xoxo,
Sherry
Gosh I love that couch! I would love to add that to my home but all the dealers in Utah say that they arent able to carry the Rowe furniture line anymore because they are now out of business? I hope this isnt true! I guess I will keep searching(: wish me luck.
Oh nooooo! Say it isn’t so! Wishing you lots of luck. Keep us posted…
xo,
Sherry
Rowe is still in business
http://www.rowefurniture.com
We just bought two new couches from them last year at Belfort Furniture in Northern Virginia.
http://www.belfortfurniture.com
We love them! Also, they are made in Virginia so for us (we live in NoVA) it also supports our state’s economy. Most of the name brands have their stuff made in China.
Andrew
So good to know! And of course we love that they’re made in VA. Wahoo.
xo,
s
Hold on. Am I understanding this correctly? Is ROWE the manufacturer of sofas for Pottery Barn?
Hey Marilena,
As of two years ago when we purchased our Rowe sofa we heard from two separate in-the-know shelter magazine editors that Rowe was the name behind the Pottery Barn sofas (and also behind all Crate & Barrel sofas). We don’t definitively know if they still are today, but we love our Rowe sofa direct from the retailer a lot more than our PB version (more fabric choices, cheaper, better quality, less mark-up). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Hey you two!!
I just looove your site. We are just about to start working on our bathroom too and love watching the progress on yours’. I’ve been looking for lamps like in the pictures, but I can’t find them anywhere. Do you remember were you got them? Keep up the good work!!
Hey Lara,
They’re actually from Linens N’ Things (which is sadly no longer around) but perhaps you can try ebay? We have also seen similar glass-based lamps at Target, TJ Maxx, JC Penney and Marshall’s. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Hi!
I was looking into purchasing a new sofa set for my living room, and was considering a slip covered variety, like yours. Question: how easy are the slip covers to clean, really? After you wash them, do they go back on easily enough? And I’m concerned that the slip covers will always look rumpled, and won’t keep the structured look. Now that you’ve had yours for awhile – what are your thoughts?
Thanks in advance! Love the blog!
Shannon
Yup, so easy. They come out super clean (as in, mint). I toss them in my laundry (it takes two loads cause I like to spread them out) and I put them on the sofa while they’re still a little damp (it’s recommended because then they dry without wrinkles right onto your sofa). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
I found an article about another PB Manufacturer…
http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/41/gold.html
Thanks for the tip!
I stumbled upon your blog this past weekend, and it is so inspirational, and well put-together, it’s my new favorite! I just have to thank you so much for this post. I was dead set on purchasing my next couch from PB because I knew they were good quality, however, now that I know about Rowe, I’m changing my mind!