Hello, friends!
Today I'm extra excited to be sharing this post on the English rolled-arm sofa! As many of you know we remodeled our living room at the beginning of last year to reflect a more English country style. To the surprise (and chagrin) of many, we replaced the teal loveseat, but not the big brown couch.
Our approach to remodeling/improving our home is a bit more British than American... we not only prefer to take our time and allow the rooms and design plans to simmer, but we also are a two-man crew with a limited budget. Even if we wanted to "do" a room in one big stroke that wouldn't be possible.
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This sofa was given to us a few years into our marriage and since it has a hide-away bed inside it is extremely comfortable. It is truly ugly... We've compared it to an oversized, overbaked potato and a sunscorched walrus. The blue ocean wallpaper with a blue and mauve rose border and dated paneling don't help either. So, we saved and I dreamed of moving our living room closer in style to a charming English snug.
Our first step was to remove the wallpaper then, paint the wall and wainscotting a neutral from Sherwin Williams called "Urban Jungle." The brown sofa still carries a hulking sloppy presence, but we were moving in the right direction in losing the wallpaper! Sometimes in this process, it is good to remind yourself that you are going for good, better, and sometimes best depending on the time and cash you have to work with. Since this phase of the living room remodel, I had time to think about what we did and did not want in a sofa. I was hoping for some version of the English rolled-arm sofa that I had seen in design books and images online. Here are the specifics I was looking for:
~ Comfortable & long enough for Matt to nap on
~ The classic English rolled arm
~ A tight upholstered back for longevity. Sewn on cushions rip over time...
~ Turned wooden legs with brass casters
~ Preferrably a single bench cushion, but not critical
~ Not upholstered in a floral (I have so much floral going on already!).
After over a year of watching Marketplace this lovely English rolled-arm sofa popped up! Yes, I immediately got excited and messaged the seller! And, yes, I kept checking repeatedly to see if they responded...
By the time I had come across this post, the original price had dropped from $150 to $100. One tip worth noting for buying on Marketplace is that if a post has been up for a while the seller may be open to negotiating. This is not always the case, but it doesn't hurt to ask! I sent the seller an offer of $85 and he readily accepted. The butterflies set in and I could hardly wait to see how the sofa looked in our living room! Sometimes in the dark, dinky little picture, an item doesn't look anything like you imagined when you get it home!
I can't believe how perfectly the sofa fits in the space much less how it looks right at home! In thinking through the feeling and function of this space I was hoping to lift and lighten the room visually. With the lighter colored plaid and the sofa being up on legs both these goals were met! The tan, dark olive, and red houndstooth are an ideal juxtaposition for the larger scale florals of the other upholstery. Plus it gives a firm, masculine feeling which helps ground the room.
The lightness of this sofa does some visual trickery in making this new sofa seem smaller than the old couch. It is a little shorter, but with the streamlined armrests not only is Matt able to fully stretch out, but there is room now on both sides of the sofa for a table and lamp! I'm really glad about this as the function of the last sofa was limited to one table which meant that people only ever sat on one side to have somewhere to put their drink, or read. This also meant more shopping... Back to Marketplace!
This table/lamp combo popped up for $50. It looked to be the perfect size and in good condition. I love the faux bamboo frame, the slightly flared legs, the burl wood tabletop, and the brass accents. The shade is high quality with metal ribs and a nice lining. Why does the lining matter, you ask? Oh, I just might have a lovely fabric in mind for recovering the shade...
What a difference this English rolled-arm sofa makes! I've added a throw blanket and two pillows for comfort and style. The equestrian pillow was thrifted last year for about $5, and the needlepoint terrier pillow was found on Etsy. Even though we had to make do with the well-loved, big brown sofa for longer than we wanted, the wait was worth it in terms of budget savings and in getting the style that was best for the look we were going for.
I hope you found this sofa story to be one of encouragement and contentment. You really can find what you're looking for (and you can afford it) if you patiently wait and diligently hunt! Thank you all for being here and taking such a keen interest in this journey. happy homemaking in whatever part you're working on!
Warmly,
Rachel
